Prof. Jayasekara was Chair and Senior Professor of Anatomy and the Founder Director of the Human Genetics Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, from 1983. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, in 1972 and obtained a Commonwealth Scholarship to read for a doctorate in human genetics under the renowned Prof. Derek Roberts at the Department of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. After returning to Sri Lanka, he established the Human Genetics Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, in 1983. Through the years, he has held many posts in the Faculty of Medicine, including the prestigious post of Dean from 2011 to 2014. He was appointed Chair in Anatomy in the year 2000 and became Senior Professor in 2008. He contributed in numerous ways to both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in Sri Lanka. Some of his achievements included being admitted as a Fellow of the Galton Institute London, Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, London, and Honorary Fellow of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka. He is also a fellow of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka.
President from 2011 to 2016
Senior Professor B.G. Nanayakkara, a distinguished academic, enthusiastic researcher, specialist in restorative & maxillofacial prosthetic dentistry, and academic par excellence, served the University of Ruhuna for over 25 years with distinction.
Professor B.G. Nanayakkara received his primary & secondary education at Richmond College, Galle, graduated from the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya in 1978, and obtained a doctorate from the University of Ruhuna in 1997. He was awarded a British Council Scholarship to UK for his postgraduate studies, where he read on restorative dentistry and maxillofacial prosthesis at King’s College, Guy’s University, Great Ormond Street Sick Children Hospital, and Queen Mary’s Hospital, UK. He was also awarded a prestigious membership in the British Society for the Study of Prosthetic Dentistry (BSSPD).
He was the founder of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, the only such facility in southern Sri Lanka. He has authored 15 textbooks on various aspects of anatomy and six color atlases of human anatomy and has an extensive publication record in science citation-indexed and refereed journals to his credit.
Professor B.G. Nanayakkara was the president of three national bodies: Sri Lanka Dental Association 2002/2003, Anatomical Society of Sri Lanka 2016/2017, and College of General Dental Practitioners of Sri Lanka 2018.
He served as the director of the Center for International Affairs (CINTA), head of the Department of Anatomy, head of the Medical Illustration & Photographic Unit, head of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, president of the RFMTA, chairman of the Fundraising Committee, University of Ruhuna Silver Jubilee Exhibition, and chief coordinator of the University for the Dayata Kirula National Development Exhibition, to mention a few among numerous committees he has led.
Professor Nanayakkara played a major role in establishing the 90-room STEMCOR student hostel at the Faculty of Medicine, served as the Sri Lankan Director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Project conducted in collaboration with the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, London, UK, and was also instrumental in establishing a new field hospital consisting of maternity and neonatal units following the tsunami disaster through the Medical Aid to Galle Environs (MAGE) project.
Currently Professor Nanayakkara is serving as the president of the College of General Dental Practitioners of Sri Lanka.
President 2016 – 2017
Professor Surangi G. Yasawardene, Senior Professor of Anatomy and Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardenapura, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, in 1992. Soon after completing her internship, she joined the Faculty of Medical Sciences as a probationary lecturer in anatomy in 1993. As a pioneer member of the department of anatomy, she, together with the senior staff, was instrumental in organizing the curriculum and setting up the department. She obtained her PhD in molecular genetics in 2000 and progressed academically, getting promoted to professor of anatomy on merit in 2007, chair professor of anatomy in 2010, and senior professor of anatomy in 2015. During this time she continued to actively participate in all areas of academia in undergraduate and postgraduate activities. She also functioned as the administrative head of the Department of Anatomy from 2001 until she assumed duties as the Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in 2014.
President 2017 – 2018
Prof. D. J. Anthony graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, in 1987. He joined the Department of Anatomy as a demonstrator in 1991 and became a lecturer in 1993. At present is an associate professor in anatomy. He completed his overseas surgical training at the Princess Royal Hospital in Farnborough, London, and obtained his fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Prof. Anthony has been a member of the panel of examiners for the Royal College of Surgeons of London for more than ten years. Prof. Anthony has served the PGIM as a board member in radiology and basic medical sciences and has been the chairman of the specialty board in anatomy. He is currently the chairman of the Board of Study in Basic Medical Sciences. Prof. Anthony has held the positions of Head of the Department of Anatomy and that of the Department of Allied Health Sciences. He is also the past president of the Faculty of Medicine Teachers Association. In the Anatomical Society of Sri Lanka, he was the first treasurer. He is a postgraduate examiner in surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, ophthalmology, and sports medicine and serves as an undergraduate external examiner in both anatomy and surgery at other universities. As a researcher, he has authored numerous publications in indexed and high-impact SCI journals. He has also received the National Research Council (NRC) Merit Awards for scientific publications. He is a reviewer of many journals, including the Journal of Clinical Anatomy. Prof. Anthony is the immediate past president of the Arts Council of the University of Colombo.
President 2018 – 2019
Prof. S. B. Adikari graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, in 1998. He joined the Department of Anatomy as a temporary assistant lecturer in 1998 and became a lecturer in the year 2000. At present he is the Chair Professor of Anatomy at Peradeniya. He completed his PhD in 2005 at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Prof. Adikari has been a member of the panel of examiners for the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo, for more than six years. He has served the PGIM as a board member on the Board of Basic Medical Sciences and the Specialty Board in Anatomy. Further He has held the position of Head of the Department of Anatomy from 2011 to 2014 and has been serving the department as a professor since 2013. He has also served as the Vice President and the President of the Peradeniya Faculty Medicine TeachersAssociation. He is a founding member of the Anatomical Society of SriLanka. He has supervised four completed MPhil research projects and has authored numerous publications in indexed and high-impact SCI journals, for some of which he received the National Research Council (NRC) merit awards for scientific publications. He is also a reviewer of several journals, including the Journal of Clinical Anatomy, and authored a dissecting manual for physiotherapy undergraduates and an illustrated handbook on human anatomy for advanced-level students. He has served as a senior student counselor and the senior treasurer of the medical faculty student union and the Buddhist association on several occasions. He received the Endeavour Executive Award in 2010 to study the medical curriculum at Griffith University, Australia. He received the best undergraduate anatomy teacher award in 2018.
President 2019 – 2020
Professor Moditha Madhuwanthi Dissanayake obtained her MBBS degree from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, in 1995 with honors, winning the Drogo Austin Gold Medal for Orthopaedics. She joined the faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, in 1997 as a lecturer in the department of Anatomy. She got her training in ophthalmology at National Eye Hospital Colombo and the Tennant Institute of Ophthalmology UK.
She was board certified as a specialist in ophthalmology in 2005. She was the former head of the department of anatomy and also served as the founder convener and later as the chairperson of the special senses module of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo. An active researcher in the fields of anatomy, ophthalmology, and medical education, she has presented her work at various local and international forums and has several publications to her credit.
In 2015 she was awarded the BMJ South Asia Award for excellence in medical education. She was the winner of the best paper award at the Annual Congress of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka in 2016. She is a graduate of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Leadership Development Programme and an awardee of the APAO-ZOC Travel Grant for Invited Speakers in 2015 at APAO in Guangzhou, China.
Professor Dissanayake is a member of the Board of Study in Ophthalmology and an examiner at postgraduate examinations in Ophthalmology. She contributed to the field of ophthalmology in Sri Lanka by serving as the president of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka in 2017.
President 2023 – 2024
President 2022 – 2023
President 2020 – 2022