We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Kasun Madhusanka Thambugala on receiving the President’s Award for Scientific Research 2025.
“Heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Kasun Thambugala on receiving the prestigious CVCD Excellence Award 2024 under the Most Outstanding Young Researcher category!
This well-deserved recognition, presented by the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Directors (CVCD), celebrates his remarkable dedication and passion for science and research.
The genus Ganoderma is widely recognized for its medicinal properties and ecological significance, particularly in traditional East Asian medicine. Despite extensive global research on its taxonomy and nomenclature, studies on Ganoderma species in Sri Lanka remain limited.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura identified three Ganoderma species—Ganoderma angustisporum, G. ellipsoideum, and G. orbiforme—for the first time in Sri Lanka. These findings, based on comprehensive morphological analysis and rDNA-ITS sequence-based phylogeny, contribute to expanding the understanding of fungal diversity in the country.
This study not only enriches the knowledge of Sri Lanka’s fungal biodiversity but also paves the way for further research on the medicinal and ecological potential of Ganoderma species.
Dr. Samawansha Tennakoon received the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World’s 2023 Early Career Fellowship award for her research project on investigating the chemical and biological properties of a plant-based treatment used in Sri Lanka to treat cancer patients.