Roshan Gunasekara

Roshan W. Gunasekara received his formative education at Trinity College, Kandy, Sri Lanka, where he was born and grew up. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Iowa State University. He then joined Yale University, where he advanced through postdoctoral and research scientist roles before joining the faculty in the Department of Neurology.

Dr. Gunasekara's research integrates medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and neuroscience to elucidate the mechanisms underlying intercellular communication in the brain and to develop targeted therapeutic delivery strategies for disorders of the central nervous system. His laboratory designs and synthesizes brain-penetrant small molecules and targeted conjugates, including antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and peptide delivery systems, guided by structure-activity relationships and mechanism-based optimization to enhance transport, selectivity, potency, and in vivo efficacy. Through the integration of chemical innovation with rigorous biological evaluation, his group develops nonviral, cell-selective platforms, molecular probes, and imaging tools that function as both therapeutic agents and research instruments for interrogating brain biology at the molecular level. Collectively, this work seeks to advance fundamental understanding in neuroscience and accelerate the development of next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics for brain disorders.