H.M. Kasuni Akalanka

H.M. Kasuni Akalanka is a Research Fellow at the Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Australia. She has over 15 years of academic experience, including roles as Senior Lecturer (8 years), Lecturer (7 years), and Head of the Department of Basic Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. Her work spans multidisciplinary collaborations locally and internationally.

• Previous Affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University (Visiting Research Fellow)
• Previous Role: Head of Department of Basic Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Her research interests focus on breast cancer, particularly hormonal and metabolic factors (e.g., testosterone, metformin, statins), cancer biomarkers (e.g., serum sex hormones, lipid profiles, CA 15-3), and public health in low-to-middle-income countries. She explores the use of molecular diagnostics and in vitro models to assess drug efficacy and risk factors.

Her recent publications highlight the anti-cancer effects of metformin and atorvastatin on hormone receptor-positive and triple-negative breast cancer subtypes, using in vitro models. Earlier work includes studies on vitamin D status, thyroid profiles, and anthropometric parameters in Sri Lankan populations.

Despite extensive contributions to breast cancer research and public health studies, no scientific awards or honors are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Her academic collaborations and leadership in Sri Lanka's Department of Basic Sciences underscore her impact in clinical biochemistry and epidemiology.