Message by the President

I am honoured to be inducted the Physiological Society of Sri Lanka (PSSL) for the year 2021/2022 at a time when the PSSL is celebrating its 35^th year since its inception. From humble beginnings, initiated by a few far seeing physiologists over three decades ago, the PSSL has now reached its ‘middle age’, rich in knowledge, expertise and wisdom, with its members making massive contributions locally and internationally towards the progress in teaching, research and service provision ion physiology.

This year the PSSL had the opportunity to be ‘physically’ active again, after two years of covid restrictions followed by severe economic constraints. The council of the PSSL has been very enthusiastic in planning the activities of the PSSL, and reviving the interest of its membership in participating in the events conducted.

The first major event for this year was the Inter-Medical Faculty Physiology quiz for Professor Carlo Fonseka Challenge Trophy. The quiz is an important highlight in the PSSL calendar, providing opportunity for Sri Lankan medical students to show off their physiology knowledge, while promoting team work, leadership, inter-university interactions and forming lifelong friendships. The quiz was conducted for the 7^th time at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya on 30^th July 2022. The hard work by the quiz committee led by Prof Deepthi de Silva and many others made this first ever virtual PSSL quiz a grand success.

This was followed by the Regional meeting of the PSSL, hosted by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, on 27^th August 2022. The Regional meeting not only promotes the dissemination of academic advances by the host faculty and the regional experts, but also serves as an opportunity for the physiologists to meet-up and enjoy the local attractions. The ACE Koch memorial lecture was delivered by Prof Indu Nanayakkara, who also had organized an excellent academic programme and a hugely successful social programme. The PSSL members and friends from all parts of the country participated with great fervor in both the academic and the social programmes.

The main event of the PSSL in the annual calendar is the Annual Academic Sessions. This year Sri Lanka is hosting the 8^th Biennial conference of the South Asian Association of Physiologists (SAAP) together with the 35^th Anniversary Academic Sessions of the PSSL from 11^th-13^th November 2022 conducted for the first time as a hybrid event. This consists of both pre and post congress workshops in addition to the two day conference participated by local and overseas delegates, and resource persons. The SAAP conference organizing committee led by Prof Dinithi Fernando and Prof Indu Nanayakkara have planned an impressive programme. Physiologists of all Sri Lankan universities, with the help of the members of the SAAP, and the medical education unit of the National University of Singapore are making all efforts to make this event a success.

This year is special for the PSSL for another very important reason, as the PSSL will be launching the inaugural issue of its journal, the Sri Lanka Journal of Physiology. The Co-Editors Prof Vajira Weerasinghe and Dr Nalinda Silva and the Deputy Editor Dr Lakmali Amarasiri are determined to publish a high quality journal, and are striving towards this goal.

So finally after overcoming the many unavoidable difficulties in the past two years, the PSSL appears to be in full bloom once again. I thank the PSSL executive committee, Dr Chamila Dalpathadu, the secretary, Dr Chandana Hewage, the treasurer, Dr Nalinda Silva, the editor, and Dr Himansu Waidyasekera the webmaster, and all the ex-co members whose dedication and commitment has led to the achievements of the PSSL this year.

Prof. Prof Piyusha Atapattu MBBS, MD(Medicine), FRCP(Edin), MSc(MedEd,UK)
President – Physiological Society of Sri Lanka