• B.Sc Special Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (First Class Honors)  (Col)
• MS (USA)
• PhD (Colombo)
• CTHE

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Stem cells

Referred Journal Articles

• Bandara W. M.M.S., Muhinudeen F. T., Rathnayake A. J.I.S., Malaviarachchi S. L., (2023) Comparison of serum concentrations of interleukin-8 and carcinoembryonic antigen in a south Asian cohort of patients with colorectal cancer, World Cancer Research Journal; 10: e2477
• T Muhinudeen, S Rasnayake, AJIS Rathnayake and WMMS Bandara, (2022) Analysis of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 in a Cohort of Patients with Colorectal Cancers in Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the International research conference, Kotelawela Defence University-2022.
• Bandara WMMS, Rathnayake AJIS, Neththikumara NF, Goonasekera HWW, Dissanayake VHW. Comparative Analysis of the Genetic Variants in Haematopoietic Stem/Progenitor and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Compartments in de novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Blood Cells Mol Diseases, 2021 ;88:102535. doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2021.102535. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33461003.
• WMMS Bandara and AJIS Rathnayake, Morning Vs Evening Exercises: Which Gives A Better Outcome? Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, 3 (9), (2019) 601-609
• WMMS Bandara and AJIS Rathnayake, The Effect of Duration of Physical Exercises on Biochemical Parameters: A South Asian Perspective”. Chronicle of Medicine and Surgery 2 (5) (2018) 254-262
• W M Manoj Senaka Bandara, A J Iresha Sandeepanie Rathnayake, Korotta Gamage Somasiri, The effect of long term physical exercises on plasma cortisol levels, International Journal of Medicine, 5 (2) (2017) 239-242.
• A. J. I. S. Rathnayake, H. W. W. Goonasekera, and V. H. W. Dissanayake, Phenotypic and Cytogenetic Characterization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in De Novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Analytical Cellular Pathology, vol. 2016, Article ID 8012716, 11 pages, 2016. doi:10.1155/2016/8012716
• Bandara WMMS, Rathnayake AJIS, Goonasekera HWW and Dissanayake VHW. (May 2016), Development of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Myelodysplastic Syndromes. J Mol Genet Med; 10(2):pp10002171-5.
• M K O K De Silva, K G Somasiri, BWMTJ Basnayake, EPDR Edirisinghe, WMMS Bandara, AJIS Rathnayake (2014) Title : Reliability and Validity of the Sinhala translation of the Lakaev Academic Stress Response Scale (LASRS-S) (accepted for Poster Presentation at the 127^th Anniversary International Medical Congress of the Sri Lanka Medical Association)
• WMMS Bandara, AJIS Rathnayake, BWMTJ Basnayake, MKOK De Silva, D Edirisinghe, BCIJN Nanayakkara and KG Somasiri (2014) Military Training Improves Lipid Profile. Proceedings of International Research Symposium, General Sir John Kotelawela Defence University (2014).
• The roles of RhlE and HFQ in sRNA-dependent gene regulation. Rathnayake, A.J.I.S. ETD Collection for WSU. AAI 1483812, p 41 (2010).

