New DG at Sri Lanka Standards Institution
View(s):Dr. Siddhika G. Senaratne recently assumed duties as the Director General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI).
Dr. Siddhika G. Senaratne
Dr. Senaratne completed her primary education at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalya, Colombo and her secondary education at Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo. At the University of Colombo she completed the Bachelor of Science Degree Specialising in Chemistry with second class honours. She obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of London (St Georges’s Hospital Medical School) UK.
“Her PhD research work gave rise to a breakthrough finding in discovering the direct induction of breast cancer cell death by the drug bisphosphonates and its suitability for pharmacological interventions in patients with breast cancer and the research publication so far has received more than 498 citations in other peer-reviewed journals. The recognition of her doctoral research work and her wide spectrum of knowledge in the cancer field is well demonstrated by the two post-doctoral fellowships awarded by John Hopkins University Medical School, US in 2002 and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,US in 2004,” the SLSI said.
Dr. Senaratne, on her return to Sri Lanka, commenced work at the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), Sri Lanka. With her futuristic initiatives and persistent drive, she was able to steer ITI to establish a Biotechnology Unit with a State-of-the-Art Biotechnology laboratory. Through this unit she introduced and developed Biotechnology Research and Research Services to ITI. She was also instrumental in setting up a state affiliated laboratory service for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Testing and Certification at ITI.
Thereafter, extending her competencies further in the government sector, she joined the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka as Director Research, Planning and Development.
“Dr. Senaratne with her vast experience and splendid leadership skills, is setting the stage to make SLSI, a flagship institution,” the organization said.