RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS   Dr. Nalinda Silva MBBS, PhD Senior Lecturer Grade II Department of Physiology Telephone - Office : +94 11 2758000 Ext: 4537     Mobile : +94 77 7215910 E-mail : yasanga@sjp.ac.lk   RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Research Communications Based on the PhD Study    Full Paper Publications Silva N, Senanayake H, Peiris-John R, Wickremasinghe R. Demographic, biological and dietary characteristics associated with endometriosis in a group of Sri Lankan women. Sri Lanka Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2011; 33: 91-97. Silva N, Peiris-John R, Wickremasinghe R, Senanayake H, Sathiakumar N. Cadmium a metalloestrogen: are we convinced? Journal of Applied Toxicology. 2012; 32(5):318-32. Silva N, Senanayake H, Peiris-John R, Wickremasinghe R, Sathiakumar N, Waduge V. Presence of metalloestrogens in ectopic endometrial tissue. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. 2012; 24 (24):1-5. Silva N, Senanayake H, Waduge V. Elevated levels of whole blood nickel in a group of Sri Lankan women with endometriosis: A case control study. BMC Research Notes. 2013; 6(1):13. Silva N, Tennekoon K, Senanayake H, Samarakoon S. Metalloestrogen cadmium stimulates proliferation of stromal cells derived from the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis. Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2013;52(4):540-545.      Presentations in International Research Symposia A paper titled "Demographic and environmental factors associated with sub fertility" was presented as a poster presentation at the 10nd South East Asian Regional Scientific Meeting of the International Epidemiological Association held between 23-26 May 2010 in Colombo, Sri Lanka Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickremasinghe. A paper titled "Association between heavy metals and endometriosis: Results of a preliminary analysis" was presented as an oral presentation at the 20nd World Congress on Fertility and Sterility(IFFS 2010) held in Munich, Germany on the 15nd September 2010. The abstract of this paper was published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine and Endocrinology, volume 7(2010) /Number 4. Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickramasingha, Vajira Waduge. This abstract was selected as one of the "Best Abstracts" by the Scientific Committee of the 13nd World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Infertility (COGI) held at Berlin, Germany from 4nd to 7nd November 2010. A paper titled "Iron, Zinc and endometriosis: a preliminary study" was presented as an oral presentation at the 2nd Biennial conference of South Asian association of Physiologists(SAAP) held in Bangalore, India from 15nd to 17nd December 2010. Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickramasingha, Vajira Waduge. This paper was shortlisted for the "Young Scientists Competition" A paper titled "Association of metalloestrogen cadmium and endometriosis" was Presented as a poster presentation at the 15nd World Congress of Gynecological Endocrinology, Florence 2012. Authors: Nalinda Silva N, Kamani Tennekoon, Hemantha Senanayake, Sameera Samarakoon This paper was selected among the 100 best abstracts in the Under 34 Competition and an award amounting to 600 Euros was presented. A paper titled "In-vitro effects of cadmium on cultured human endometrial stromal cells" was presented as an oral presentation at the 3nd Biennial conferences of the South Asian Association of Physiologists (SAAP-3) held in Colombo from 08nd to 09nd November 2012.      Presentations in National Research Symposia A paper titled "Association between heavy metals and endometriosis" was presented as an oral presentation at the 123nd Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association on the 2nd of June 2010. The abstract of this paper was published in the Ceylon Medical Journal, volume 55(Supp 1). Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickramasingha, Vajira Waduge. A paper titled "Association between heavy metals and endometriosis: Results of a preliminary analysis" was presented as an oral presentation at the 43nd Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on the 7nd of August 2010. The abstract of this paper was published in the Sri Lanka Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Volume 32 (supp.1) Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickramasingha, Vajira Waduge. A paper titled "Demographic, biologic and environmental factors associated with endometriosis" was presented as an oral presentation at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura on the 12nd November 2010. Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickremasinghe. A paper titled "Accumulation of toxic metals in ectopic endometrial tissue" was presented as a poster at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2011. The abstract was published in the Ceylon Medical Journal; Volume 56, supplement 1 Authors: Nalinda Silva, Hemantha Senanayaka, Roshini Peiris-John, Rajitha Wickramasingha, Vajira Waduge. A paper titled "Establishment of human endometrial stromal cell cultures as in-vitro models to test the effects of metalloestrogens in women with or without endometriosis" was presented as a poster at the 125nd Anniversary International Medical Congress, 2012. The abstract was published in the Ceylon Medical Journal; volume 57;(supplement 1): page 99.   