Grassroot Innovations and Traditional Knowledge for National Development

A Seminar Organised by Institute of Biology in collaboration with Sri Lanka Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (SLARCIK) and Media Resource Service of SLAAS will be held at SLAAS, Colombo 7 on 25th September, 2008.

Programme

8.30 a.m. Registration of Participants
8.45 a.m. Procession to the Auditorium with the traditional dancing
9.00 a.m. Lighting of the Oil Lamp
9.05 a.m. Welcome Address by Dr. S. Premakumara, President of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka
9.15 a.m. Introduction to SLARCIK and the Status of Indigenous/Traditional Knowledge practices in Sri Lanka, an Overview
Prof. Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Director, SLARCIK and
Professor of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

10.00 a.m. Tea

10.15 a.m. Traditional Knowledge in Irrigation with special reference to Cascade Systems
Prof. C.M. Maddumabandara, Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Peradeniya
11.00 a.m. Traditional Knowledge and Health
Dr. Danister Perera, Registrar, Sri Lanka Ayurveda Council
11.45 a.m. Traditional Knowledge in Climate Interpretation
Mr. W.B. Herath, Senior Assistant Registrar, University of Sri Jayewardenepura & Hony. Secretary, SLARCIK

12. 15 p.m. General Discussion
1.00 p.m. Lunch

2.00 p.m. Traditional Knowledge and agriculture
Mr. G.K. Upawansa, Practitioner and Veteran in Indigenous Agriculture

2.45 p.m. Cosmic Influences in Healthy Crop Production
Mrs. Wimala Devanarayana, Author of the book on ‘Cosmic Influences in Healthy Crop Production

3.05 p.m. Tea

3.20 p.m. Traditional Knowledge in language and communication
Prof. Ratnasiri Arangala, Department of Sinhala and Mass Communication
University of Sri Jayewardenepura

3.40 p.m. Sociological aspects in traditional knowledge
Dr. W.M. Dhanapala, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

4.00 p.m. Traditional knowledge in building construction
Prof. Nimal de Silva, Director, Post Graduate Institute of Architecture

4.20 p.m. Traditional Knowledge Policies
Mr. T.K. Asoka de Silva
Secretary, Centre for Traditional Knowledge Research and Development

4.40 p.m. General Discussion
5.00 p.m. End of Workshop

Prof Valentine Basnayake

Professor Valentine Basnayake, born on 1st October, 1925 had a distinguished academic career at St Josephs College and Colombo Medical School and continued at the University of Oxford for post-graduate studies. I had the good fortune of meeting Professor Basnayake in the year 1969 as a student in Physiology, exactly 36 years ago. As a student of Physiology I really experienced the practical, methodical and simplistic approach of his teaching. He spelt out every key word on the black board and explained the physiological principles in his characteristic gentle and soft style. The approach he adopted for practical classes were more interesting, as he developed a investigative approach in teaching practical skills in Physiology. In many occasions the necessary data were collected from the students themselves and discussed the data to highlight the underlying physiological Principles. It is indeed an enriching experience to the learner since the approach was totally new and innovative. It was Professor Basnayake who taught me the simple and practical approach to look at scientific phenomena. He loved nature and demonstrated it in his every action and reaction. Why I mentioned action, because, I used to see him go to the sink and wash his hands, not washing but just waiting patiently. The reason was there were some ants that were allowed to escape from being washed away by the gushing water from the tap. Why I mentioned the word reaction, because one day he was riding his Vespa scooter, a cat had crossed the path and his immediate reaction was to save the cat and as a result he was injured. These incidents amply speak his true love for life and nature. As a true and practical biologist he pioneered the school biology project that encouraged the secondary school children to learn biology and motivated to appreciate nature by a practical approach.

Prof Basnayake also showed a keen interest on playing the piano and excelled in this field along with other contemporary medical colleagues such as Professors S B Dissanayake, Senaka Bibile, S R Kottegoda, Earl Fonseka and Dr Mark Amarasinghe.

