WIJITHA U. NILAWEERA, M.D.
Research interests
Cerebellum, thalamus, and cortex in control of motor
behaviors
Education
2008 – 2016 -
Ph.D., Arizona State University, USA
1994 – 1997 - MD
(Doctor of medicine), Kuban State Medical Academy, Krasnodar, Russia
1989 – 1993 - BS
in medicine, Tashkent State University and Second Tashkent State Medical Institute,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Professional experience
2008
– 2013 - Postdoctoral Associate, Barrow
Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
2006
– 2008 - Research
Associate, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
2001 – 2006 - Postdoctoral
Research Associate, Department of Biomedical Sciences,
1999 – 2000 -
Family Physician in
Private Practice, Sri Lanka
1997 – 1998 - Physician-House
Officer in Sri Lanka Army Headquarters Hospital, Sri Lanka
Publications
(A) Peer-reviewed articles
1. Beloozerova
IN, Nilaweera WU,
2. Favorov OV, Nilaweera WU, Miasnikov AA, Beloozerova IN. Activity of somatosensory-responsive neurons in high subdivisions of SI cortex during locomotion. J. Neurosci., 35(20): 7763-7776, 2015. PDF
3. Armer MC, Nilaweera WU, Rivers TJ, Dasgupta NM, Beloozerova IN. Effect of light on the activity of motor cortex during locomotion. Behav. Braim Res., 250: 238-250, 2013. PDF
4.
Marlinski V, Nilaweera WU, Zelenin PV, Sirota MG, Beloozerova IN. Signals from the ventrolateral
thalamus to the motor cortex during locomotion. J. Neurophysiol.,
107(1): 455-472, 2012.
PDF
5. Grozdanic S, Kecova
H, Harper MM, Nilaweera WU, Kuehn
MH, Kardon RH. Functional and structural changes in a
canine model of hereditary primary angle-closure glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci., 51(1):
255-263, 2009.
link
6. Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky
GD, Bracha V.
Inactivation of cerebellar output axons
impairs acquisition of conditioned eyeblinks. Brain Res., 1122(1): 143-53, 2006.
PDF
7. Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky
GD, Bracha V.
Inactivation of the brachium conjunctivum
prevents extinction of classically conditioned eyeblinks. Brain
Res., 1045: 175-184, 2005.
link
8. Bracha V, Nilaweera
W, Zenitsky G, Irwin K. Video recording system for the measurement of
eyelid movements during classical conditioning of the eyeblink
response in the rabbit. J. Neurosci. Meth., 125: 173-181,
2003.
link
(B) Manuscripts in preparation
1.
Nilaweera WU, Marlinski V, Beloozerova IN. Activity of lateral
nucleus of cerebellum during visually guided locomotion.
(C) Poster and oral presentations
- Beloozerova
IN, Nilaweera WU, Viana di Prisco
G, Sirota MG, Marlinski V. Sparse locomotion-related activity of cortico-cortical projection from parietal area 5b to
motor cortex. Society for
Neuroscience, 803.08 (2011). (poster)
- Armer MC, Nilaweera WU,
Dasgupta NM, Rivers TJ, Beloozerova IN. Walking
in the light: Responses of motor cortical neurons. Society for Neuroscience, 802.04 (2011).
(poster)
- Favorov OV, Nilaweera WU,
Miasnikov AA, Beloozerova IN. Profound activity
of somatosensory responsive neurons in high subdivisions of SI cortex
during simple locomotion. Society for Neuroscience, 178.15 (2010).
(poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Beloozerova IN. Neurons of lateral nucleus of
cerebellum change their step-related frequency modulation when visual
control of stepping is required. Society for Neuroscience, 367.25
(2009). (poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Bracha V. Inactivating the cerebellar
cortex with muscimol and tetrodotoxin:
effects on the expression of classically conditioned eyeblink.
Society for Neuroscience (2006).
(poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Bracha V. Unilateral inactivation of the lateral lemniscus does not impair acquisition of conditioned eyeblinks in the rabbit. Society for Neuroscience
(2005). Program No. 197.11. (poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Bracha V. Cerebellar
cortical involvement in memory consolidation of classically conditioned eyeblinks. Society for Neuroscience (2005). Program No. 197.12. (poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Irwin KB, Bracha V.
Assessing diffusion of tetrodotoxin in
the rabbit brain: suppressing conditioned eyeblinks
by brachium conjunctivum inactivation, Society for Neuroscience (2004). Program No. 136.4. (Oral presentation)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Bracha V. Inactivation of the brachium conjunctivum disrupt the
acquisition of classically conditioned eyeblinks
in the rabbit. Society for
Neuroscience (2004). Program No.
136.5. (Oral presentation)
- Nilaweera WU, Zenitsky GD, Irwin KB, Bracha V.
Effects of inactivation of the superior cerebellar
peduncle on extinction of classically conditioned eyeblinks
in the rabbit. Society for Neuroscience (2003). Program No. 87.18. (poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Irwin K, Zenitsky GD, Aksenov DP, and Bracha
V. Are feedback loops involved in
the cerebellar neuronal correlates of
conditioned eyeblinks?
- Aksenov DP, Zenitsky G, Irwin K, Nilaweera W, and Bracha
V. Stimulus specificity of neuronal responses in the interposed nuclei
during the expression of conditioned eyeblinks. Society for Neuroscience (2002). Program No. 79.5. (poster)
- Nilaweera WU, Irwin K, Zenitsky GD, Aksenov DP, and Bracha
V. Are feedback loops involved in
the cerebellar neuronal correlates of
conditioned eyeblinks? Society for Neuroscience (2002), Program No. 79.6. (poster)
Awards and Honors
ü Full scholarship from the Russian
(former
ü Full scholarship from the Russian
government to study human medicine in the
ü The outstanding international
student award in essentials in internal medicine, the
Second Tashkent Medical Institute,
ü The outstanding international
student award in topographical anatomy, the Second
Tashkent Medical Institute,
Memberships
ü
Society for Neuroscience (member)
ü
American Physiological Society (member)
ü
Midwest
Neurobiologists (member-2003)
ü
Giving
Friends International (an NPO) (treasurer since 2005)
ü
Sri
Lanka Student Association,
ü
Sri
Lanka Student Association, Second Tashkent State Medical Institute,
ü
