Post Doctoral Researcher
US Food and Drug Administration
Nisitha Wijewantha Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he applies his expertise in materials chemistry to analyze protein and lipid-based liposomal pharmaceutical formulations, focusing on treatments for cancer and anesthetic applications. Nisitha earned his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the University of South Dakota (USD) in 2023, where his research centered on developing smart nanoparticles for targeted anti-cancer drug delivery. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Technology Development and Entrepreneurship from USD, equipping him with skills in business plan writing and technology commercialization.
At the FDA, Nisitha collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to identify and quantify various components of liposomal formulations, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, lipid excipients, and degradation products. His work involves advanced analytical techniques such as High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) combined with mass spectrometry, including triple quadrupole (QQQ) and Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF).
A published researcher and frequent conference presenter, Nisitha is passionate about bridging scientific discoveries with real-world applications to improve patient care. Having worked in different sectors such as academia, industry, and government, and in different countries including Sri Lanka and the US, he is committed to advancing the FDA’s mission of promoting public health through science and innovation.