The University of Kelaniya expands research capacity through DIAGNOSE-DR collaboration

The Analytics Consultancy Centre (ACC) was established last year within the University of Kelaniya’s Department of Statistics & Computer Science to provide a lasting base for training and collaboration in statistics, data science and applied research. The ACC collaborates with University College London on research capacity building activities through the DIAGNOSE-DR project, led by Principal Investigator Professor Sobha Sivaprasad and funded by Velux Stiftung.

One of the ACC’s ongoing activities is a pilot diabetes clinic database. The project is developing a secure electronic system using REDCap to replace paper-based records at selected clinics. An initial analysis of the database at Kiribathgoda Base Hospital included 789 records from 315 people with type 2 diabetes: one initial record per person and 474 additional records from repeat visits. Bringing information from multiple visits together could support monitoring of diabetes care and research into complications, including diabetic retinopathy. The pilot also gives students and researchers practical experience in collecting, managing and analysing clinical data.

Alongside the database work, the Department and ACC have delivered a series of workshops on epidemiological study designs, critical appraisal, and the roles of chance, bias and confounding in interpreting research. Training has also covered the use of R for basic epidemiological analysis. A systematic review course is planned with Dr Mapa Prabhath Piyasena, Public Health Ophthalmologist and Deputy Director of the Vision and Eye Research Institute – Cambridge, and colleagues from the DIAGNOSE-DR team. The course will guide participants through the review process and include a practical introduction to meta-analysis. The ACC also contributed to the 2025 STAT BEE quiz competition, which encouraged statistical reasoning and teamwork among undergraduates, and organized the CV Plus Career Readiness Workshop in June 2026 for 52 students, covering professional communication, transferable skills and interview preparation.

The next stage of this capacity building work is the proposed Future Leaders programme, a national initiative intended to support early career researchers and undergraduate students across Sri Lanka. An introductory session brought together approximately 80 students from eight universities. Their interest in participating has helped inform plans for the programme’s research training and collaborative activities.

These activities were discussed during an August 2026 visit to the University of Kelaniya by Dr Manjula Nugawela, a co-investigator on the DIAGNOSE-DR grant. The visit included REDCap training and a review of the diabetes database being developed at the University. Dr Nugawela also met with Senior Professor Nilanthi de Silva, who was Vice-Chancellor at the time; Professor Vasana Chandrasekara, Head of the Department of Statistics & Computer Science; Dr Pansujee Dissanayaka, Director of the ACC; and Dr Chinthanie Weerakoon, Deputy Director of the ACC. Their discussion covered progress to date and opportunities to extend research training through the Future Leaders programme.