Medical Education 2010
As there is no research on the technique of training in the most important skill in Psychiatry, as how to conduct a MSE, I am evaluating different teacher inputs on the output of students being able to conduct a MSE. The evaluations are carried out blindly. Currently I am in the evaluation phase.
2009 Ethno drama, drama therapy and ethnic integration of Tamil and Sinhalese communities in Sri Lanka
In collaboration with the University of Concordia, Montreal in Canada, I am involved in a multi- disciplinary research project where two Ph D students study the psychological dynamics of the two communities namely, Tamil and Sinhalese in order to reintegrate both communities in Sri Lanka and in other parts of the world.
2009 Conditional Ejaculatory Preference
I studied the Fos gene expression (early gene expression marker) in rats after conditioning them to an ordure to describe the brain areas involved in the conditioned sexual response. This was carried out at the University of Concordia, Montreal, Canada and the work is due to be published.
2009 Sex Survey of the University of Peradeniya
I have studied the sexual behavior attitudes and prevalent myths regarding sexuality among a population in University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka. Two Abstracts were presented at the European Society of Sexual Medicine in Leon, France (2009).
2008 Community-based Alcohol Intervention Project
A culturally sensitive interventional study for safe alcohol consumption was carried out in two comparable villages in Sri Lanka. Of the two villages, one was the interventional village and the other the control village where both were studied in Toto. In the intervention village, we defined the baseline alcohol use using standard questionnaires and blood parameters together with other co-variables such as level of depression, family income, expenditure and violence etc. Same parameters were studies after the intervention in both villages. We found the method reduces alcohol consumption in the community compared to the control village and is sustainable & culturally sensitive. This study was presented at the Annual Sessions (2010) of the College of Psychiatry, Sri Lanka and was judged the best research project of the year. (From 2008- ongoing)
2007 Study of the Portrayal of Mental Illness in Sri Lankan Films
On a research grant from the University of Peradeniya, and in collaboration with the Department of Fine Arts in University of Peradeniya, we studied some selected Sinhalese films. Using qualitative methodology we analyzed how mental illnesses are being depicted in films and how the characters have been treated within the narration. Here we analyzed current attitude and pathways of care for mentally ill individuals. The results of this study have been presented at several research sessions and we are in the process of compiling a book. (From 2007-ongoing)
2006 Parquet used as a Catalyst in Illicit Breweries in Sri Lanka
Epidemic of parquet presented to the Teaching Hospital Peradeniya was investigated by myself and found that parquet was used as a catalyst in brewing of illicit spirit (kassippu). This work was published in Ceylon Medical Journal in 2006. The study became an original one, since it was the first time that this was reported in the world. The work has been accepted for publication by the Jounal of Breweries and Distillation.
2006 Personality Traits, Substance of Abuse and Serotonin Receptor Heterogeneity
Behaviour activation system and behaviour inhibition system (BAS/BIS) is one way of looking at personality traits. This scale was translated and validated to Sinhalese and subsequently we investigated the relationship between personality in terms of BIS /BAS scale, substance abuse trends and sexual promiscuity in a prison population. Further we are trying to see whether there is a correlation between the serotonin receptor gene heterogeneity and personality traits. This is a collaborative project with Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia in which I am also an investigator. Part of the work has been presented and published and DNA work is currently underway. (From 2006-ongoing)
2005 Deliberate Self harm (DSH) and its Associated Co-morbid Condition
DSH, alcohol abuse and depression are clinical entities which poses a substantial mobility and motility for the mental health sector in Sri Lanka. I studied the correlation between DSH, depression and substance abuse disorder at a Tertiary Referral Center in the Central Province in Sri Lanka. This work was presented at the Asia Pacific Conference on Psychiatry, held in Japan (2004-5).
1993 Kinetics of Mitochondrial Enzymes
This research was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford. It was sponsored by Welcome Trust Scholarship to work with Prof. G.K. Radda, Professor of Biochemistry in Oxford University. I analyzed the kinetics of a range of mitochondrial enzymes, with the aim of developing a model for cardiac hypertension.
1992 Side Directed Mutational Analysis in Phosporylase Kinase.
In the Department of Molecular Bio Physics, University of Oxford, under a Welcome Trust Scholarship and upon the request of Prof L. Johnson I returned to her laboratory and performed Side Directed Mutational Analysis in Phosporylase Kinase.
1991 Expression and Purification of Phosphorylase Kinase in E.coli
At the Department of Molecular Bio Physics, University of Oxford, I worked with Prof L. Johnson on a Welcome Trust Scholarship where I researched on expression and purification of an essential enzyme in glycogen metabolism (Phosphorylase Kinase).
1989-1990 Plant Tissue Culture and Mutational Breading (Psophocarpus tetreogonolobus)
I have worked at the Institute of Fundamental Studies in Sri Lanka as a Pre-University Research Fellow.
I used plant tissue culture and mutational breading techniques to enhance the plant architecture of the Weing Bean Plant (Psophocarpus tetreogonolobus).
1989 Sinharaja Forest of Sri Lanka
I have worked for three months with Prof C V S Gunatilake, in the management and care of the world heritage environmental centre. I was required to collate and access growth data from the forest flower in order to evaluate the progress of the echo system.
1989 – The Enzymatic Discoloration of Natural Rubber Latex
I have three months work experience as a Research Assistant to the Director, Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka. I was involved in biochemistry laboratory work in a project looking at the enzymatic discoloration of natural rubber latex. |