Other Research Communications    Full Paper Publications Silva NY, Tennekoon KH, Senanayake L, Karunanayake EH. Cord blood leptin levels in normal pregnancies, pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus. Ceylon Medical Journal. 2008 Sep; 53(3):79-82. Silva N, Tennakoon V, Wijayatunga NN. What makes medical students to say "yes" to e-learning? Sri Lanka Journal of Biomedical Informatics 2013;4(1):7-13.      Presentations in National Research Symposia A paper titled "Cord blood leptin levels in normal pregnancies, pregnancy induced hypertension and gestational diabetes mellitus" was presented as a poster at the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2007. The abstract was published in the Ceylon Medical Journal; Volume 52, supplement 1 Authors: Silva NY, Tennekoon KH, Senanayake L, Karunanayake EH A paper titled "Study on acceptance of an electronic patient record management system among general practitioners in an urban area" was presented as an oral presentation at the Annual Academic Sessions of the College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka, 2008. Authors: N.Y Silva, P.A. Siribaddana, D. Dharmawardana   Research Grants Obtained    International Research grant awarded by the International Training and Research in Environmental and Occupational Health program (ITREOH), [Grant Number 5 D43 TW05750] from the National Institutes of Health-Fogarty International Center (NIH-FIC) for cadmium analysis in biological samples in 2010. Grant value LKR 350,000/=      National University research grant awarded by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura [grant ASP/6/Re/2008/06] as a co-investigator in 2008. Grant value LKR 550,000/= Research grant awarded by the University grants Commission (UGC), Sri Lanka in 2009. Grant value LKR 750,000/= Research grant awarded by the National Coordinating Committee on Reproductive Health Research of Sri Lanka (HRP) for the establishment of human primary endometrial stromal cell cultures in 2009. Grant value LKR 340,000/=   Experience in Laboratory Techniques Enzyme linked immune-sorbent (ELISA) assays for human prolactin, leptin and caspase Heavy metal analysis in biological samples Isolation and culture of human stromal cells from the eutopic endometrium Extraction of DNA from venous blood samples and cell monolayers. PCR and genotyping   Research Training In 2013 followed the Frontiers in Reproduction training programme on Application of Cellular and Molecular concepts at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, MA, USA.   Research Awards Awarded the prestigious Murugesar Sinnetamby oration for 2014 by the Sri Lanka Medical Association for the manuscript titled "Endometriosis and Metalloestrogens: Defining a Sri Lankan paradigm". The oration is to be delivered in September 2014.     PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Secretary of Physiological Society of Sri Lanka (PSSL) from January 2013 to date. Member of Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Member of Sri Lanka Family Planning Association (SLFPA) Member of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)     WORK EXPERIENCE Internship Pre-intern Research Assistant at the Institute of Bio Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB), University of Colombo from 2005 to 2006.   Internship Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Professorial Paediatric Surgery Unit - House officer in Paediatric Surgery under Dr Ranjan Dias, Senior Lecturer in Surgery, Department of Surgery, Colombo Medical Faculty. (02/02/06 to 02/08/06)   Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, Sri Lanka. House officer in Gynaecology and Obstetrics under Dr J.M. Kumarasiri (02/08/06 to 02/02/07)   Post-intern Base Hospital, Kahawatta. - Medical Officer in Medical ward (03/03/2007 - 02/05/07)   Teaching Experience Undergraduate Lecturer (Contract basis) - 01/11/07 to 01/11/08 Lecturer - 01/11/08 to 12/12/12 Senior Lecturer - 12/12/12 to date Conduct lectures in Physiology (mainly reproduction) for medical (MBBS) as well as paramedical (BSc in Nursing, B Pharm. and BSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences) undergraduate students. Visiting Lecturer and external examiner for BSc in Medical Laboratory Technology & BSc in Nursing at Open University, Sri Lanka.   Postgraduate Visiting Lecturer, at Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IBMBB), University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Conducted lectures in the Reproduction and development module for students following the Masters in Molecular Life Sciences.   Supervision of Students Undergraduate Guide/supervise medical as well as paramedical undergraduate students in their final year research projects.   Postgraduate Students following the Masters in Molecular Life Sciences at the IBMBB Project titles: "Association between P53 codon 72 polymorphism and endometriosis in Sri Lankan women", "Association between IGF-II polymorphisms and endometriosis in Sri Lankan women