Dr D M J B Senanayake is currently the Director of Rice Research Development Institute (RRDI) Bathalagoda, Sri Lanka and also, he is a principal scientist in biotechnology at the Department of Agriculture. He earned his B.Sc. (Agriculture) Honours degree from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, M.Sc degree in plant virology, molecular biology & biotechnology at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. He obtained his Ph.D. in Plant Virology/Molecular biology& biotechnology/Genetics at same Indian Agricultural Research Institute. Dr. Senanayake has twenty-seven years of research experience in the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka and has wide research experience in plant pathology, plant virology, biotechnology and genetics.