Eranga Vithana

Dr Vithana is an Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Adjunct Associate Professor at National University of Singapore. She is attached with Depts. of ophthalmology and Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders (NBD). She head the Ocular Genetics Group at the Singapore Eye Research Institute and hold the position of a Senior Principal Research Scientist with a concurrent appointment as Director of Laboratory Translational Research. She is a molecular biologist with research focused on understanding the genetic basis of both rare and common eye diseases with Mendelian and/or complex genetic etiology. During her research career that span nearly 20 years, she has investigated the genetic basis and biochemical mechanisms of corneal dystrophies, inherited photoreceptor degenerations (IPDs), all forms of glaucoma (POAG, PACG, NTG, congenital glaucoma), as well as quantitative traits of ocular diseases.

Dr Vithana’s research has led to the discovery of genes causative of retinitis pigmentosa, corneal endothelial dystrophies, glaucoma and ocular quantitative traits. She has published more than 110+ peer-reviewed papers, which include highly cited articles in Nature Genetics, Molecular Cell, American Journal of Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and Human Molecular Genetics. Grant funding awarded to her as either the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI total over S$10 million to date. She has an H index of 48.

Research Interests: Genetic basis of both rare and common eye diseases with Mendelian and/or complex genetic etiology, genetic basis and biochemical mechanisms of corneal dystrophies, inherited photoreceptor degenerations (IPDs), all forms of glaucoma (POAG, PACG, NTG, congenital glaucoma), quantitative traits of ocular diseases.

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships:

• Regular member of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
• Member of Genetics Cross Section-ARVO

Awards:

• SingHealth Outstanding Publication Award, Singapore (2015)
• SingHealth Outstanding Publication Award, Singapore (2013)
• SERI Service Excellence Award (Basic Science) (2010)
• ARVO International Travel Grant, ARVO, USA (2008)
• SingHealth Short Term Fellowship Award, Singapore (2007)
• Best Oral Paper (Scientist) Award in the 15th SGH Annual Scientific Meeting, Singapore (2006)
• SingHealth Outstanding Publication Award, Singapore (2006)
• Wellcome Trust Prize Studentship for PhD research, UK (1994)

Companies

• External Scientific Consultant, Singapore Eye Research Institute Singapore Eye Research Institute (2021)
• Associate Professor, SingHealth Duke-NUS Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Programme Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (2015)
• Associate Adjunct Professor National University of Singapore (2010)
• Principal Investigator I, Genetics and Genomics Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute Singapore Eye Research Institut (2015 — 2021)
• Director, Laboratory Translational Research Singapore Eye Research Institute (2014 — 2021)
• Senior Principal Research Scientist, Head Ocular Genetics Group Singapore Eye Research Institute, (2012 — 2015)
• Associate Director, Basic and Experimental Sciences, Singapore Eye Research Institute Singapore Eye Research Institute (2011 — 2015)
• Principal Research Scientist Singapore Eye Research Institute (2007 — 2012)
• Senior Research Fellow II Singapore Eye Research Institute (2004 — 2007)

Education

• Ph. D Doctor of Philosophy in Human Genetics University College London (UCL), University of London (1995 — 1998)
• BSc (Hons), Genetics and Microbiology Queen Mary and Westfield College (QMW), University of London (1991 — 1994)