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CONTACT DETAILS |
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Department of Plant Sciences
University of Colombo
P.O.Box 1490, Colombo 03
Sri Lanka
Phone : +94(0)11 2585038
Fax : +94(0)11 2585038
Email: office@pts.cmb.ac.lk |
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Dr. Tara D. Silva - Senior Lecturer
B.Sc. (University of Colombo ), Ph.D.(University of Reading, -1990) |
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Address: Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo , P.O.Box 1490 , Colombo 00300
E-Mail: tara@pts.cmb.ac.lk
Phone:+94 (0)11 2585038 Ext 80-39 (office) Fax: +94 (0)11 2585038 |
| ACADEMIC RECORD |
- Ph.D. Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Reading, U.K. (1990)
- B.Sc. (Botany Special) First Class, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka (1983)
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| AREA OF SPECDIALIZATION |
- Genetics and Plant Breeding
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| TEACHING AREAS |
- Genetics, Plant Breeding, Tissue Culture at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels
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| RESEARCH INTERESTS |
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| AWARDS |
- International Society for Plant Molecular Biology Visiting Scientist Award (2003) - Research Scholar at the University of Georgia, Athens, USA.
- Fulbright Senior Research Scholar Award (2002) - Fulbright Senior Research Scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
- UNESCO Short-term Fellowship in Biotechnology Award (1994) - Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Reading, UK.
- Commonwealth Scholarship Award (1986) - Commonwealth Scholar at the University of Reading, UK.
- Professor BLT de Silva Memorial Prize in Botany (1983) – University of Colombo
- Colombo University Botany Department Staff Prize (1981) – Department of Botany, University of Colombo.
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| GRANTS |
- RG/96/BT/01, NSF (1996) Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of Mangiferaindica, Lycopersicon esculentum, and Brassica juncea, jointly with Dr. GAU Jayasekera
- RG/93/B/03, NARESA (1993) Induction and in vitro selection of some valuable mutations in the genus Psophocarpus
- AP/3/ii/93/S/6, University of Colombo (1993) Genetic improvement of some under-utilized crops of Sri Lanka
- 91/S/6, University of Colombo (1991) Interspecific hybridization for the improvement of Dioscorea species and some other tuber crops of Sri Lanka
- RG/86/B/05, NARESA (1986) Characterization of Sri Lankan banana germplasm based on morphological, vegetative and biochemical characters, jointly with Dr. HN de Silva
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INVOLVMENT WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES |
- Editor in the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2008, 2003
- Senior Consultant in Botany at the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2001
- Unit author (BTU 4104) in the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2001
- Unit author (B.Sc. degree programme) in the Open University of Sri Lanka, 1991
- Visiting academic in Botany in the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2008, 2007, 1997, 1995, 1993
- Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Microbiology of the University of Kelaniya, 2006, 2007
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| EDITORIAL WORK |
- T Silva and SR Weerakoon (Eds). Conventional Plant Breeding Techniques. The Open University of Sri Lanka Press, (2003) ISBN-955-23-0978-6
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| BOOKS |
- Silva T and Weerakoon SR (2003) Modern Methods of Plant Breeding. The Open University of Sri Lanka, Open University Press. ISBN – 955-23-0979-4.
- Silva T and Weerakoon SR (2003), Reproduction, Germplasm Conservation and Seed Production Practices in Plants, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Open University Press. ISBN – 955-23-0976-X.
- Silva TD (1997). Genetics, Evolution and Introductory Molecular Biology (Vol 1) 2 nd Ed., Open University of Sri Lanka Press
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| CHAPTERS |
- Silva T. Musaceae (2000), In a Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon (Vol XIV). Ed. Dassanayake MD and Clayton WD. Oxford & IBH publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 246 – 251.
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| JOURNAL ARTICLES |
- Silva Tara D. (2010). Indica rice anther culture – can the impasse be surpassed? Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture. 100:1 – 11.
