Professor Widanapathirana was the first professor to be appointed to the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura. He has authored several books on science and has published more than 175 scientific papers. He was appointed the Head of Department of Forensic Science in 2010 and has taken his department to greater heights throughout the years.

Professor Widanapathirana is an old boy of Asoka Vidayalaya and Ananda College Colombo.

Following are few of research publications done by Prof. Widanapathirana

RESEARCH, JOURNALS AND PUBLICATIONS

1. 2014 – M Vidanapathirana, PR Ruwanpura, D Ariyaratne and DSK Karunanayake. A triple murder. Medico-Legal Journal (Sage Publication) 2015; 0(0): 1-3 doi:10.1177/0025817214563905
2. 2009 – Ruwanpura PR, Hettiarachchi M, Vidanapathirana M, Perera S. “Management of dead and missing: Aftermath tsunami in Galle”. Legal Medicine 2009; 11: 586-588. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2009.01.052.
3. 2009 – Gawarammana IB, Ariyananda PL, Palangasinshe C, de Silva NGL, Fernando K, Vidanapathirana M, Kuruppuarachchi MA, Munasinghe MAAK, Dawson AH. “Emerging epidemic of fatal human self-poisoning with a washing powder in Southern Sri Lanka: A prospective observational study”. Clinical Toxicology 2009; 47: 407-411.
4. 2013 – Madugalla AK, Rajapakse RN, Amarasinghe IU, Padmathilake VH, Dharmaratne AT, Sandaruwan D, Vidanaparthirana M. “FaceID-Bones Narrate: A Semi Automated Approach for Forensic Facial Reconstruction“. International Journal on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer) 6 (1), 2013. DOI: 10.4038/icter.v6i1.6097
5. 2011 – Vidanapathirana M, Rathnaweera RHAI, Munasinghe KR, Sanjeewani LKG. “Study on teenage pregnant mothers referred by obstetricians for medico-legal examination”. Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 2011;1 (1):34-37.
6. 2012 – Ruwanpura R, Vidanapathirana M, Ranasinghe S, Hettiarachchi M, Warushahennadi J, Seneviratne S, Dhahanayaka K, Amararatne S, Nanayakkara R, “Identification of Severely Burnt Bodies Due to Post Collision Fire: Bus -Truck Collision at Induruwa, Southern Sri Lanka”, Journal of Forensic Research. Volume 3; issue 2; 2012, doi.org/10.4172/2157-7145.1000143.
7. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Rajapakse RN, Madugalla AK, Amarasinghe PIU, Padmathilake VH, DharmaratneAT, Sandaruwan KD, “A novel semi-automated approach for forensic facial reconstruction in Sri Lanka”, Galle Medical Journal, March 2013; Vol 18: No. 1:16-25. doi: 10.4038/gmj.v18i1.5517
8. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, “Have 13 beggars been killed by a serial killer?” Galle Medical Journal, Vol 18, No. 03, 2013; 17-21, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/gmj.v18i2.6196
9. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Rajapakse RN, Madugalla AK, Amarasinghe PIU, Padmathilake VH, Dharmaratne AT,Sandaruwan KD, “Identification of unrecognizable corpses: A novel semi-automated approach for forensic facial reconstruction in Sri Lanka”, Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 2013; 1(2): 10-22
10. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, “Factors related to wife-battering; a medico-legal analysis”. Galle Medical Journal 2014,Vol 19: No.1, March 2014; 6-10. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/gmj.v19i1.6958
11. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, “Young tend to commit suicide, die of road traffic accidents or being killed by someone: An analysis of medico-legal deaths”, International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine 2014; 4(2): 42-48.
12. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, “Factors related to dental injuries and determining the category of hurt: a medico-legal analysis”. Sri Lanka Dental Journal (accepted for publication on 21.07.2014)
13. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, “Child sexual abuse; a medico-legal analysis”. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine 2014;4(3): 91-97.
14. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Munasinghe K.R, Benaragama D.H., A potentially preventable fatal outcome in a patient who developed cerebral malaria. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law-December 2013-Vol.4 No.2; 3-5
15. 2003 – Vidanapathirana M., “Self-inflicted emasculation”. Galle Medical Journal 2003; 8 (1) 56-56.
16. 2007 – Vidanapathirana M. “Point of view, Role of forensic expert in human right violations”. Galle Medical Journal, 2007; 12 (1): 56.
17. 2008 – Rathnaweera, RHAI, Vidanapathirana M., “An alleged case of unusual human bite”. Galle Medical Journal 2008; 13 (1): 74-75.
18. 2008 – Vidanapathirana, M, Dahanayake KS. “Drowning following a lightning strike”. Galle Medical Journal 2008; 13 (1): 67-69.
19. 2008 – Vidanapathirana, M, Dahanayake KS. “Tuberculosis kills a pregnant mother”. Galle Medical Journal 2008; 13(1): 56-58.
20. 2009 – Rathnaweera RHAI, Vidanapathirana M, “An alleged case of assault and murder turned out to be a run over accident”. Galle Medical Journal 2009; 14 (1): 91.
21. 2009 – Vidanapathirana M, Maduka VGM. ” ‘Rebirth’ of a lost limb”. Galle Medical Journal 2009; 14 (1): 89-90.
22. 2009 – Vidanapathirana M, Dahanayake KD, Amararatne RRGS. “Application of Forensic Engineering”. Galle Medical Journal 2009; 14 (1): 87-88.
23. 2012 – Vidanapathirana M, Benaragama DH, “Potential Medical Negligence: A case Report”, Sri Lanka Journal of Medicine, Science and Law, 2012
24. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Waduge PCLS, “Atypical Flash Burns following Low Voltage Electrical Explosion: The Importance of Forensic Engineering”. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. 2013; 3(4): 131-34.
25. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB, Jayasooriya PR. “Atypical firearm injury”. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law 2013; 4(1): 3-5.
26. 2013 – Vidanapathirana M, Hettiarachchi HAM, Munasinghe KR. “Death due to acute fatty liver in pregnancy”. Medico Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 2013; 1(2): 42-45
27. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, Benaragama DH, Dahanayake KS. “Early maternal death due to acute encephalitis”. Anuradhapura Medical Journal>2014; 8 (1): 16-18.
28. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB. “Medicolegal issues of Mermaid syndrome (Sirenomelia)”. Anuradhapura Medical Journal>2014; 8(2):37-39.
29. 2014 – Weeratna JB, Amararathna S, Ranasinghe RASK Vidanapathirana M. Indoor postmortem animal scavenging- a case report. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law-May 2014; 5 (1):1-8.
30. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunathilake KMTB. Medico-legal significance of ‘Self-embedding of foreign bodies’. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. (accepted for publication)
31. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, Amararatne RRGS. Review on Child Sexual Assault; influence of age on management strategies highlighted based on a case history. Galle Medical Journal, Vol 19: No. 2, September 2014;23-25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/gmj.v19i2.7911
32. 2014 – Vidanapathirana M, Amararatne RRGS, Nanayakkara R, Dahanayake KS, Ratnaweera RHAI. “Comparison between the nature and characteristics of elderly abuse and community violence; a medico-legal analysis”. Journal of Postgraduate Institute of Medicine 2014; 1(E1):1-6
33. 2015 – Gunethilake KMTB, Vidanapathirana M, Rahuman MMA. Place of DNA in the identification of mutilated dead bodies, Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka, 2014; Vol 3. No 1. June: 22-25.
34. 2015 – Rathnaweera RHAI, Vidanapathirana M. Maternal deaths: think of rare causes when common causes have been eliminated. Galle Medical Journal. March 2015; 20(1): 23-25.
35. 2015 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB. Medico-legal implications of leech bites in children. Anuradhapura Medical Journal (accepted for publication) (Became best Case report at the annual academic sessions)
