Leipzig Bioengineering Group

Biography

I grew up in Sri Lanka, where I received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from University of Peradeniya. Soon after, I came to the United States for further graduate studies in Chemistry. I am a graduate of Kent State University, where I successfully completed a Ph.D. degree in Physical Chemistry in 2010.  Currently I am a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Leipzig Bioengineering Group at the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. My current focus is for the development of synthetic methodologies to engineer novel biocompatible scaffolds to use for the generation of 2D and 3D microenvironment for tissue engineering of the central nervous system. In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, cooking, photographing, traveling and spending time with my family.

Education

B.Sc. University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 1998

M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2003

PhD in Physical Chemistry, Kent State University, 2010

Abstracts

1. A Wijekoon, ND Leipzig. “Oxygen rich hydrogel scaffolds for tissue regeneration and deep wound healing.” BMES-SPRBM meeting. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jan 6, 2011. Poster and Presentation. (Travel Award)
2. Wijekoon, A., Gangoda, M., Gregory, R.B., Characterization and multi-mode chromatographic application of 4-propylaminomethyl-benzoic acid bonded silica-a zwitterionic HPLC stationary phase. American Chemical Society, National Meeting and Exposition, Washington, DC, 2009
3. Wijekoon, A., Gangoda, M., Gregory, R.B., 2H NMR Evidence for solvent-induced motional heterogeneity in 4-propylaminomethyl-benzoic acid modified silica. CERMACS2007-Central Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Covington, KY, 2007
4. Wijekoon, A., Gangoda, M., Gregory, R.B., Evaluation of 4-Propylaminomethyl-benzoic acid modified silica (4-PAMBAS) as a cation/anion exchange HPLC stationary phase. Minnesota Chromatography Forum, 28th Annual Spring Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, 2007

Publications/Book Chapters

1. H Li, A Wijekoon, ND Leipzig. “Tethering of perfluorocarbons to photopolymerizable chitosan enhances 3D survival and differentiation of neural stem cells.” Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 2014. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. 42(7):1456-69, 2014. LINK
2. AM McCormick, A Wijekoon, ND Leipzig. “Specific immobilization of biotinylated fusion proteins NGF and Sema3A utilizing a photocrosslinkable diazirine compound for controlling neurite extension.” 2013. Bioconjugate Chemistry.24(9): p. 1515-26. 2013. LINK
3. A Wijekoon, N Fountas Davis, ND Leipzig. “Fluorinated methacrylamide chitosan hydrogel systems as adaptable oxygen carriers for wound healing.” Acta Biomateriala. 9(3): 5653-5664. 2013. LINK
4. H Li, A Wijekoon, ND Leipzig. “3D differentiation of neural stem cells in macroporous photopolymerizable hydrogel scaffolds.” PLoS ONE. 7(11): e48824. 2012. LINK
5. M Gangoda, A Wijekoon, RB Gregory, Deuterium NMR study of propylamino modified silica benzylated with p-substituted benzaldehyde in the presence of sodium cyanoborodeuteride. Langmuir (In progress)
6. A Wijekoon, M Gangoda., RB Gregory., Characterization and multi-mode liquid chromatographic application of 4-propylaminomethyl benzoic acid bonded silica–a zwitterionic stationary phase. Journal of Chromatography A. 1270: 212-8. 2012. LINK

Patents

Gangoda, M., Wijekoon, A., Methods for Synthesizing Acetal and Aldehyde Functional Alkoxysilanes
http://technologytransfer.kent.edu/abstracts/MethodMakingDiethylAcetalAldehydeFunctionalAlkoxysilanesKSU338.pdf