Email: dilip@chem.cmb.ac.lk

    Phone: (9411) 2503 367

    Fax : (9411)  2503 367

    Office: 506

Academic Record:

• Ph.D. Hawaii, USA.

• B.Sc. (Special in Chemistry) , University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Research Interests:

Oceans represent a vast and largely unexplored resource for the discovery of novel secondary metabolites with useful biological activities in the treatment of human diseases.  Our research has mainly focused on marine invertebrates, mainly sponges and mollusks, as a source of biologically active compounds with novel structural features.  In the bioassay-guided isolation of active compounds, we have employed a range of tests from simple anti-bacterial paper-disc assays to anticancer assays done in collaboration with Professor Raymond Andersen of the University of British Columbia, Canada.  The structure elucidation of the active compounds, heavily depend on 2D-NMR spectroscopy.

Research Publications:

1.      Manoalide, An Antibiotic Sesterterpenoid from the Marine Sponge Luffariella variabilis (Polejaffe) E.D. de Silva and P.J. Scheuer, Tetrahedron Lett. 1980, 21, 1611 – 1614

2.      Three New Sesterterpenoid Antibiotics from the Marine Sponge Luffariella variabilis (Polejaffe), E.D. de Silva and P.J. Scheuer, Tetrahedron  Lett. 1981, 22, 3147 – 3150

3.      Furanoterpenoids from the Dorid Nudibranch Cassella atromarginata, E.D. de Silva and P.J. Scheuer, Heterocycles 1982, 17, 167 – 170

4.      Srilankenyne, A New Metabolite from the Sea Hare Aplysia oculifera, E.D. de Silva, R.E. Schwartz, P.J. Scheuer and J.N. Shoolery, J. Org. Chem. 1983, 48, 395-396 

5.      Studies of Australian Soft Corals xxxi:  Novel Furanosesquiterpenes from Several Sinularian Soft Corals (Coelenterata, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea), B.F. Bowden, J.C. Coll, E.D. de Silva, M.S.L. de Costa, P.J. Djura, M. Mahendron and D.M. Tapiolas, Aust. J. Chem. 1983, 36, 371 – 376

6.      The Structure Determination of a New Cembranoid Diterpene from the Soft Coral Lobophytum cristigalli (Coelenterata, Octocorollia, Alcyonacea), B.F. Bowden, J.C. Coll, M.S.L. de Costa, M.F. Makay, M. Mahendron, E.D. de Silva and R.H. Willis, Aust. J. Chem. 1984, 37, 545 –552

7.      Effects of Extracts of Some Sri Lanka Alcyonacean Soft Corals on the Motility of Rat Sperm in vitro, G.K. Liyanage, D.W. Ratnesooriya, L.M.V. Tillekeratne, M. Mahendron and E.D. de Silva, IRCS Med. Sci. 1986, 721 – 722

8.      Nitrogen Bisaboline Sesquiterpenoids from Marine Invertebrates, N.K. Gulavita, E.D. de Silva, M.R. Hagoden, P.Karuso, P.J. Scheuer, G,D. VanDuyne and J. Clardy, J. Org. Chem. 1986, 5136 – 5137

9.      Chemistry of Marine Organisms of Sri Lanka: Lipid and Triterpenoid Constituents of an Unidentified Holothurian, B.M.R. Bandara, A.A.L. Gunathilaka, S.D.G.S. Samaranayake, E.D. de Silva and L.M.V. Tillekeratne, J. Natn. Sci. Coun. Sri Lanka 1987, 15(1), 101 – 108

10.  Lankalapuol A and B: Two cis-Eudesmanes from Sea Hare Aplysia dactylomela, B. Baker, L.Ratnepala, M.P.D. Mahindaratne, E.D. de Silva, L.M.V. Tillekeratne, J.H. Jeong, P.J. Scheuer and K. Seff, Tetrahedron 1988, 44, 4695 – 4701

11.  Chromodoralide A, A Rearranged Diterpene with a New Carbon Skeleton from an Indian Ocean Chromodoridae, E.J. Dumdei, E.D. de Silva, R.J. Anedrsen, M.I. Choudhary and J. Clardy, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 2712 – 2713

12.  Xanthyletin and Xanthoxyletin from a Gorgonian Echinogorgia sp., L.M.V. Tillekeratne, E.D. de Silva, M.P.D. Mahindaratne, F.J. Schmitz, S.P. Gunesekera and P. Alderslade, J. Nat. Products 1989, 52, 1303 – 1304

