Centre for Meditation Research at University of Colombo; revealing to world how meditation can heal

In this interview with Prof. Dilshani Dissanayake, the Founding Director of the Centre for Meditation Research (CMR), Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo, we attempt to understand the link between meditation and human health.

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PROF. Dilshani Dissanayake is the current Head of the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo and the founder director of the Research Promotion and Facilitation Centre (RPFC) and the neuroscientist in charge of the neuroscience research laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.

Prof. Dissanayake obtained her medical degree (MBBS) from the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo and obtained her PhD in neuroscience from the University of Nottingham, UK. While teaching the functionality of brain to medical, para-medical and post-graduate students, she is developing a pool of committed MPhil and PhD scholars in neuroscience. Her neuroscience research laboratory and her own interest in Buddhist meditation led her to examine the link between human health and meditation.

Prof. Dilshani Dissanayake contributes to promote and facilitate a positive and holistic research culture in the faculty as the founder-director of the Centre for Meditation Centre (CMC) and has embarked on several unique research themes within the medical sphere.

Prof. Dissanayake is a recipient of several grants and awards including a grant to establish the neuroscience research laboratory, a co-recipient of a grant to establish physiotherapy research laboratory, principal investigator of research grants from the National Science Foundation and the University of Colombo, Commonwealth fellowship at the clinical neurophysiology unit, Kings College London, UK and presidential awards for research publications.

Prof. Dissanayake is currently leading a multidisciplinary team of researchers in the University of Colombo, on a World Bank funded project to assess the effects of meditation on health.