Communications at Scientific Meetings Published as Abstracts

• Analysis of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 in a Cohort of Patients with Colorectal Cancers in Sri Lanka.T Muhinudeen, S Rasnayake, AJIS Rathnayake and WMMS Bandara. General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. 15th International Research Conference. 2022, pp 25.
• FT Muhinudeen, AJIS Rathnayake, SL Malaviarachchi and WMMS Bandara, Investigating the Clinical Data and Their Correlation with Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels in a Cohort of Patients with Colorectal Cancer. (2021) International research conference, Kotelawela Defence University.
• MS Bandara, I Rathnayake, N Neththikumara, H Goonasekera, V Dissanayake. Genetic Variations in Hematopoietic and Mesenchymal Stem Cells in de novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes, European society for medical oncology, Asia Congress 2019, Singapore. Annals of Oncology, Volume 30 (9), November 2019.
• WMMS Bandara, AJIS Rathnayake, NF Neththikumara, HWW Goonasekera, VHW Dissanayake Associations of Genetic Variations in Altered Cellular Pathways in Haematopoietic and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Compartments in Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Colombo Medical Congress 2020, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo pp 114.
• Genetic bio-marker discovery in de novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Bandara, WMMS, Rathnayake, AJIS, Neththikumara, NF, Goonasekera, HWW and Dissanayake, VHW. National Health Research Symposium, 2017, Ministry of Health Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine.pp177
• Next generation sequencing study of Mesenchymal Stem cells in de novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes, A.J.I S Rathnayake, N.F Neththikumara,. , V. H. W. Dissanayake, H. W. W. Goonasekera, Annual research symposium 2017, University of Colombo, p 225
• Next Generation Sequencing Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Sri Lankan Cohort of Myelodysplastic Syndromes Patients. AJIS Rathnayake, NF Neththikumara, WMMS Bandara, VHW Dissanayake, HWW Goonasekera (2017) Sri Lanka College of Hematologists- Annual Scientific Sessions.
• Molecular characterization of mesenchymal stem cells of patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in Sri Lanka. Rathnayake I, Dissanayake VHW, Goonasekara HWW. (2016), 2^nd International Conference on Natural Products Genomics and Drug discovery.
• Cytogenetic Characteristics of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Rathnayake I, Dissanayake VHW, Goonasekara HWW. (2015), Proceedings of 9^th UK Mesenchymal Stem Cell Meeting- Manchester 2015; poster.
• Comparison of Physical Health Parameters of Cadets and Day Scholars in General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), K G Somasiri, BWMTJ Basnayake, MKOK De Silva, WMMS Bandara, AJIS Rathnayake, EPDR Edirisinghe. (2015) International research conference, Kotelawela Defence University.
• Isolation and characterization of RNase E (rne) encoding gene from Corenebacterium glutamicum. Rathnayake, AJIS and Wijayaratna, C.D. Book of abstracts; University of Colombo. ISBN 978-955-9021-53-7,(2007).
• Isolation of RNase E encoding gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum. 2008; Annual Research Symposium, University of Colombo , p 116. Rathnayake A. J. I.S.,Wijayarathna C. D.

Presentations at scientific fora

• Molecular characterization of mesenchymal stem cells of patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in Sri Lanka. 2nd International Conference on Natural Products Genomics and Drug discovery
• Silencing of retroelements in budding yeast” – Wayne State University, USA.
• The role of Hfq in intermolecular base-pairing between sRNA and mRNA and the effect of RhlE and Hfq on gene regulation –
  RNA Club, Wayne State University, USA.
• Genetic and chemical basis of Parkinson’s disease –University of Colombo.
• Use of RFLP in Detection of Cystic Fibrosis – University of Colombo.

• Next Generation Sequencing
• Training programme in “stem cells and regenerative medicine” at Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore, India.
• Stem Cell course conducted by Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo.
• Course of training for Radiological Health/ radiation Safety, Health Physics Office, Wayne State University, USA 

Current research

• Assessment of the effects of military training on health parameters
• Mesenchymal stem cells in leukemic conditions; Myelodysplastic Syndromes
• Stem cells

Past Research

• Gene expression regulation by non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) and RNA – Protein interactions. Characterization of the role of RNA binding proteins; RhlE and Hfq in ncRNA-mRNA interactions
• Characterization of RNase E (rne) encoding gene from Corenebacterium glutamicum
• Isolation of Lambda phage DNA to prepare Lambda markers and identification of cheap media for the bacteriophage in order to minimize the cost of preparation of DNA markers.
• Isolation of the gene encoding a nematode specific fatty acid and retinol binding protein (far-1), from filarial parasite Seatria digitata

• Sri Lanka College of Oncology Research Grant, 2022, “Detection of Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)) in Gastric & Oesophageal adenocarcinoma -paradigm of predicting treatment response & prognosis” Co-investigator
• Grant Number: KDU[{G/2020/EO1[,4/007 [2021], Kotelawala Defence University research grants, Project title: Profiling of cytokines as potential biomarkers in colorectal cancers. Co-investigator
• Grant No. RPHS/2016/C04 SLR. 4,000,000/-. [2016] National Science Foundation – Research Programme on Health Science – 2016/2017. Project Title: Biomarker Discovery in Haematology – Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Co-investigator
• Award for the best oral presentation- Next Generation Sequencing Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Sri Lankan Cohort of Myelodysplastic Syndromes Patients. (2017) Sri Lanka College of Hematologists- Annual Scientific Sessions.
• Award for the second place in the oral free paper category – Annual research symposium of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo (2017).
• NSF travelling fellowship OSTP/2012/23
• Graduate Teaching Assistantship, Wayne State University, USA 2008-2010.

• Head- Biochemistry
• Secretary Ethics Review Committee
• Member of National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka