Emeritus Professor Sunethra Atukorala

At retirement, Professor Sunthra Atukorala held the post of Senior Professor of Biochemistry and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine. With more than 40 years of experience in teaching Nutrition and Biochemistry to Medical Undergraduates, she contributed to updating and improving the course content and teaching/learning methods in Biochemistry and as founder Chairperson was responsible for planning, developing and conducting the Module on Nutrition in the module based Medical curriculum. He extensive experience in postgraduate teaching includes, course design for MSc Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Food and Nutrition, University of Kelaniya, and teaching on many PGIM courses as well as PhD’s at the Faculty of Medicine, Colobmo.

She has over 60 publications in peer reviewed journals including many in coveted Science citation indexed journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and the British Journal of Nutrition and communications too numerous to mention.

She has numerous awards to her credit, some of which are: Presidential Research Awards, 2006, 2004, 2003,1999, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Memorial Award 2012, Kandy Society of Medicine Prize for Health Research, 2002, Dr. Frank Gunasekera prize for best research paper (Co-author) in Community Medicine  124th  Anniversary  Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2011, S. E. Seneviratne prize for outstanding research (Co-author), 122nd Anniversary  Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2009, S. E. Seneviratne prize for outstanding research, 113th Anniversary Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2000, E.M.Wijerama Award for outstanding research, 103rd Anniversary Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1990, S.E.Seneviratne award for outstanding research, 99th Anniversary Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, March 1986 , Commonwealth Tropical Medicine Research Studentship, U.K., 1977-1980.

The many professional posts held included: President, National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka, 2009-2010, Fellow, National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka, from 1998,   Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon & Chartered Chemist from 1991, President Nutrition Society of Sri Lanka, 1990 – 1992, President of the Chemical Sciences Section (Section E2), Sri Lanka   Association for the Advancement of Science, 1991, Full Member, Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) , Member, International College of Nutrition, Resource person for Bangladesh Academy of Sciences organized workshop on: “Challenges of young women scientists in new and emerging sciences”, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2012. , IAEA National Experts meeting on:”Stable isotopic techniques”, Bangalore, India, 2011, Represented the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka at the 4^th  AASA-FASAS joint international conference on Science education in Asia and the Pacific Seoul, Korea, 2010.  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health organized Technical meeting on “Biomarkers of nutrition for development (BOND)”, Vienna, Austria, 2010 , Represented the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka at the Inter Academy Panel (IAP) General Assembly and Conference, London, UK, 2010. Chairperson, Research & Higher Degrees Committee, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo , Scientific visit, MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory,         University of Cambridge, UK 2008., Short term Consultant, World Bank, Desk Review on Malnutrition in Sri Lanka, Scale, scope and Causes, 2007, Resource person for the WHO sponsored Consultative meeting on:    “Adolescent nutrition”, Bangkok, Thailand, August, 2005, Member of the Editorial Board, National Science Foundation, from 2005 to 2012. Advisor, IAEA for Consultative meeting on “Thematic Planning on Human Nutrition”, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, December 2004, Ad-hoc Reviewer for British Journal of Nutrition,  2003, Member of the panel of reviewers for the International Nutritional Anaemia Consultative Group (INACG), 2001, Member of the Sri Lanka Medical Association Lipid  Management Guidelines Committee 2002-2004. Regional Resource person for the WHO/UNICEF/FAO sponsored International Training Workshop on: “Developing applied nutrition projects – maternal and adolescent nutrition” held at Institute of Nutrition Mahidol University,Thailand, May 1999, Member of the Ministry of  Health & UNICEF sponsored working group on: Food based dietary guidelines, 2002, Temporary adviser to Regional Director, WHO for the Regional meeting  on: “Prevention & control of vitamin A deficiency, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1988, Recipient of WHO Fellowships for post doctoral research, National Institute of  Nutrition, Hyderabad, India and Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University Thailand, 1991, University of Queensland, Australia, 1986

Her contribution to the University and National development was through being a member of the Presidential sub-committee on “Micronutrient Policy” of the National Policy and Food Security Programme 1998, development of a “National strategy and broad plan of action against anaemia in pregnancy” as a member of the core group convened by the Ministry of Health and Women s Affairs, 1994, Contributed to the development of: Guidelines on management of lipid disorders in Sri Lanka as a member of the National lipid Guidelines Committee, 2002-2004, Member of the task force for prevention of diabetes and Co-author ( with Dr. R  Jayatissa) of  the Nutrition education component of the advocacy document prepared by the Diabetes prevention task force 2005, development of; “Food based dietary guidelines for Sri Lankans” as a member of the core group convened by the Ministry of  Health and Indigenous Medicine, 2002, Member of the Sri Lanka Medical Association committee on Nutrition 2002. Participation in nutrition education programmes for patients attending the cardiac rehabilitation programme of the Institute of Cardiology, NHSL  2002-2011.Development of educational material and conducting training programmes for estate health  staff on improving nutrition of mothers and children 1998, Development of educational material and participating in training programmes conducted by the Minsitry of health for prevention of anaemia and vitamin A deficiency in 1994.

She has delivered many orations and Keynote addresses and invited lectures at national and international scientific fora including WHO SEARO and IAEA. Her contribution to research development was significant, and she initiated a research programme which has been sustained to date through significant capacity building and human resource development in Nutritional Biochemistry at the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Colombo with financial support from   NARESA, NIHS ( Kalutara),WHO, UNICEF, USAID (Micronutrient project, International life Sciences Institute), Programme Support Group & Technical   Assistance Team (funded by Governments of Netherlands and Norway) & the IAEA.  Establishment of facilities and equipment for radioisotopic work and for research using  stable isotopes with a Technical Cooperation grant from the IAEA. Total funds received add upto US$ 344,176.      Several postgraduates have benefitted from this research programme. Six  postgraduates have been awarded Ph.D degrees while eighteen postgraduates have successfully completed their M.Sc degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and   two Medical Officers have been awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine – MD  (Community  Medicine) for research work  carried out under my supervision.