University of Sri Jayewardenepuras’ Interdisciplinary Center for Innovation in Biotechnology & Neurosciences, headed by Director Prof. Ranil de Silva who is also the Principal Investigator of the Genetic Diagnostic & Research Laboratory and Human Brain Tissue and DNA Repository of the Department of Anatomy, recently provided The Sunday Times a glimpse of the first ever “Brain-Bank” which is a result of a research which took place for over four long years marking the biggest brain study worldwide and certainly so in the region.
Together with their international partners from India, South Korea, Australia and the Netherlands, Prof. de Silva and team identified possible genetic biomarkers (genes) which may indicate a predisposition towards brain diseases such as dementia, stroke and cerebral small vessel disease. In order to produce the said results they had screened and scrutinized both cadaveric blood and brain specimens after noting down case histories and talking to relatives about the deceased patients’ lifestyles.
Prof. de Silva proposed these finding to be “a steppingstone in developing a neutraceuticalsbased industry in Sri Lanka for healthy brain aging” and advised the younger generation especially, to consume healthy and natural food such as vegetables, fruits and black or green tea while keeping away from junk food and in addition to “Use your brain actively, indulging in mathematics or reading to keep AD at bay, for now we have proof through our research.”
7th November 2016 Sunday Times Main Section Page 12
www.sundaytimes.lk/161106/news/research-on-brain-diseases-lanka-in-front-216122.html
