Dr. Wijekoon is a highly accomplished researcher who focuses on understanding joint diseases, particularly osteoarthritis, and developing innovative regenerative medicine therapies for these conditions using in vitro and in vivo models. She completed her doctoral training in stem cell biology at Hokkaido University in Japan, where she gained expertise in the use of stem cells for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine while investigating the mechanisms of osteoarthritis pathogenesis and identifying potential targets for therapeutic intervention. She completed internships at the University of Glasgow and Washington University in St. Louis. She is a member of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research and have conducted extensive research on the reciprocal interaction between the immune and skeletal systems, which is relevant to the pathogenesis of bone erosion seen in rheumatoid arthritis and similar disorders.Her work has been published in high-impact journals such as PLOS One and Tissue Engineering, and she have presented my research at numerous national and international conferences. With her expertise in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, she is poised to make significant contributions to the field of joint disease research and improve the lives of patients suffering from these debilitating conditions.

Currently, in Dr. Kumbar’s laboratory, her research focuses on large-gap nerve regeneration and composite tissue injuries, utilizing innovative small-molecule drugs and related technologies. Her team science project aims to develop technologies to reconstruct and regenerate composite tissue injuries.

Dr. Wijekoon is also dedicated to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in various areas of translational research.