D.Sc. Honoris causa, Sabaragamuwa University; Ph.D. (UK), Applied Genetics; M.Sc. (Japan), Genetics & Plant Breeding; B.Sc. Agri; Postdoctoral training in Biotechnology UK, USA
Prof. Athula Perera began his academic career at the University of Peradeniya, in 1974 and retired as a Senior Professor in 2013 with more than 200 publications (including books and journals) and presentations.  His last appointment was Director, PGIA, University of Peradeniya, from 2006-2011.
Due to his involvement in Biosafety activities, he was appointed by the Ministry of Environment in 2003 as the National Coordinator of the National Biosafety Framework Project, which was successfully completed in 2006 and won an international award.  He has coordinated several national training programmes related to Biosafety from 2006 up to date.
He was appointed by the UN as a Consultant to assist the Republic of the Maldives to prepare their Biosafety Framework.  He was also appointed a Local Consultant by the FAO to prepare the ongoing Biosafety Project.  At present he is a Consultant in Biosafety to the National Science Foundation

Faculty of Agriculture

Oversee the activities of the Institute
He initiated and developed all the biotechnology activities at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya.  He established the very first Biotechnology laboratory.  Also, he was the first Director of the Agricultural Biotechnology Centre of the university. He initiated Biosafety related activities to the undergraduate curriculum and prepared the only Postgraduate Biosafety course in Sri Lanka.  He still carries out this course as the coordinator.
Since 2003, he coordinated more than 100 awareness programmes, training programmes and workshops in Biosafety.  He was invited to several regional and International training programmes and workshops and was a Sri Lanka delegate to the UN COP-MOP meeting in India.  In almost all of these, a major area for discussion and training was matters related to the Clearing House mechanism.

Director

Senior lecturer

B.Sc. Agriculture

University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

M.Sc. Genetics & Plant Breeding

Obihiro Chikusan University,Japan

Ph.D. Applied Genetics

University of Burmingham,United Kingdom

D.Sc. Honoris causa: Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka 2012

Rockefeller Foundation USA, Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biotechnology 1992 - 1994, UK; USA

Samarasinghe, W.L.G., Perera, A.L.T., Wickramasinghe, I.P and Rajapakse, S. 2010. Morphological and molecular characterization of Musa germplasm in Sri Lanka and selection of superior genotypes. Acta Hort. (ISHS). 879:571-577

Alwis, L.M.H.R., Perera, A.L.T. and Samarasinghe, W.L.G. 2009.  Breeding and selection of new varieties of tomatoes superior for yield and fruit quality characters using molecular and classical breeding techniques. Proc. Australasian Conference. Australia.  (in Press).    *  Won the Best Research Paper award at the conference.                       

Rajasinghe, M.H.I.D., Fernandopulle, N.D. and Perera A.L.T.  2009.  Screening for genetically modified soy food available at selected supermarkets in Sri Lanka. Peradeniya University Research Sessions. December, 2009.

UN Consultant on Biosafety to the Republic of the Maldives

FAO Consultant on Biosafety

International Award for successfully completing the Framework Project

Member of Experts Committee - Ministry of Environment - as an expert in Biosafety

Member of Biosafety Coordinating Committee - Ministry of Environment - coordinating all biosafety activities in the country

Member of Research Advisory Board, National Science Foundation - the Apex body that approves matters related to research