• hdchem@ou.ac.lk
  • +94 112 881 371
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Department of
CHEMISTRY

Professor (Mrs) R. M. R. P. Ratnayake

B.Sc. Chemistry Honours (Peradeniya), Ph.D. in Chemistry (Peradeniya)

Professor in Chemistry

Department of Chemistry
  • KRC, 3rd floor, Science and Technology building, Room No : W5
  • +94812494497
  • rurat@ou.ac.lk, rukmalratnayake@yahoo.com

I am Prof.  R.M.R.P. Ratnayake, currently serving as a Professor in Chemistry at the Open University of Sri Lanka. I obtained my B.Sc Special Degree in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya, in 1992 and was recruited as a temporary assistant lecturer at the Department of Chemistry in 1992. Afterwards, I joined the Central Province Affiliate University as a college lecturer (probationary) in November 1992. I have been absorbed into the academic staff of the Rajarata University as a lecturer (probationary) to the department of Physical Science, Faculty of Applied Science, in March 1996. I enrolled for a Ph.D offered by the Board of Study in Chemical Sciences, Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya in 1997, and completed the Ph.D in January 2002.  I was promoted to Senior Lecturer Grade II in January 2002 and promoted to Senior Lecturer Grade I in January 2008. I was released from the Rajarata University in order to accept the position of Senior Lecturer Grade II in the Open University of Sri Lanka in August 2008, and promoted to Associate Professor in May 2019.

I was at the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka from the inception of the Rajarata University.  I have designed and developed all Organic Chemistry courses for the B.Sc. degree for the undergraduate students. I introduced two courses for the first year titled Organic Chemistry (CHE 1203), Practical Unit (CHE 1204), three courses for the second year titled Organic Chemistry II (CHE 2202), Spectroscopic Methods in Organic Chemistry, (CHE 2106), Practical Unit (CHE 2204), and for the third year Petroleum Chemistry (CHE 3104) and Natural Products (CHE 3209). I was instrumental in developing all the Organic Chemistry courses (12 credits) for the B.Sc. Degree at the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka and I have been teaching these courses from March 1996 to August 2008 when I was at Rajarata University. I served as a chemistry coordinator under the Department of Physical Sciences from 2002 to 2006, and I was one of the members who were assigned to produce a joint-major degree in Chemistry and Physics. During my career I have undertaken numerous academic and research work. I have served as a senior student counselor for a period of 03 years at the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.

I joined the Open University of Sri Lanka in August 2008. The courses that I have been teaching at the Kandy Regional Centre, are Basic principles of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Natural products Chemistry, Chemistry of Sugars, amino acids and related compounds, Organic Chemistry II, Industrial Chemistry,  Chemistry of Biomolecules and Advanced Organic Chemistry.

I was awarded president’s Research awards in 2001, 2008 and National Research Council Merit Award for Scientific Publication in 2012. I have served as a student counselor from 2011 to April 2022 at the Kandy Regional Centre and Faculty Coordinator from 2010 to 2013.

Organic Chemistry
Natural Product Chemistry

Organic Synthesis, Natural Products
  • Chemistry Coordinator-Faculty of Applied Sciences, 2003 – Aug 2008.
  • Senior Student Counselor, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Jan. 2003- May 2006.

CHU 3130 (Natural Products Chemistry) – 2008 to 2015
CHU 3131(Chemistry of Sugars, Amino acids and related compounds) -2008 to 2015
CMU 3120 (Organic Chemistry II) – 2014
CMU 3124 (Chemistry of Biomolecules) – 2015- Jan 2018
CYU 5304 (Chemistry of Biomolecules)-2020 to date.
CYU 5615 (Advanced organic chemistry)-2021-to date

 