- Silva TD and Ratnayake WJ (2009). Anther culture potential of indica rice varieties, Kurulu thuda and Bg 250. Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension 12(2): 53 – 56.
- Feltus FA, Singh HP, Lohithaswa HC, Schulze SR, Silva TD and Paterson AH. (2006). A Comparative Genomics Strategy for Targeted Discovery of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Conserved-Noncoding Sequences in Orphan Crops. Plant Physiol. 140: 1183 – 1191.
- Silva TD and Jones JK (1996). In vitro production and propagation of Fragaria vesca × Potentilla fruticosa hybrids. Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture 46: 51 – 58
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| CONFERENCE PAPERS |
- A. Madhunika and TD Silva. Callus induction and plant regeneration from cultured shoot apices in Philodendron xanadu. Proceedings of the 65th Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (2009)
- WJ Ratnayake and TD Silva. Pollen development stages relevant for successful anther culture in two indica rice varieties. Proceedings of the 2nd National Symposium, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, (2009)
- TD Silva and HHK Achala. Microspore staging for haploid cell culture in Oryza sativa subspecies indica (rice). Proceedings of the 64th Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (2008)
- TJA Perera and TD Silva. Effect of gamma irradiation on mutation induction in Impatiens balsamina. Proceedings of the Annual Research Symposium of the University of Colombo (2008)
- V Rathieka and TD Silva. A study on the anther culture response in different varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L.) subspecies indica. Proceedings of the 27th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka, (2007)
- SPKC Buddhini and TD Silva. Effect of gamma irradiation on in vitro shoot cultures of Philodendron xanadu. Proceedings of the 26th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka (2006)
- DH Geekiyanage and TD Silva. Comparative analysis of intron regions in grass genomes. Proceedings of the 61st Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (2005)
- BAU Senaratne and TD Silva. Pollen tube growth following interspecific pollinations in Lycopersicon. Proceedings of the joint academic sessions of the Faculties of Science and Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, (2004)
- SM Weraduwage and TD Silva. Investigation of factors that affect the in vitro anther culture response in Capsicum sp. Proceedings of the joint academic sessions of the Faculties of Science and Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, (2004)
- FA Feltus, HP Singh, TD Silva and AH Paterson. Scanning for DNA polymorphisms in grasses: Intron-scans and DOP PCR. Plant and animal genome XII conference, San Diego, California (2004)
- C Bethel, E Sciara, JE Bowers, SR Schulze, FA Feltus, HP Singh, TD Silva, W Hannah and AH Paterson. A sequence-tagged site map reveals transmission genetics and comparative genome organization of Bermuda grass (Cynodon spp). Plant and animal genome XII conference, San Diego, California (2004)
- DT Hewagama, TD Silva and GAU Jayasekera. Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated genetic transformation of local mustard (Brassica juncea) and tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum) varieties. Proceedings of the 54th Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (1998)
- S Kulasuriya and TD Silva. Comparison of methods to determine phytotoxic effects of 2,4-D in cell suspension cultures of Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.)DC. Proceedings of the 53rd Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (1997)
- I Wimalasuriya and TD Silva. In vitro selection for paraquat tolerance in Psophocarpustetragonolobus (L.) DC. Proceedings of the 49th Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (1993)
- SR Dahanayake, I Wimalasuriya and TD Silva. Effect of media formulations and genotypic differences on the callus forming ability and plant regeneration in the genus Psophocarpus. Proceedings of the 49th Annual Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (1993)
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| GRADUATE SUPERVISION |
- M.Phil. degree awarded to DT Hewagama in 2002 for the thesis “Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of Lycopersicon esculentum and Brassica juncea”, co-supervised with Dr. GAU Jayasekera
- M.Sc. degree in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture awarded to WKG Dias in 2007 for the thesis “In vitro mutagenesis and selection of variants in Philodendron varieties”.
- M.Sc. degree in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture awarded to R Veeraraghavan in 2007 for the thesis “ A study on the comparison of anther culture response in different varieties of rice, Oryza sativa sub species indica”.