13    Geodiamolides C to F, New Cytotoxic Cyclodepsipeptides from the Marine Sponge Pseudaxina sp., E.D. de Silva, R.J. Andersen and T.M. Allen, Tetrahedron Lett. 1990, 31, 489 – 492

14.  Terpenoids from Selected Marine Invertebrates, R.J. Andersen, E.D. de Silva, E.J. Dumdei, P.T. Northcote, C. Pathirana amd M. Tishler, Recent Advances in Phytochemistry (24) Biochemistry of Mevalonic Acid Pathway to Terpenoids 1990, Ed. G.H.N. Towers and H.A. Stafford, 265 – 282

15.  Geographical Variation in Defensive Chemicals from Pacific Coast Dorid Nudibranchs and Some Related Marine Molluscs, D.J. Faulkner, T.F. Molinski, R.J. Andersen, E.J. Dumdei and E.D. de Silva, Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 1990, 97C, 233 – 240

16.  Antimicrobial Constituents of a Sponge-Nudibranch Pair from Sri Lanka, N.K. Gulavita, P.J. Scheuer and E.D. de Silva, Bioactive Compounds from Marine Organisms, Eds. Thompson, R. Sarojini and R. Nagabhushanan, Oxford and IBH Publishing Computer. Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi 1991, 229 – 233

17.  Terpenoid Metabolites from Skin Extracts of Four Sri Lankan Nudibranchs in the Genus Chromodoris, E.D. de Silva, S.A. Morris, S. Miao, E. Dumdei and R.J. Andersen, J. Nat. Products 1991, 54, 993 – 997

18.  Chromodorane Diterpenes from the Tropical Dorid Nudibranch Chromodoris cavae, S.A. Morris, E.D. de Silva and R.J. Andersen, Can. J. Chem. 1991, 69, 768 – 771

19.  Neamphine, a Cytotoxic Sulfur Containing Aromatic Heterocycle, Isolated from the Marine Sponge Neamphius huxlei, E.D. de Silva, J. Racock, R.J. Andersen, T.M. Allen, J. Clardy and L. Brinen, Tetrahedron Lett. 1991, 32, 2707 –2710

20.  Motuporin, A Potent Protein Phosphatase Inhibitor Isolated from the Papua New Guinea Sponge Theonella swinhoei Gray, E.D. de Silva, D.E. Williams, R.J. Andersen, Heide Klixe, C.F.B. Holmes and T.M. Allen, Tetrahedron Lett. 1992,33, 1561 – 1564

21.  Trididemnic Acids A and B, Aromatic Alkaloids from the Norteastern Pacific Ascidian Trididemnum sp., E.D. de Silva, S. Miao, R.J. Andersen and J. Clardy, Tetrahedron Lett. 1992, 333, 2917 – 2920

22.  New Natural Products from Marine Invertebrates, R.J. Andersen, D.L. Burgoyne, D.E. Williams, F. Kong, E.D. de Silva, S. Miao, T.M. Allen, C.F.B. Holmes, D. Chen and M. Kent, Gazzeta Chimmica Italiana 1993, 123, 293 – 299

23.  Cytotoxic Peptides from the Marine Sponge Cymbastela sp., J.E. Coleman, E.D. de Silva, F. Kong, R.J. Andersen and T.M. Allen, Tetrahedron 1995, 51 (39), 10653 – 10662

24.  Cytotoxic Alkaloids from the Flatworm Prostheceraeus villatus and its prey Clavellina lepidiformis, J.M. Kubanek, D.E. Williams, E.D. de Silva, T.M. Allen and R.J. Andersen, Tetrahedron Lett. 1995, 36 (35), 6189 – 6192

25.  Ambewalamides A and B, Antineoplastic Epidithiapiperazinediones Isolated from the Lichen Usnea sp., D.E. Williams, K. Bombuwala, E. Lobkovsky, E.D. de Silva, V., Karunaratne, T. Allen, J. Clardy and R.J. Andersen, Tetrahedron Lett. 1998, 39, 9579 – 9582

26.  Papuamides A – D, HIV-Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Depsipeptides from the Sponge Theonella mirabilis and Theonella swinhoei Collected in Papua New Guinea, P.W. Ford, K.R. Gustafson, T.C. McKee, N. Shigematsu, L.K. Maurizi, L.K. Pannell, D.E. Williams, E.D. de Silva, P. Lassota, T.M. Allen, R. Van Soest, R.J. Andersen and M. R. Boyd, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 5899 - 5909

