Email: nchandra@chem.cmb.ac.lk

    Phone: (9411) 2503 367

    Fax : (9411) 2503 367

    Office: 405

• Ph.D. University of Colombo, Sri Lanka - 1996

• M.Sc. University of Colombo, Sri Lanka - 1984

• B.Sc. University of Colombo, Sri Lanka - 1981

Research Interests:

My research interests are in the

• area of molecular pharmacology and is focused on studying the biochemistry and pharmacology of cyclooxygenase and its variants.

• Development of DNA based detection methods.

Research Experience:

• Research Assistant Professor Brigham Young University, (Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry)  Provo, Utah (Jan, 2005 - Jan, 2006)

• Research Associate  Brigham Young University, (Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Provo, Utah (2003 to 2004)

• Post doctoral Research fellow Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah (2000 - 2002)

• Post doctoral research fellow National Institute of Radiological Science, Japan (Science and Technology agency of Japan (1999/2000)

Selected Publications:

01.  Chandrasekharan NV and Simmons DL (2004). Protein family Review : The Cyclooxygenases Genome Biology: 5; 241

02. Cui JG, Kuroda H, Chandrasekharan NV, Pelaez RP, Simmons DL, Bazan NG, Lukiw WJ (2004). Cyclooxygenase-3 gene expression in Alzheimer  hippocampus and in    stressed human neural cells  Neurochemical research  29 (9); 1731-1737

03.  Wilson, JE; Chandrasekharan, NV; Westover, KD; Eager, K; Simmons, DL (2004). Determination of expression of cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 isozymes in canine tissues and their differential sensitivity to non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs. American Journal of Veterinary  Research: 65(6); 810-8.

04.  Weerasena OV, Chandrasekharan NV, Wijesundera RL, Karunanayake EH (2004). Development of a DNA probe and a PCR based diagnostic assay for Rhizoctonia solani using a repetitive DNA sequence cloned from a Sri Lankan isolate. Mycological Research: 108(6); 649-53.

Career History:

• Senior Lecturer University of Colombo, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (May, 2006 – to date)

• Research Assistant Professor  Brigham Young University, (Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Provo, Utah (Jan, 2005 - Jan, 2006)

• Research Associate  Brigham Young University, (Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry) Provo, Utah (2003 to 2004)

• Post doctoral Research fellow Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah (2000 - 2002)

• Post doctoral research fellow National Institute of Radiological Science, Japan (Science and Technology agency of Japan (1999/2000)

• Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry University of Colombo, Faculty of Medicine (1996 - 2000)

• Lecturer in Biochemistry University of Colombo, Faculty of Medicine (1987 - 1996)

• Assistant Lecturer University of Colombo, Faculty of Medicine (1986 - 1987)

Fellowships and Awards:

• Post doctoral fellowship, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

• Post doctoral fellowship, Science and Technology Agency of Japan

• Fellowship, Biomedical Center, University of Uppsala Sweden.

• Prof. George Flemming award (1996) Awarded by The British Veterinary Journal for the most meritorious paper for 1996 (Co-author of  paper)

• Post Graduate presentation award (1994) Awarded by the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science for the outstanding   research communication (Section A)

Patents:

• US patent 7,179,627 (Cyclooxygenase variants and methods of use)

Professional Activities:

• Member of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science

• Member of the American Chemical Society