Education

B. Sc. (Physics Honors), University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka (1999)

M.S. (Physics), Northeastern University, Boston, USA (2005)

Ph.D. (Physics), Northeastern University, Boston, USA (2010)

Thesis Title: “Drug-DNA Interactions at the Single Molecule Level: A View with Optical Tweezers”

MRSEC Postdoctoral Associate, Brandeis University, Waltham, USA (2010-2013)

Research Interest

My research interest in the field of biophysics is to use physics techniques to study biological systems at the single-molecule level. This research is done in collaboration with the Williams Lab at Northeastern University and the Gelles Lab at Brandeis University. At the Williams Lab, we use optical tweezers to investigate potential cancer and HIV drugs that reversibly bind to DNA. At the Gelles Lab, we are interested in studying dissociation pathways of molecular complexes in the presence of competitors, using Total Internal Reflection (TIR) spectroscopy on fluorescently labeled single molecules. 

For more information, visit the Bridgewater State University Single Molecule Biophysics Lab (BSU SMB LAB).

Career Highlights @ BSU

• Appointed as the Chair of the Education Committee of the Biophysical Society (July 2026)

• Awarded the Excellence in Advising Award by Bridgewater State University (May 2025)

• Promoted to Professor of Physics (September 2024)

• Appointed to the Education Committee of the Biophysical Society (July 2022)

• Awarded the Online Teaching Innovation Award by Bridgewater State University (May 2021)

• Awarded Tenure and promoted to Associate Professor (September 2020)

• Awarded the prestigious Dr. James DiNardo Award for Excellence in Teaching by Bridgewater State University (May 2019)

• Honored with the Outstanding Faculty Award for 2019 given by the Honors Program at Bridgewater State University (May 2019)

• Featured in CBS Boston News (November 2018)

• NSF Grant in collaboration with Northeastern University, entitled "Quantifying Single Molecule DNA-ligand Interactions" (July 2018 - June 2024) 

• Appointed as the Adrian Tinsley Program Coordinator to lead BSU's signature summer research program (September 2017 - August 2020)

• Appointed as Assistant Professor (September 2014)