Bio
Dr Vithana is an Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Adjunct Associate Professor at National University of Singapore. She is attached with Depts. of ophthalmology and Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders (NBD). She head the Ocular Genetics Group at the Singapore Eye Research Institute and hold the position of a Senior Principal Research Scientist with a concurrent appointment as Director of Laboratory Translational Research. She is a molecular biologist with research focused on understanding the genetic basis of both rare and common eye diseases with Mendelian and/or complex genetic etiology. During her research career that span nearly 20 years, she has investigated 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.
Dr Vithana’s research has led to the discovery of genes causative of retinitis pigmentosa, corneal endothelial dystrophies, glaucoma and ocular quantitative traits. She has published more than 110 peer-reviewed papers, which include highly cited articles in Nature Genetics, Molecular Cell, American Journal of Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and Human Molecular Genetics. Grant funding awarded to her as either the principal investigator (PI) or co-PI total over S$10 million to date. She has an H index of 48.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
University of London, United Kingdom
Bachelor of Science Hons Class 1
University of London, United Kingdom
NUS Appointment(s)
Adjunct Associate Professor
Dept of Ophthalmology, NUS,
Currently Active