Prof Basnayake had a multifaceted academic career demonstrating his excellence and love for Physiology, Medical Education, Biology, Scientific writing, medical statistics and later in medical ethics. Starting his academic career as a lecturer in Physiology in 1949 at the Colombo medical school, he steered the CAAS (SLAAS) school biology project from 1964 to 67. Thereafter, he was appointed as the founder Professor Physiology at the Peradeniya Medical school in 1968 and later he was elected as the Dean of the Faculty for three years. He also served as the inaugural chairman of the science education committee of the NARESA where coincidentally I have the pleasure of chairing it at present. He also served on various committees on Biology Education, both nationally and internationally. In 1986 he was elected as the inaugural chairman of the Sri Lanka Association of Science and Mathematics Education. He who encouraged me to form the Physiological Society of Sri Lanka in 1987 where he was elected as the Founder President and I served as the founder secretary. In 1992 he was the President of the IOB.

Thus, when we briefly look at the academic career of Professor Basnayake, it portrays a giant academic stature through this simple and soft-spoken personality. Lastly on behalf of the IOB I salute you sir as a true biologist of mother Sri Lanka.

Fellicitation address made by Prof M T M Jiffry,
Professor of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura at the 25th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology on 30 September 2005.

Prof Carlo Fonseka

It is my great pleasure to have the opportunity of presenting to the distinguished membership of the Institute of Biology, the inimitable, enchanting, delightful and multitalented Professor Carlo Fonseka, whom the Institute is felicitating today in recognition of his invaluable services rendered to Biology and related fields.

However, I feel rather queer in trying to introduce and cite Professor Carlo Fonseka to this audience of Biologists as every one here knows him only too well to sit and listen to my narration. But custom decrees that someone does it and the duty fell on me, and I accepted it with delight.

The Council of the Institute of Biology unanimously agreed and decided to record its appreciation of the great service Professor Carlo Fonseka has rendered to Biology through Medicine and Physiology. In fact it is difficult to miss the indelible mark Professor Carlo Fonseka has left in the field of Biology, and on behalf of the Institute of Biology I congratulate and acknowledge his services and wish him many more healthy and active years to continue his valuable work.

Prof. Fonseka received his MBBS from the Colombo Medical Faculty with a first class with distinctions in Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine. He was the recipient of the Sir Andrew Caldecott Gold Medal for the greatest competence at the final examination. The Maneckbai Dadaboy Gold Medal for the greatest competence in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The Perry Exihibition for the greatest competence during a three year period.

He obtained his Ph.D from the University of Edinburgh in 1966 for his work on Growth Hormone and the fuel of Muscular Exercise. He is also a Fellow of the Ceylon College of Physicians. That is not all. He also has a Master of Arts from the University of Keliniya, obtained in 1999. Remember, I referred to Prof. Fonseka as being multifaceted.

In the professional sphere he has been successively a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor of Physiology in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo. Further, he has been Professor of Physiology at the University of Kelaniya from 1991 to 1998 as well as Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya from 1991 to 1997. During the period of 1988 to 1990,

Professor Fonseka was a Senior Fellow of the World Institute of Economics Research, United Nations University.

Prof. Fonseka has about 40 publications both in national and international journals and has authored a book published by the World Institute of Economic Research, United Nations Research titled “Towards a Peaceful Sri Lanka”.

Time does not permit me to list and deal with all his work, but few will forget the work he did related to fire walking, his lectures and talks on science and philosophy on TV and Radio. His activities have won him great recognition not only amongst Biologists, but among all Sri Lankans. I am confident that all you members will applaud the decision of the Council of the Institute of Biology to felicitate Prof. Fonseka, to appreciate and recognize his work.

May good fortune and good health be with Prof. Fonseka for many, many more years to come.

Fellicitation address made by Prof Jayantha Welihinda,
Professor, Department of Biochemicstry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo the 25th Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology on 30 September 2005.

