We are an independent, not-for-profit platform founded in 2016 aiming to provide unbiased research evidence to inform policy at individual and population levels.
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Our core activities revolve around six thematic areas: Technology, Health, Environment, Migration, Education and Ethics. We seek to create a tangible, people-oriented policy drive to address current and future challenges in these areas with evidence stemming from our multi-disciplinary projects.

OUR SERVICES

• Research support for individuals and organisations.
• Workshop/training program design and delivery.​
• Expert consultancy services.

MEET OUR TEAM

Co-founder and Honorary Chairman

Late Dr. Chesmal Siriwardhana
Associate Professor at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

Theme Institute was a passion of the late Dr. Chesmal Siriwardhana who dedicated his career to helping internally displaced populations in Sri Lanka's Northern Province.

Chesmal was instrumental in founding the Global Public Health, Migration & Ethics Research Group at Anglia Ruskin University, and was also a founding co-chair of the Migration Health & Development Initiative (MHADI).

​He spearheaded numerous international capacity building initiatives including qualitative health research courses in South Asia and a MSc Public Health Management course in six Eastern Mediterranean universities.

He will forever be missed!

Our Board of Directors

Giselle Dass,
​PhD

Nishad Jayasundara,
PhD

Dilrini De Silva,
​PhD

Kolitha Wickramage,
MBBS,PhD

Honorary Director -
Psychologist ​
Population Health Science Researcher/PhD, University of Bristol, UK
Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo 

Honorary Director -
Assistant Professor 
 in Environmental Toxicology and Heath,  
Nicholas School of the Environment,
Duke University, USA. 

Read more on Research in the ​​​Jayasundara Lab​ 

Honorary Director -
Bioinformatics and AI
UKRI Innovation Scholar -
University of Cambridge. UK
Entrepreneur equalising precision medicine​

Honorary Director - MIGRATION HEALTH.
Executive Director, Migration Health Research and Development Initiative.
Colombo, SL​

Our Team

Madonna Solomon

Anne Edward

Senior Research Assistant
BSc (Hons) in Psychology
PGDip in Counselling and Psychosocial Support

Project 1: COMGAP-S - Integrating Mental Health into Primary Care in Post-Conflict Populations in Northern Sri Lanka

​Project 2: Regional variations in climate-related mental health outcomes in Sri Lanka: A mixed methods approach

Senior Research Assistant
BSc (Hons) in Psychology
PGDip in Counselling and Psychosocial Support

Project 1: COMGAP-S - Integrating Mental Health into Primary Care in Post-Conflict Populations in Northern Sri Lanka

Sakuntha 
Gunarathna

Umajasotha
​Mahenthiran

​Satkunarajah
​Vithushan

Research Coordinator and Consultant 
BSc (Hons) Special Degree in Zoology 
Specialization: Environmental Toxicology

Project lead : PlastiHive – providing sustainable solutions to mitigating plastic littler in Sri Lanka. Read more

​Project coordinator : Developing a biomarker-based screening facility for early detection of CKDu tendencies

Field Research Assistant
Project : COMGAP-S

Office Assistant
Project : COMGAP-S

Sandeep
​Hasinthara

 Research Assistant 
BSc (Hons) Degree in Biological Sciences - University of Ruhuna

Project: Understanding the factors driving Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology - Zebrafish Exposure Study

Kanchana 
Dilrukshi

Research Assistant
B Sc (Honours) in Mathematics - University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Project: Initiating field research in modelling the metal mixtures in drinking
water in the wells based on Zebrafish behaviour using Statistical and Stochastic approaches.