36. 2015 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB. Value of minor trauma in the diagnosis of physical child abuse: ‘The law of common man’ Anuradhapura Medical Journal (accepted for publication)
37. 2015 – Vidanapathirana M, Gender Based Violence and the Forensic Medical Practitioner. Medico-legal Journal of Sri Lanka (accepted for publication)
38. Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB. Double murder following intoxication with sedative drugs. International journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. (accepted for publication)
39. 2015 – Vidanapathirana M, Gunethilake KMTB, Medicolegal aspects of maternal deaths due to pulmonary thromboembolism. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science and Law (accepted for publication) (Author contribution and justification- same as above)
40. 2015 – M. Vidanapathirana, P.R. Ruwanpura, D.S.K. Karunanayake, D. Ariyaratne. Death Due to Assault with Coconut Scraper; Application of Locard’s Principle in Medico-legal Investigations. Journal of Scientific Research & Reports. 2015; 7(5): 396-399, DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2015/18240
41. Jayatissa LP, Vidanapathirana M. Has paralytic shellfish poisoning occurred in Sri Lanka?: A case study on death after consumption of brown mussel, Perna perna (L). Proceedings of the 3^rd Science Symposium, November 2005, Faculty of Science, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka; 3: 11-17.
42. Vidanapathirana M. A death due to sexual asphyxia. Proceedings of the Third Academic Sessions, University of Ruhuna 2006; 192-193.
43. Vidanapathirana M. A protocol for disaster management. Proceedings of the third academic sessions, University of Ruhuna 2006; 194-195
44. Vidanapathirana M, Rajapakse RN, Madugalla AK., Amarasinghe IU., Padmathilake VH., Dharmaratne AT., Sandaruwan D. “Facial Muscle Anatomy Based Approach for Forensic Facial Reconstruction in Sri Lanka”, in proceedings of the Annual Scientific Sessions of Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, 2012. http://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/ASS/article/view/837. Received: Best Paper Award
45. Roshan N Rajapakse, AK. Madugalla, I.U. Amarasinghe, V.H. Padmathilake, A.T. Dharmaratne, D. Sandaruwan, Muditha Vidanapathirana, “Facial Muscle Anatomy Based Approach for Forensic Facial Reconstruction in Sri Lanka”, in proceedings of the International Conference on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer), Colombo, pp.27-35, 2012. doi: 10.1109/ICTer.2012.6422828.Received: Best Paper Award
46. Madugalla A K., Rajapakse R N, Amarasinghe I.U., Padmathilake V.H., Dharmaratne A.T., Sandaruwan D., Vidanapathirana M, “Face ID: A 3D Computer Graphics Application for Forensic Medicine”, in proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Medical Applications (ICCMA), Sousse-Tunisia, pp.1-6, Jan. 2013. doi: 10.1109/ICCMA.2013.65061
47. Muditha Vidanapathirana, “Ethical and legal issues related to Dental Practice”, workshop on medico-legal issues in dental practice, 4^th October 2014, at Lighthouse Galley, Colombo, with College of Dentistry and Stomatology of Sri Lanka. In Proceedings of the CFPSL Workshops – 2014, Edited by Dr. P. Senasinghe and A Rathnaweera. Page 44-50.
48. Rajapakse R.N, Karunaratne D.D, Sandaruwan K.D., Vidanapathirana M. BMI based automated facial index classification to aid the process of forensic facial reconstruction. in proceedings of the International Conference on Advances in ICT for Emerging Regions (ICTer), Colombo, 2014. DOI Index: 10.1109/ICTER.2014.7083919
49. 2001 – Colombage SM, Mendis NDNA, Vidanapathirana M, Gunasekara IS, Mubarak A, Vadysinghe AN, PP – A case of cholestatic jaundice, Annual academic sessions of College of Forensic Pathologists of Sri Lanka, 16.06.2001.

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