Dr. Marianne Nishani Lucas

Dr.Nishani Lucas is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. She graduated from the  University of Colombo with first Class Honours in 2002. She was Head of the Department of Paediatrics from 2017 to 2020.

She is a board certified consultant neonatologist attached to the  University Unit in De Soysa Hospital for Women, Colombo Sri Lanka which has 4000-5000 births per year. She is a trainer in Neonatology for undergraduates and postgraduates. She is a national trainer for newborn life support, neonatal transport, essential newborn care and sick newborn care. She is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for Newborn and Child Health and played a key role in the formulating, editing and updating the National Neonatal Guidelines.

She is the first Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant in Sri Lanka. She works closely with the Family health Bureau with regard to safe guarding and promoting breastfeeding in Sri Lanka.She is a national trainer in Breast feeding Counselling and in Infant and Young Child Feeding and is involved in training undergraduates as well as postgraduates in Paediatrics, Human Nutrition, Emergency Medicine and Community Medicine.

She is certified in Neonatal Behavioural Assessment by the Brazelon Institute, USA as well as in Pretchels Method on qualitative assessment for general movements. She played a key role in introducing the concept of Developmental Care to neonatal Units in Sri Lanka.

Her research interests include Preterm neonates, Developmental care in the neonate, Understanding the behaviour of the neonate, Breastfeeding and the outcome of neonatal care. She is reading for a PhD in Infant Body Composition at present.