- M.Sc. degree in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture awarded to KIC Amarasinghe in 2010 for the thesis “ In vitro propagation of Gymnema sylvestre”.
- M.Sc. degree in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture awarded to AD Godage in 2010 for the thesis “ Improving the anther culture efficiency of some selected indica rice varieties”.
- M.Sc. degree in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture awarded to GM Rathnayake in 2010 for the research project “ Evaluation of Sri Lankan rice varieties for anther culture ability”.
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| ORGANIZATION OF SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS |
- Biology workshop for G.C.E (Advanced Level) teachers, Department of Plant Sciences, 2005.
- Workshop on “Current Advances in Biology” for G.C.E (Advanced Level) teachers, Department of Plant Sciences, 2004.
- Workshop on “Systematic identification and preparation of reference specimens of plants, jointly conducted by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo with the Biodiversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Forestry and Environment, 2000
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| DEPARTMENT AND UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES |
Department of Plant Sciences
- Head of the Department of Plant Sciences, (Jan 2008 – Jan 2011)
- Coordinator of the M.Sc. degree and PG Diploma study programme in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture of the Department of Plant Sciences, (2005 – 2007)
Faculty of Science
- Director of Studies (Post-graduate programmes), (2006 – 2009)
- Chairperson of the library committee, (2004 – 2009)
- Member of the Higher Degrees Committee, (2004 – 2011)
- Member of the Curriculum Development and Evaluation Committee (CDEC), (2005 & from 2008 – 2010)
- Faculty representative to the Senate of the University of Colombo, (2002 – 2005)
- Visiting Lecturer for the M.Sc. programme in Plant Cell and Tissue Culture, (2004 – 2009)
- Visiting lecturer for the M.Sc. in Environment Science programme, (2006, 2008)
- Visiting lecturer for the Diploma course in Wildlife Management, (1999 – 2000)
University of Colombo
- Warden of the Muttiah Road Women’s Hostel, (1995 – 2000)
- Student Counselor, (1993 – 1998)
- Member of the Board of Management of the Inter-Ethnic Harmony project, (1995)
- Vice president of the University of Colombo Science Teachers’ Association (UCSTA), (2004)
- Executive committee member of the University of Colombo Science Teachers’ Association (UCSTA), (1993, 1994, and 2005)
- Executive committee member of the World University Service (WUS), Sri Lanka National Committee, (1991 – 1992)
- Senior Committee Member of the World University Service (WUS), Colombo branch committee, (1991 – 1993)
- Senior Treasurer, Botanical Society, (1993 – 1997)
- Senior Treasurer, Science Society, (1990 – 1992)
- Coordinator of fund-raising event organized by the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo, towards the “Sujatha Jayawardena” hostel building, (1992)
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APPOINTMENTS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL |
- Member of the specialist committee on Biological Sciences for the revision of glossaries by the official languages commission, 1999 – 2000
- Chief Examiner at the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) in Botany / Biology from 1998
- Member of the paper setting panel for the proto-type paper for the GCE (A. Level) new syllabus, 2009
- Developing course material for the National Teacher Training Programme for Advanced Level Science and Mathematics Teachers conducted by the Ministry of Education, 2008
- Resource person for curriculum reforms for GCE Advanced Level / Biology, National Institute of Education, 2008
- Resource person at the workshops held for editing / preparing Biology questions for the development of a question bank for G.C.E. Advanced Level, 2007 - 2008.
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EMPLOYMENT HISTORY |
- Senior Lecturer (Grade I), Department of Botany, University of Colombo (1996 – now)
- Senior Lecturer (Grade II), Department of Botany, University of Colombo (1990 – 1996)
- Lecturer, Department of Botany, University of Colombo (1987 – 1990)
- Assistant Lecturer, Department of Botany, University of Colombo (1984 – 1987)
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