  1. Chemical Investigation of Hortonia angustifolia, Hortonia floribunda & Hortonia ovalifolia (Monimeaceae) (Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya)
  2. Investigation of butenolides from Hortonia species. (Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya)
  3. Bio-active guided fractionation of Hortonia angustifolia (Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya)
  1. Ratnayake, R.M.R.P., (2014). Petroleum Chemistry (CMU3232) Unit IV, The Open University of Sri Lanka, ISBN 978-955-23-1485-8
  2. Ranasinghe C., Ratnayake, R.M.R.P., (2013) Organic Chemistry CMF 2106 (Unit 2), The Open University of Sri Lanka, ISBN 978-955-23-1280-9
  3. Ratnayake, R.M.R.P., (2015). Petroleum Chemistry (CYU 5312) Unit IV, The Open University of Sri Lanka, ISBN 978-955-23-1485-8
  1. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Bandara, B.M.R., Kumar, V., MacLeod, J.K. and Simmonds, P. 2001. Two new lactones with mosquito larvicidal activity from three Hortonia species, J. Nat. Prod, 64, 376- 378.
  2. Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M. R., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Carr, G., Andersen, J. R., Karunaratne, V. 2008. Four new butanolide dervatives from Hortonia, a genus endemic to Sri Lanka, Journal of Chemical Research, 3, 134-136.
  3. Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundara, S., MacLeod, J.K., Simmonds, P. and Karunaratne, V. 2008. Bioactivity and chemistry of the genus Hortonia, Natural Products Research, 22(16), 1393-1402.
  4. Ratnayake,R.,Jayasinghe,S.,Bandara,B.M.R.,Andersen,R.J.andKarunaratne,V.2008.Complete2-D NMR assignement and antifungal activity of Ishwarane isolated from Hortonia a genus endemic to Sri Lanka, J. National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 36(1), 109-112.
  5. Carr, G., Williams, D.E., Ratnayake, R., Bandara, R., Wijesundara, S., Tarling, T., Balgi, A.D., Roberge, M., Andersen, R.J. and Karunaratne, V. 2012. Hortonones A to C Hydroazulenones from the genus Hortonia, Journal of Natural Products, 75(6), 1189–1191.
  6. Rajapakse, S., Iddamalgoda, P., Ratnayake, R., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Bandara, B.M.R. and Karunaratne, V. 2012. Evaluation of species limits of Hortonia by DNA barcoding, J. National Sci. Foundation Sri Lanka, 40(4), 345-349.
  7. Ratnayake, R., Perera, D., Karunaratne, D.N., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Carr, G., Williams, D.E., Andersen, R.J. and Karunaratne, V. 2014. Antioxidant activity and a new butanolide from the primitive endemic genus Hortonia, Journal of National Science Foundation 42(3), 279-282.
  8. Ratnayake,R.andWickramaratne,N.2017.ANovelTetracyclicSesquiterpenefromtheGenusHortonia, Ceylon Journal of Science, 46 (3) 115-118.
  9. Ratnayake, R., Gunasekera, S., Williams, D., Andersen, R., and Karunaratne, V. 2019. A Novel Epoxy butenolides from the genus Hortonia, Ceylon Journal of Science, 48(1), 97-100.

  10. Paknikar, S.K., Ratnayake, R. and Hansen, P.E. 2021. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations as a tool in structure elucidation of natural products. Natural Products Research. (Submitted)

  1. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Bandara, B.M.R., Kumar, V., MacLeod, J.K. and Simmonds, P. 2001. Two new lactones with mosquito larvicidal activity from three Hortonia species, J. Nat. Prod, 64, 376- 378.
  2. Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M. R., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Carr, G., Andersen, J. R., Karunaratne, V. 2008. Four new butanolide dervatives from Hortonia, a genus endemic to Sri Lanka, Journal of Chemical Research, 3, 134-136.
  3. Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundara, S., MacLeod, J.K., Simmonds, P. and Karunaratne, V. 2008. Bioactivity and chemistry of the genus Hortonia, Natural Products Research, 22(16), 1393-1402.
  4. Ratnayake,R.,Jayasinghe,S.,Bandara,B.M.R.,Andersen,R.J.andKarunaratne,V.2008.Complete2-D NMR assignement and antifungal activity of Ishwarane isolated from Hortonia a genus endemic to Sri Lanka, J. National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 36(1), 109-112.
  5. Carr, G., Williams, D.E., Ratnayake, R., Bandara, R., Wijesundara, S., Tarling, T., Balgi, A.D., Roberge, M., Andersen, R.J. and Karunaratne, V. 2012. Hortonones A to C Hydroazulenones from the genus Hortonia, Journal of Natural Products, 75(6), 1189–1191.
  6. Rajapakse, S., Iddamalgoda, P., Ratnayake, R., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Bandara, B.M.R. and Karunaratne, V. 2012. Evaluation of species limits of Hortonia by DNA barcoding, J. National Sci. Foundation Sri Lanka, 40(4), 345-349.
  7. Ratnayake, R., Perera, D., Karunaratne, D.N., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Carr, G., Williams, D.E., Andersen, R.J. and Karunaratne, V. 2014. Antioxidant activity and a new butanolide from the primitive endemic genus Hortonia, Journal of National Science Foundation 42(3), 279-282.
  8. Ratnayake,R.andWickramaratne,N.2017.ANovelTetracyclicSesquiterpenefromtheGenusHortonia, Ceylon Journal of Science, 46 (3) 115-118.
  9. Ratnayake, R., Gunasekera, S., Williams, D., Andersen, R., and Karunaratne, V. 2019. A Novel Epoxy butenolides from the genus Hortonia, Ceylon Journal of Science, 48(1), 97-100.

