A research journey from Sri Lanka to North Queensland

For Dr Chanika Alahakoon, pursuing a career in research and teaching was always about making a broader impact in medicine. Her journey from her home country to North Queensland is a powerful example of dedication, resilience, and purpose despite huge challenges. Originally from Sri Lanka, Dr Alahakoon trained as a medical doctor before taking on a role as a Lecturer in Physiology, teaching medical students in Sri Lanka while continuing her work in medicine.

“In Sri Lanka, it is a requirement to have a PhD to progress through the academic ranks to Associate Professor or Professor,” she explains. “Rather than becoming a practising clinician, I always felt I could contribute more by teaching medical students and conducting research in medicine.”

Her opportunity to pursue her PhD came about in 2019 after she met with Professor Jonathan Golledge, a leading vascular researcher based at James Cook University and Townsville University Hospital. Dr Alahakoon’s husband was a trainee under Prof Golledge at that time.

“As a clinician, I always wanted to do a Clinical PhD, and Prof Golledge offered me the opportunity to choose between Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or Diabetes-related Foot Disease (DFD). As diabetes is a major problem in Sri Lanka I opted to do my studies in diabetes-related foot disease. This is how I came to work in QRCPVD (Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease).”

Tackling a growing health challenge

As a clinician, Dr Alahakoon had always hoped to complete a clinically focused PhD. When given the option to investigate Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or Diabetes-related Foot Disease (DFD), she focused on a health problem affecting her home country.

“Diabetes is a major problem in Sri Lanka,” she says. “Because of that, I chose to focus on diabetes-related foot disease.”

Her research soon revealed the scale and seriousness of the condition in Australia.

“Many people in Australia are affected by diabetes-related foot disease due to poor control of diabetes,” she explains. “They usually had polyneuropathy and PAD on top of their diabetes and make them more prone to get foot ulcers and infections. There were a significant proportion of patients undergoing repeated admissions to the hospital to manage this condition, and a significant number of patients had to undergo foot amputations to manage the condition which was a major health problem among these unique cohort of patients.”

She says the prevalence of this condition is higher than some cancers such as breast cancer, yet the five-year survival for people with diabetes-related foot disease can be lower.

Her research also highlighted the disproportionate impact of the condition among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with about 20 per cent of the patients studied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, despite representing less than five per cent of the community population.

Balancing research, family and a global pandemic

Completing a PhD is demanding at the best of times, but Dr Alahakoon balanced her studies whilst adjusting to life in a new country and being the primary carer for her two-year-old son.
Just as she settled into her new routine, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted research activity worldwide in 2020.

“All research staff and students and even some clinicians were not seeing patients in the Townsville Hospital unless it was strictly necessary and this was a big hindrance to my progress.

“We were not given ethical clearance to do studies that involved contacting patients directly. We had already taken approvals to one prospective cohort study which I managed with the help of my husband who was working in the hospital as the time. The planned randomised controlled trial had to be dropped, and we focused on retrospective data analysis of hospital records as I wanted to finish my PhD on time as an international student.”

Research success and recognition

Despite the challenges, Dr Alahakoon achieved remarkable academic success.
Her research not only revealed critical insights into the prevalence and severity of DFD but also led to multiple first author publications. Her thesis was awarded Cum Laude, a distinguished honour she describes as one of her most rewarding.

“That was one of the sweetest moments of my life,” she says.

Beyond publications, Dr Alahakoon credits her PhD experience with helping her develop the skills needed to succeed in Australian clinical and research environments.

“I learnt to be more resilient by working through a pandemic and I believe I became much stronger at the end. Looking back, I still wonder how I managed it all while balancing my family,” she says.

She also took advantage of the wide range of professional development opportunities offered at JCU, attending as many workshops as possible in that time. Completing her PhD proved to be pivotal.

“Obtaining my PhD was the cornerstone of my success. I was able to secure a Lecturer position in Clinical Neurosciences at JCU’s College of Medicine and Dentistry following my degree. Being an international graduate, completion of my PhD guaranteed my current position,” Dr Alahakoon says.

Dr Alahakoon continues to collaborate with the Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, supporting research aimed at improving care for patients across North Queensland.
She is currently involved in a trial exploring how remotely delivered home exercise programs can improve walking ability for patients living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

The project aims to support patients living in remote areas by delivering care without requiring long-distance travel.

“This research is important to improve foot care and outcomes in areas like North and Far North Queensland where tertiary care centres and podiatry services are clustered in city areas. We aim to improve the care given to remotely located individuals, without the need for them to travel miles on end to the nearest city area.”

Ultimately, Dr Alahakoon hopes her research will help shape better healthcare policy and improve outcomes for communities across northern Australia.

“This research helps open the eyes of policymakers to the need to improve foot care services in North Queensland,” she says.

“The emphasis should also be placed on improving the quality of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, a population for whom diabetes and DFD is a prevailing problem.”

Dr Alahakoon’s story shows what is possible when ambition meets opportunity—and how one researcher’s determination can create lasting impact for the communities she serves.

Find out more about the research opportunities available through NQRTH here: https://www.nqrth.edu.au/research/