The Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, is pleased to announce that Ms Saranya Selvaraj Lavan has been awarded the Gold Medal for Research Excellence at the 51st Convocation of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.This prestigious recognition is presented to the candidate who demonstrates outstanding research quality, significant scholarly contribution, and exemplary academic merit within the stipulated duration of the MPhil program under the Board of Study in Physical Sciences of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Ms S. S. Lavan conducted her MPhil research titled “Evaluation of Naturally Derived Peptides for Selective Anticancer Therapy.” Her work was supervised by Dr Laksiri Weerasinghe (supervisor), with additional guidance from Prof. Nilwala Kottegoda, Prof. Inoka C. Perera, and Dr Tharindu Senapathi (co-supervisors). The study encompassed both in silico and in vitro investigations into the design and development of a novel peptide with the potential to modulate cancer activity via allosteric inhibition of Akt. The project also explored antimicrobial properties relevant to wound-healing applications, offering promising insights for precision medicine and therapeutic innovation.
Her research integrated core aspects of synthetic chemistry, computational modelling, and bacterial and mammalian cell culture studies. This multidisciplinary approach yielded a valuable understanding of the therapeutic promise of targeted inhibition for both cancer and wound healing properties. The project produced several notable academic outputs, including two peer-reviewed journal publications, multiple presentations at national and international conferences, and a co-authored book titled Peptides in Nanotechnology (CRC Press), further enriching the field of chemical biology.
The Department of Chemistry extends its heartfelt congratulations to Ms Saranya Selvaraj Lavan on this exceptional accomplishment and wishes her continued success in her future academic and research pursuits.