  10. Paknikar, S.K., Ratnayake, R. and Hansen, P.E. 2021. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations as a tool in structure elucidation of natural products. Natural Products Research. (Submitted)

  1. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Kumar, V., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundara, S., Dharmasiri, S., Weerasooriya, A. and Dassanayake, M.D. 1998. Biochemical and taxonomical investigation of genus Hortonia in Sri Lanka. Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Annual Research Sessions, pp. 25.
  2. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Kumar, V., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundara, S., Dharmesena, S., Weerasooriya, A. and Dassanayake, M.D. 1998. Phytochemical approach to the classification of genus Hortonia in Sri Lanka. Proc. Sri Lanka Assoc. Advmt. Sci., 54, pp. 291.
  3. Karunaratne, V., Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R. and Kumar, V. 1999. Two new lactones from three Hortonia species. Proc. Sri Lanka Assoc. Advmt. Sci., 55, pp. 232.
  4. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Bandara, B.M.R. and Kumar, V. 1999. Two new mosquitolarvicidal compounds from three Hortonia sp. Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya Annual Research Sessions, pp. 22.
  5. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Bandara, B.M.R. and Kumar, V. 2000. New bioactive compounds from the genus Hortonia. Proc. Sri Lanka Assoc. Advmt. Sci., 56, pp. 244.
  6. Karunaratne, V., Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R., Kumar, V., MacLoed, J. K. and Simmonds, P. 2000. Butanolides from the genus Hortonia, Asian Symposium on Medicinal Plants, Spices and other Natural Products X, Dhaka, Bangladesh, p. 127.
  7. Ekanayake, H.E.M.D.K., Ratnayake, R.M.R.P. and Karunaratne, N.L.V.V. 2002. Some studies on the genus Hortonia. Proc. University of Peradeniya Annual Research Sessions, pp. 146.
  8. Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundra, D.S.A. and Karunaratne, V. 2008. Four new butanolide derivatives from the genus Hortonia. Proc. 64th Annual Sessions, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 155.
  9. Iddamalgoda, P., Rajapakse, S., Ratnayake, R., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundra, D.S.A. and Karunaratne, V. 2008. Differentiation of Hortonia ovalifolia and Hortonia floribunda by DNA barcoding. Proc. 64th Annual Sessions, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 96.
  10. Perera, D., Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, D.N., Ratnayake Bandara, B.M., Wijesundara D.S.A. and Karunaratne, V. 2009. Hortonia angustifolia does not contain DPPH sensitive antioxidant alkaloids. Proc. University of Peradeniya, Annual Research Sessions, 14, pp. 254-256.
  11. Ratnayake, R., Jayasinghe, S., Bandara, B.M.R., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Carr, G., Anderson, R.J. and Karunaratne, V. 2009. Three new tetrahydroazulene derivatives and one new butenolide derivative from Hortonia, a genus endemic to Sri Lanka. Proc. University of Peradeniya Annual Research Sessions, pp. 245.
  12. Gunasekera. M.R.S.S.B., Ratnayake, R.M.R.P. and Karunaratne, V. 2018. Novel Epoxy Butenolides from the Genus Hortonia. Asian Symposium on Medicinal Plants, Spices and other Natural Products XVI, Colombo, Sri Lanka, p. 138.

  13. Ratnayake, R., Karunaratne, V., Bandara, B.M.R. and Kumar, V. 2001. Two new oxygenated butenolides from the genus Hortonia. Proc. Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 57, pp. 376-377.

  • Life member : Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS)
  • Member : Federation of University Teachers Assiciation (FUTA)

2001  Presidential Award for Research Publication

2002  Best paper at Annual Research Sessions, University of Peradeniya (Biological Sciences) Some Studies on the Genus Hortonia, (2002) H.E.M.D.K.Ekanayake, R.M.R.P.Ratnayake and N.L.V.V.Karunaratne

2008 Presidential Award for Research Publications
2012 NRC (National Research Council) Merit Award for Scientific Publication

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