Academic Building (B3)-Room 
Department of Biosystems Technology
Faculty of Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Mahenwatte, Pitipana North
Homagama 10200
Sri Lanka

Email: sumudu.mapa@sjp.ac.lk

Dr. Sumudu Mapa obtained her Bachelor of Science and Master of Philosophy degrees in Molecular Biology and Plant biotechnology from University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Chemistry, emphasis in Biochemistry gained from Wichita State University, USA under the supervision of Professor Kandatege Wimalasena. Then Dr. Mapa joined to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, USA as a post-doctoral research fellow and worked in the Division of Applied Toxicology. In 2019, Dr. Mapa returned to Sri Lanka and entered the Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as a senior lecturer.   

Research Keywords: Food toxicology, Enzyme kinetics, In vitro cultures, Confocal and Fluorescence microscopic imaging, Neurotoxin and neurodegenerative disease.

Other Activities: Cooking, Gardening

Since 2021

Faculty representative in Innovation, Invention, and Venture Creation Council (IIVCC), University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Since 2023

Steering Committee member of Young Scientists Forum (YSF)

Since 2021
Coordinator – Industrial Biosystems Technology focus area, Department of Biosystems Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Since 2019
Senior Lecturer Grade II – University of Sri Jayewardenepura

2017 – 2019
Post-doctoral research fellow – U.S. Food and Drug Administration, USA

2012- 2016
Teaching Assistant – Wichita State University, USA

2011- 2012
Research Assistant – Wichita State University, USA

2009 – 2010
Research Assistant – University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

2007 – 2009
Teaching Assistant – University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Fall 2013, Spring 2014 and Spring 2015
Outstanding Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry, Wichita State University, USA

2011 – 2016
Awarded Lloyd Parker Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry from Wichita State University, USA

Since 2020
Member of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)

2017 – 2019
Member of the Society of Toxicology, USA

2013 – 2015
Member of the American Chemical Society, USA

• Identify the food toxins and their mechanisms
• Develop enzyme kinetic assays for quality and quantity measurements
• Recognize the neurotoxins and their role in the neurodegenerative diseases

Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage Nipuni Wijerathna, Achini Anuradha Wijeweera, Anushi Madushani Wijethunga, Mapa Mudiyanselage Sumudu Tharangani Mapa (2023) Determination of Oil Quality and Antifungal Effect of Selected Citronella Accessions (Cymbopogon nardus, Cymbopogon winterianus) to Formulate an Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry, 12(2), 485-498.

Miriam E. Mossoba, Mapa S. T. Mapa, Jessica Sprando, Magali Araujo and Robert L. Sprando (2021) Evaluation of transporter expression in HK-2 cells after exposure to free and ester-bound-3-MCPD. Toxicology Reports, 8, 436-442.
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2021.02.017.

Yang Zhao, Magali Araujo, Thomas J. Flynn, Mapa S. T. Mapa, Miriam E. Mossoba and Robert L. Sprando (2021) A novel isotope dilution UHPLC-ESI-MS/ MS method for the quantification of 3- monochloropropane-1,2-diol in Caco-2 cell transport and receiving buffers. Food additives & contaminants: Part A,
DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2021.1873426.

Yitong Liu, Mapa S. T. Mapa and Robert L. Sprando. (2021) Anthroquinones inhibit Cytochromes P450 enzyme activity in sillico and in vitro. The journal of Applied Toxicology, 1-8. DOI: 10.1002/jat.4134.

Magali Araujo, Jessica K. Beekman, Mapa S. T. Mapa, Shaun MacMahon, Yang Zhao, Thomas J. Flynn, Brenna Flannery, Miriam E. Mossoba and Robert L. Sprando (2020) Assessment of intestinal absorption/metabolism of 3-chloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPD) and three 3-MCPD monoesters by Caco-2 cells. Toxicology in Vitro, 67: 104887. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104887.

Yitong Liu, Mapa S. T. Mapa and Robert L. Sprando (2020) Liver Toxicity of anthraquinones: A combined in vitro cytotoxicity and in silico reverse dosimetry evaluation. Food and Chemical Toxicity, 140, 111313. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111313.

Miriam E. Mossoba, Mapa S. T. Mapa, Magali Araujo, Yang Zhao, Brenna Flannery, Thomas Flynn, Jessica Sprando, Paddy L. Wiesenfeld, and Robert L. Sprando (2020) Long term in vitro effects of exposing the human HK-2 proximal tubule cell line to 3-Monochloropropane-1,2-diol. The journal of Toxicological Sciences, 45(1) 45-56. DOI: 10.2131/jts.45.45.

Mapa S. T. Mapa, Magali Araujo, Yang Zhao, Thomas Flynn, Jessica Sprando, Paddy L. Wiesenfeld, Robert L. Sprando, and Miriam E. Mossoba (2020) Method to dissolve 3-MCPD esters and free fatty acids in aqueous cell culture media. Method X, 7,100774. DOI:10.1016/j.mex.2019.100774.

Miriam E. Mossoba, Mapa S. T. Mapa, Magali Araujo, Yang Zhao, Brenna Flannery, Thomas Flynn, Jessica Sprando, Paddy L. Wiesenfeld, and Robert L. Sprando (2019) In vitro toxicological assessment of free 3-MCPD and select 3-MCPD esters on proximal tubule HK-2 cells. Cell Biology and Toxicology, 36(4). DOI: 10.1007/s10565-019-09498-0

Mapa S. T. Mapa, Viet Q. Le and Kandatege Wimalasena (2018) “Characteristics of the mitochondrial and cellular uptake of MPP+, as probed by the fluorescent mimic, 4’I-MPP+”. PLOSone, 1-21. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197946.

Michael F. Santillo, Mapa S. T. Mapa (2018) “Phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibition assay for rapid detection of erectile dysfunction drugs and analogs in sexual enhancement products”. Drug Testing and Analysis, 1-8. DOI:10.1002/dta.237.

Chamila C. Kadigamuwa, Mapa S. T. Mapa and Kandatege Wimalasena (2016) “Lipophilic Cationic Cyanines are Potent Complex I Inhibitors and Specific in vitro Dopaminergic Toxins with Mechanistic Similarities to both Rotenone and MPP+ “. ACS Chemical Research in Toxicology, 29:1468-1479.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.6b00138.