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Dr. Asha Wijegunawardhana

Senior Lecturer

Department of Bioprocess Technology, 
Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale.
awijegun@tec.rjt.ac.lk
+94 704352350

Education

  • Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine – Mahidol University, Thailand – 2024
  • Ph.D. in Molecular Biology – University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka – 2018
  • M.Phil. in Molecular Biology – University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka – 2010
  • B. Sc. (Sp.) in Agriculture – Wayamba University of Sri Lanka – 2006 (Specialized in Biotechnology)

Biography

Asha Wijegunawardana is a Senior Lecturer in Animal Biotechnology attached to the Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, and is currently the Faculty Coordinator of the Research and Publication Committee. Dr. Asha has won the prestigious WHO/TDR Postgraduate Scholarship in 2014, the UNESCO/OWSD Early Career Fellowship in 2022, and several fellowships and grants from the IAEA, Vienna, and WHO/TDR in Switzerland which she considers turning points in her life. Also, she has a great record of securing prestigious fellowships and awards offered to outstanding students and researchers during her graduate studies at the University of Kelaniya. She was recently awarded several prestigious international and local fellowships, and awards in appreciation of her dedication to the research.

Dr. Asha conducts various research projects based on her expertise in molecular biology, biotechnology, and entomology, with the aid of several leading foreign and locally funded projects. She mentors many postgraduate and undergraduate students of the faculty on various research topics while collaborating with several local and international universities. She has co-authored many scientific publications, and book chapters, and serves on several national-level committees in biotechnology and entomology-related fields.

Grants / Awards / Scholarships/Fellowships

  • IAEA CRP Grant – International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 2024.
  • TDR Impact Grant – WHO, TDR and WHO’s Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO), 2024.
  • Commercialization Oriented Small Research Grant for Anti-dandruff Shampoo – University Business Linkage Cell (UBLC), Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, 2024.
  • IAEA fellowship to participate in the FAO/IAEA 2nd Symposium of Tephritid Workers (TAAO), in Beijing, China – International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 2024.
  • Finalist of the TDR 50th Anniversary Photo Contest – Tropical Disease Research (TDR), World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2023.
  • Commercialization Oriented Small Research Grant for Moisturizing body lotion – University Business Linkage Cell (UBLC), Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, 2023.
  • Commercialization Oriented Small Research Grant for Herbal Lip Balm – University Business Linkage Cell (UBLC), Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, 2023.
  • IAEA fellowship to participate in the 11th International Symposium on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance in Sydney, Australia – International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 2022.
  • OWSD Early Career Fellowship – Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Trieste, Italy, 2022
  • MOOC Grant 2021 – Tropical Disease Research (TDR), World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2021.
  • Finalist for the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2021 in the category Science Engagement – FALLING WALLS Competition, Germany, 2021.
  • Finalist of the TDR Global Career Impact Contest – Tropical Disease Research (TDR), World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2020
  • Finalist of the TDR Global Crowdfunding Challenge Contest – Tropical Disease Research (TDR), World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2019.
  • Semifinalist of the SLAYS open forum 2017 Oral Presentation on “Research for Impact; March of the Sri Lankan Young Scientists” – Sri Lanka Academy of Young Scientists (SLAYS) and National Science Foundation (NSF) Sri Lanka in collaboration with Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI), 2017.
  • IAEA fellowship in IPCL, Vienna, Austria – International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 2017.
  • Gold Medal, Vice Chancellors’ Award for bringing honors to the Kelaniya University by wining national/international awards – University of Kelaniya, 2014.
  • IAEA fellowship in MOSCAMED, Brazil – International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Vienna, Austria, 2015.
  • WHO fellowship in the Center for Vectors and Vector Borne Diseases (CVVD), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Thailand – World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2015.
  • Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) to study for a PhD degree in Environmental Engineering in the Herbin Institute of Technology, Herbin, China – Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), China, 2014.
  • WHO/TDR Post graduate Research Grant award for PhD research training (US $ 49, 924/-) – World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland, 2014.
  • Presidential Award for Scientific Publication – National Research Council (NRC), Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2014.
  • Outstanding Postgraduate Research Award for Medicine – 2013, Hiran Tillekeratne Research Fund with cash award for M.Phil. Research degree – University Grant Commission (UGC), Ministry of Higher Education and Highways, Sri Lanka, 2013.
  • Commendation Postgraduate Research Award – 2012 for contributions of research in Sri Lanka for M.Phil. Research degree​ – Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), 2012.
  • The BioVision.Nxt fellowship and travel award to participate in the BioVision 2011 Life Science Forum in Lyon, France – Third World Academy of Science (TWAS), 2011.
  • Travel award to attend the Joint International Tropical Medicine Meeting 2009, Bangkok, Thailand – GlaxoSmithKline, Colombo, 2009.