Professor W D Ratnasooriya

It is an honour and privilege for me to present to you, Professor Wanigasekera Daya Ratnasooriya for felicitation by the Institute of Biology, in recognition of his invaluable service to the field of Biology in Sri Lanka. Professor Ratnasooriya is no stranger to the Institute of Biology and to this audience. He was one of the founder secretaries of the Institute of Biology and served on its council in 1988/89.

Professor Ratnasooriya had his primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo. He gained admission to the University of Ceylon, Sri Lanka, in 1968 and graduated with a Second Class Honours in Zoology (Upper Division), in 1972. He then joined the Department of Zoology as an Assistant Lecturer in 1973 and proceeded to the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK in 1975, from where he obtained his PhD in 1978. On his return to Sri Lanka, he was promoted to the post of Lecturer in 1979. He has the singular honour of becoming the youngest Professor of Zoology in Sri Lanka in 1986, at the age of thirty-eight, having earned a merit promotion directly from Lecturer, a rare achievement in those days. He was appointed to the Chair in Zoology two years later. He then earned another merit promotion to Senior Professor in Zoology in 1991. All this bears ample testimony to his meteoric rise in his chosen profession as a university academic and scientist.

I have known Professor Ratnasooriya over half my life, first as a senior student when I joined the university and then as a member of the academic staff of the Department of Zoology. Although I have not had the good fortune of being taught by him, I am told by several of his students, some of whom are now members of the department, that he is an excellent teacher who has the gift of being able to convey complex physiology in a simple manner that could be easily understood by students.

Research has always been of great interest and importance to Professor Ratnasooriya and that is his forte. Since his return to the Department of Zoology after obtaining his PhD, he has become one of the foremost researchers in Sri Lanka. His research interests are wide and varied, ranging from mammalian reproductive physiology, biology of the Sri Lankan elephant, ecology & biology of bats in Sri Lanka to pharmacological & toxicological studies on Sri Lankan plants and bioactivity of Sri Lankan tea. It is remarkable that almost all of this research work has been done in Sri Lanka, with limited facilities, having being funded mainly by local funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation. I believe that there is no other zoologist in Sri Lanka who has published his research work as much as Professor Ratnasooriya. He has to his credit 253 research publications in peer reviewed prestigious local and international journals, many of which are indexed in international data bases such as Science Citation Index and Current Contents. He has the rare distinction of being the Sri Lankan Scientist having the highest individual cumulative index for research publications for the period 1991-2001, cited in the Science Citation Index, according to the report of the National Research Council of Sri Lanka. .In addition he has 139 research communications presented at national and international conferences.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements as a researcher and scientist he has received many awards. These include the Presidential Bonus Research Award for International Scientific Publications cited in World Science Citation Index in 1999, 2000, 2002 , 2006 and 2007 , the CVCD Excellence Award for the most outstanding researcher in Biological Sciences in 2006, the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, General Research Committee Award for outstanding contribution to scientific research in Sri Lanka in 2005, the Research Achievement Award from the University Grants Commission for Excellence in research based on publications in indexed journals in 2004, merit awards three times from the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka, in 1988,1991 and 1993) and the Annual Research Award for the best research scientist in the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo over the past six consecutive years , from 2001 - 2006. He was elected a Fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in 2005 and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka and a Fellow and Chartered Biologist, Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka. Professor Ratnasooriya has now reached the pinnacle of his distinguished and outstanding career as a scientist having earned the Doctor of Science degree from the University of Peradeniya this year. In spite of all these achievements, he still remains the quiet, soft spoken and unassuming person that he always was.

Professor Ratnasooriya has also made numerous and valuable contributions, both at university and national level, in the field of Biology. He served as Head of the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo from 1987 to 2002 and served in various committees within and outside the university. He has several research students working under his supervision and so far, 5 M.Sc., 8 M.Phil. and 6 PhD degrees have been awarded to them. He has served as External Examiner and Visiting Lecturer to several other universities in Sri Lanka and functioned as member of the editorial boards and as referee of several scientific journals both nationally & internationally.

