Anjana Silva is a prominent toxinologist with a primary interest in snakebite and envenomings. He graduated from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, with an MBBS and M.Phil and obtained his PhD in toxinology from Monash University, Australia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Edinburgh (FRCP Edin) and London (FRCP Lond.) and, a Fellow of the National Academy of Science of Sri Lanka.

Prof. Silva is currently the chair professor and head of the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University. He is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Monash University and a research associate of the South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration.

Prof. Silva’s main research focus over the last 15 years has been snakebite. He has extensively investigated the pathophysiology of snake envenoming and the effects of antivenom, combining fields such as experimental pharmacology and clinical medicine. He also established the Anuradhapura Snakebite Cohort, the largest snakebite cohort in the world, with over 8000 snakebite patients, facilitating research on various aspects of snakebite, from epidemiological aspects to therapeutics.

He has extensively published and has won multiple international and local awards for snakebite research and has delivered four prestigious orations. He won best research awards from the European, North American and Asia Pacific Associations of Clinical Toxicologists. He was recognised as the most outstanding young researcher in the field of medicine in Sri Lanka by the Committee of Vice Chancellors in Sri Lanka.  He is an editorial board member of several international journals, including the prestigious journal Clinical Toxicology.

In addition to research contributions, Prof. Silva is actively involved in various leadership roles in the local medical community, with active contributions to the professional development of medical doctors.