27.  Synthetic Transformations of the Eleutherobin Reveal New Features of its Microtubule-Stabilizing Phamacophore., R. Britton, E. D. de Silva, C. M. Bigg, L. M. McHardy, M. Roberge and R. J. Andersen, J. Am. Chem  Soc. 2001, 123, 8632-8633

28.  Rosmarinic acid and methyl rosmarinate from Heliotropium indicum, S.A. Deraniyagala, D.G. Udugamasooriya, E.D. de Silva, D.E. Williams and R. J. Andersen, J. Trop. Med. Plants, 2002, 3 (01), 25

29.  An Association between the Butterfly Talicada nyseus and the Lichen Leproloma     sipmanianum as Evidenced from Chemical Studies, V. Karunaratne, K. Bombuwela, S. Kathirgamanathar, V. Kumar, D.N. Karunaratne, K.B.Ranawana, D.S.A. Wijesundara, A. Weerasooriya and E.D. de Silva, Current Science 2002, 83(6), 741 – 745

30.  Interactive Peer Review as a Productive Evaluation Process, M.A.T. de Silva, G. Yapa and E.D. de Silva, Research Evaluation 2002, 11(3), 119 - 128

31.  Anticancer Agents from Unique Product Sources, Chris M. Ireland , William Aalbersberg , Raymond J. Andersen , Semiramis Ayral-Kaloustian , Roberto G.S. Berlinck , Valerie Bernan , Guy Carter , Alice C.L. Churchill , Jon Clardy , Gisela P. Concepcion , Dilip E. De Silva , Carolyn Discafani, Tito Fojo , Philip Frost , Donna Gibson , Lee M. Greenberger , Michael Greenstein , Mary Kay Harper, Robert Mallon , Frank Loganzo , Maria Nunes , Marianne S. Poruchynsky , Arie Zask,  Pharmaceutical Biology 2003, 41 (supplement I) 15 – 38

32. Trends and Shifts in Institutional Productivity: Natural Products Chemistry Research in Sri lanka, G. Yapa, M.A.T de Silva and E.D. de Silva, Research Evaluation 2004, 13(3), 167 - 174 

33. b-Orcinol depsidones from the Lichen Usnea sp. from Sri Lanka, S. Kathirgamanathar, D.E. Williams, R.J. Andersen, K. Bombuwela, Dilip de Silva and V. Karunaratne, Natural       Products Research 2005, 19(7), 695 – 701

34. Lanostane-Type Triterpenoids from the Fungus Ganoderma applanatum Collected in Sri Lanka,  E.D. de Silva, R.G.L. Santha, R.L.C. Wijesundera, A.L. Cole, J. Blunt, M.G.H. Munro in Herbal Medicine, Phytopharmaceuticals and other natural products: Trends and Advances, L.S.R. Arambewela, S. Wimalasena, N. Gunawardena, Eds; Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and other Developing countries (NAM S & T Centre): New Delhi, India and Institute of   Chemistry, Ceylon, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2006, pp 233 - 237 

35. Lanostane Triterpenoids from the Sri Lankan Basidiomycete Ganoderma applanatum, E.D. de Silva, S.A. van der Sar, R.G.L. Santha, R.L.C. Wijesundera, A.L.J. Cole, J.W. Blunt and M.H.G. Munro, J. Nat. Prod. 2006, 69, 1245 - 1248

36. Oppositines A and B, Sesquiterpene Pyridine Alkaloids from a Sri Lankan Pleurostylia opposita,  E.L. Whitson, S.M.V. Damayanthi Mala, C.A. Veltri, T. S. Bugni, E.D. de Silva and       C.M. Ireland,  J. Nat. Prod. 2006, 69, 1833 - 1835

Honours & Awards:  

Open Grants Scholarship, East West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii 1977 – 1979

Department Research fellow, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1979 – 1980 (Awarded for excellence in research)

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa 1979 – 1980            

Natural Resources Energy and Science Authority of Sri Lanka – Merit Award for Scientific Research in Chemical Sciences – 1986, Awarded for “Chemical Investigation of Sri Lanka Soft Corals”

Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science – General Research Committee Award  - 1995 Awarded for an outstanding contribution to Sri Lankan Science

Professor PPGL Siriwardene Memorial Oration Gold Medal award, Awarded by the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon, 15^th May 2007