His contribution to the GCE Advanced Level in Zoology in the past and now in Biology is invaluable. He has authored several text books in Zoology and served as member of syllabus and curriculum revision committees in Zoology for the G.C.E Advanced Level. He has been a member of the Setting Board of Zoology and is at present a member of the setting Board of Biology. He functioned as the Co-controlling Chief Examiner in Zoology from 1988 to 1993, Controlling Chief Examiner in Zoology from 1994-2000 and is presently one of the three Co-controlling Chief Examiners of Biology.

In recognition of his long, dedicated and scholarly service to the advancement of biology and research in Sri Lanka, the Institute of Biology is honoured to felicitate Professor W.D. Ratnasooriya, its founder secretary and Senior Professor of Zoology at the University of Colombo.

Presented by Mrs. Dilrukshi de Silva, Head, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo. at Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka on 2007 September

Professor H G Nandadasa

It is my great pleasure to have this opportunity of presenting to this distinguished membership of the Institute of Biology, Professor H G Nandadasa, one of the founder members of this Institute whom the Institute will be felicitating to day in recognition of his invaluable services rendered to the field of biology.

Professor Nandadasa graduated from the University of Ceylon, Colombo with a Special Degree in Botany with a Second Class Upper Division. After serving for few years in the Department of Botany in University of Peradeniya, he joined University of Sri Jayewardenepura, then the Vidyodaya University in 1967. He obtained his PhD from the University of Leicester, UK in 1971. He was appointed Professor of Botany and the Head Department of Botany in 1982. As one of the Founder Professors of the Science Faculty in Vidyodaya University, he was instrumental in introducing many courses of applied origin to the B.Sc. Degree Programme. These included Fisheries Science, Food Science and Forestry. All these courses have flourished up to postgraduate level. Some have become full-fledged Departments.

He contributed immensely to the development of postgraduate degrees in the University. He was the Chairman of the Board of Studies in Life Science of the Faculty of Graduate Studies from its inception in 1996 to 2001. He had supervised many research degrees both at Masters and PhD levels. He had authored many research publications in the fields of genetics and microbiology.

I had the good fortune of meeting Professor Nandadasa when I was a Botany student in the University of Kelaniya. Later, I got to know him more closely when I joined the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as an Assistant Lecturer in Forestry in which he was the Course Coordinator of the Forestry Programme. I will not be in the present highest academic position in Forestry if not for the confidence Professor Nandadasa and the selection panel placed on me in the largely male involved area of forestry. He believed in ability and it was never clouded by gender-related attitudes. We always considered him as someone whose thinking was always ahead of his contemporaries. I still remember him working with two most modern computers in his office when all the rest were still struggling with typewriters.

Professor Nandadasa had a special interest and enthusiasm in developing Forestry in the University. He was the first Course Coordinator of the Forestry Programme and was in office from 1983 to 1987. During this time he developed the facilities, human resources and teaching programmes with much interest and enthusiasm. I am proud to be here as one of the first students in the Masters Degree Programme in Forestry as well as the first Lecturer in Forestry in the University. Presently, the programme had developed into a fully-fledged department offering both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Forestry and Environmental Science.

He was appointed as the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science in 1992. During his time, the course unit system of teaching and assessment was introduced to the Faculty. As the Dean his interests were not only confined to the Science Faculty. He greatly contributed to the establishment of the Faculty of Medical Science in the University also.

His contribution to the field of Biology outside the University spans from being a setting examiner of the GCE A/L Botany and Biology papers from 1970 to date. He was a member of the committee for the preparation and revision of Biology Syllabus from 1996 to date. He played a pioneering role using electronic media to help GCE A/L students to prepare for exams.

