A/prof Eranga Vithana

Biography

A/Prof Eranga Vithana is a Senior Principal Research Scientist and heads the Ocular Genetics Research group at Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI). She holds Adjunct appointments with DUKE-NUS Graduate Medical School and National University of Singapore (NUS). She has a PhD in Molecular Genetics from University College London, UK and has been working on ophthalmic genetics for more than 18 years. Her current research is focused on understanding the genetic basis of both rare and common eye diseases with Mendelian and/or complex genetic etiology. She has studied the genetic basis and biochemical mechanisms of corneal dystrophies, inherited photoreceptor degenerations (IPDs), all forms of glaucoma (POAG, PACG, NTG, congenital glaucoma), as well as quantitative traits of ocular diseases. A/Prof Vithana’s research has led to the discovery of genes causative of retinitis pigmentosa, corneal endothelial dystrophies, glaucoma and ocular quantitative traits. A/Prof Vithana has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers, in the best journals for human genetics including Nature Genetics, American Journal of Human Genetics, PLOS genetics and Human Molecular Genetics. She has presented her scientific findings in more than 50 conference proceedings and has been an invited speaker at numerous Ophthalmic and Genetic conferences.

Research Interest

Current research is focused on understanding the genetic basis of both rare and common eye diseases with Mendelian and/or complex genetic etiology. Studies conducted on the genetic basis and biochemical mechanisms of corneal dystrophies, inherited photoreceptor degenerations (IPDs), all forms of glaucoma (POAG, PACG, NTG, congenital glaucoma), as well as quantitative traits of ocular diseases.