Mohan Edirisinghe
Mohan Jayantha Edirisinghe OBE FREng is a Sri Lankan bioengineer who is the Bonfield Chair of Biomaterials in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. Edirisinghe studies new materials processing methodologies, with a focus on the development of new biostructures. He was appointed an Order of the British Empire in the 2021 New Year Honours for his services to Biomedical Engineering.
Mohan Jayantha Edirisinghe | |
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Born | |
Alma mater | University of Leeds University of Moratuwa St Thomas College, Mount Lavinia |
Scientific career | |
Institutions | University College London |
Thesis | Alloy additions and their effect on the structure and properties of cast iron (1983) |
Early life and education
Edirisinghe is from Sri Lanka. He was educated at the St Thomas College, Mount Lavinia.[1] He studied at the University of Moratuwa, in a joint course between the British Council and University of Leeds.[2] He eventually moved to Leeds for his postgraduate studies, where he completed a doctorate on alloy additions and how they impact the properties of cast iron.[3]
Research and career
Edirisinghe works on materials processing for healthcare and drug delivery. He has developed complex nanofibres that can be used to generate antimicrobial filters, and nanobubbles that facilitate new modes of drug delivery.[4] He developed electrohydrodyanmic printing methods (e.g. electro-spinning and electro-spraying) for biomedical applications.[5] In 2010, Edirisinghe founded AtoCap, a spin-out company who focus on the encapsulation of generic drugs (e.g. antibiotics and chemotherapeutics) into a complex capsule.[6] He has studied the protein composition of milk, and identified that casein, which contributes 80% of the protein in dairy milk, has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.[7] Edirisinghe demonstrated that it could be incorporated into biodegradable plastic bandages to accelerate wound healing.[7]
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edirisinghe worked with the Royal Academy of Engineering to create new respirator masks.[8] His antiviral masks were developed with the Government of Kuwait. He also worked on air filters that could be used in care homes, schools and on public transport.
Awards and honours
- 2005 Royal Society Brian Mercer (Innovation) Feasibility Award[9]
- 2010 Materials Science Venture Prize[10]
- 2012 UK Biomaterials Society Presidents Prize[11]
- 2015 Elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
- 2017 Royal Academy of Engineering Armourers & Brasier's Prize[4]
- 2017 IOM3 Chapman Medal[4]
- 2020 Elected Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences[12]
- 2023 Royal Society Clifford Paterson Medal and Lecture[13]
- 2023 Royal Academy of Engineering Colin Campbell Mitchell Award[14][15]
Selected publications
- C J Luo; Simeon D Stoyanov; E Stride; E Pelan; M Edirisinghe (22 May 2012). "Electrospinning versus fibre production methods: from specifics to technological convergence". Chemical Society Reviews. 41 (13): 4708–4735. doi:10.1039/C2CS35083A. ISSN 0306-0012. PMID 22618026. Wikidata Q38012344.
- Eleanor Stride; Mohan Edirisinghe (2008). "Novel microbubble preparation technologies". Soft Matter. 4 (12): 2350. doi:10.1039/B809517P. ISSN 1744-683X. Wikidata Q60455578.
- C. J. Luo; E. Stride; M. Edirisinghe (18 May 2012). "Mapping the Influence of Solubility and Dielectric Constant on Electrospinning Polycaprolactone Solutions". Macromolecules. 45 (11): 4669–4680. doi:10.1021/MA300656U. ISSN 0024-9297. Wikidata Q60455447.
References
- "'I still love getting my hands dirty'". Times Online - Daily Online Edition of The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- UCL (2021-03-03). "Mohan Edirisinghe". Mechanical Engineering. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- Edirisinghe, M. J. (1983). Alloy additions and their effect on the structure and properties of cast iron (Ph.D. thesis). University of Leeds.
- UCL (2017-05-09). "Record-breaking month for Professor Mohan Edirisinghe". UCL News. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- Sofokleous, Panagiotis; Stride, Eleanor; Bonfield, William; Edirisinghe, Mohan (January 2013). "Design, construction and performance of a portable handheld electrohydrodynamic multi-needle spray gun for biomedical applications". Materials Science and Engineering: C. 33 (1): 213–223. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2012.08.033.
- "Welcome - Atocap". Welcome - Atocap. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- PA (2023-07-25). "Protein used as weight-training supplement 'may also speed up wound healing'". Jersey Evening Post. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- Alenezi, Hussain; Cam, Muhammet Emin; Edirisinghe, Mohan (March 2021). "A novel reusable anti-COVID-19 transparent face respirator with optimized airflow". Bio-Design and Manufacturing. 4 (1): 1–9. doi:10.1007/s42242-020-00097-1. ISSN 2096-5524.
- "Brian Mercer Award for Innovation | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- UCL (2010-06-01). "Microbubble pioneers win £25,000 prize". UCL News. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- "UKSB Prizes – UKSB". Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- "Prof. Mohan Edirisinghe is to be awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering Colin Campbell Mitchell Award 2023 – European Academy of Sciences". 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- "The Royal Society announces this year's medal and award winners | Royal Society". royalsociety.org. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- UCL (2023-06-12). "Biomaterials processing expert wins Royal Academy of Engineering award". Mechanical Engineering. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- "Polymer engineering and manufacturing pioneer wins prestigious Academy Award". raeng.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-11.