Richard Gunasekera

Dr. Richard Gunasekera, has enjoyed a 20-year career in higher education as professor and a scientist in the field of Biochemical Genetics and Nanomedicine. He is currently Research Professor and Professor of Biochemistry at Biola University in Southern California. He earned his bachelor’s in biochemistry at Baylor University, where he researched and published in organic synthesis. Gunasekera earned a master’s degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, a master’s in molecular genetics and a doctorate in Biomedical Sciences at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Gunasekera founded the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Houston-Victoria and acted as the Department Head and later as Director of Graduate Studies. He has held faculty and research positions at Texas A&M University Health Science Center, the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and Rice University in Houston. Gunasekera’s research spans several interdisciplinary fields such as cancer biology, forensic DNA studies, nanomedicine and biochemical genetics. He has also received awards for excellence in teaching, research and as a distinguished faculty member from his previous institutions. 

Dr. Gunasekera has also been involved in International Development throughout his adult life.  He has served in medical missions and international development in Tibet, China, South Asia, N. Korea and South America. He is also very interested and does research and scholarly work in Theology (faith) and Science.

Working with his students and colleagues in research Gunasekera stays committed to the student and the classroom. He believes that teaching is an extension of research and discovery, and that a professor is best when he professes what he practices in the field and laboratory. Thus, he considers teaching both graduates and undergraduates in the classroom and laboratory in a Christ-centered environment as his first calling.