He was very active in professional societies in Biology. He was a founder fellow and had served the Council as a Member, Vice President and is a Life Member of the Institute of Biology. He was also very active in the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science as the President of Section D in 1983, Member of General Research Committee from 1981-83. He also served the National Science Foundation, then NARESA as a member of Biological Science and Biotechnology Committees. He was also a member of the Academic Council of the Institute of Fundamental Studies and member of the Advisory Committee of the Fauna and Flora Protection in the Department of Wildlife Conservation. He served as Visiting Fellow in many Universities outside Sri Lanka namely Gottingen University, Germany, University of Leicester, UK and BenGurion University, Israel. He was also a recipient of the most prestigious fellowship awarded by the United States Government, the Fulbright Hays Research Fellowship and conducted valuable research in the University of Yale in Connecticut State.

Professor Nandadasa’s academic carrier portrays a giant academic stature through this simple, soft spoken personality. The Institute of Biology felicitate you as a true biologist in the country at its 26^th Annual Sessions, and wishes you good health and fortune to continue your work for many more years to come.

Felicitation address by Prof Hemanthi Ranasinghe, Professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura on 29 September 2006 at the Annual Sessions of the Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad 2008

Institute of Biology in Collaboration with Sri Lankan Universities and Ministry of Education conduct Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad competition for the first time in Sri Lanka in 2008. Institute of Biology, Sri Lanka invites Sri Lankan students to compete and show their knowledge and skills on tackling Biology problems and to win medals in Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad 2008.

Eligibility:

Students who are below 20 years of age on 30 June 2009, who will be sitting for Local or London A/L exams in 2008 or 2009 are eligible to apply.

How to apply:

Download the application from our web site (www.iobsl.org) and mail it with the application fee to the following address on or before 30 April 2008.
Institue of Biology, Vidya Mandiraya, Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka

National Olympiad Competition:

The examination to select the winners will be conducted from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon on Sunday 29 June 2008 at the following Centers:
University of Colombo, Colombo
Eastern University, Batticaloa
University of Jaffna, Jaffna
University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya
University of Ruhuna, Matara
University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda

• Candidates are required to sit for two hour paper with 50 MCQ questions and 25 short answer questions.

• The examination is mainly based on G.C.E. Advanced Level Biology curriculum and may also include questions on the current developments and the application of Biology. Model questions will be included in this web site very soon.

• Candidates can choose to sit for the examination in Sinhala, Tamil or English medium.

Selection of Winners

Gold, Silver or Bronze medals will be awarded to selected candidates based on their performance. Decision of the council of the IOB shall be final in the selection of winners.

Details

Plant Molecular Phylogenetics – Where We Are Now?

Dr. H. S. Kathriarachchi
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo

Phylogenetics – the study of the evolutionary history and relationships of biological taxa has been revolutionized by the molecular data. Last half of the twentieth century has been a time of rapid development of applying macromolecular data to plant systematics. During the last 2–3 decades especially DNA sequence data have successfully contributed to the tremendous progress in clarifying the phylogenetic relationships and many other evolutionary aspects of higher plants.

Understanding of phylogenetics of large angiosperm families has dramatically increased, particularly with the analysis of DNA sequences from multiple genes of plastid, mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Large, combine DNA sequence data sets were produced across angiosperms. Rigorous analytical tools were developed and the cladistic approach on these extensive data was employed. Based on the molecular phylogenies classifications those reflect the evolutionary relationships were synthesized. A revised and updated classification (APG=Angiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification) for the families and orders of the flowering plants was produced mainly based on DNA sequence data. These phylogenetic analyses do not support the traditional binary division of angiosperms as dicots and monocots.

Well developed strong phylogentic hypotheses can now be used as a frame work for many significance questions on the biology, ecology and evolutionary aspects of flowering plants. These studies further explore our understanding on the origin and diversification of angiosperms and many other flowering plant groups. Divergence time of flowering plant taxa were estimated using “molecular clock” approach, however fossil-based time estimations disagree with this method.

Controversies are there, however, molecular phylogenetics has contributed positively and enormously to the field of plant systmeatics. It is not all about relationships among fascinating diversity of plants now exist but also about how the diversity was created indeed continues to be formed.