Reserch programs
Introduction
At the Institute for Research and Development in Health and Social Care (IRD), research is more than an academic pursuit — it is a powerful force for change. For nearly three decades, IRD has been at the forefront of generating evidence that shapes healthcare policy, strengthens communities, and improves lives across Sri Lanka. Our work spans mental health, maternal wellbeing, nutrition, genetics, and beyond — always guided by a single conviction: that no meaningful development can happen without research.
Our ongoing projects reflect this commitment in action. The TRANSLATE Project is transforming how early psychosis is detected and treated in Sri Lanka. The ENHANCE Sri Lanka project is pioneering community-based support for mothers experiencing perinatal depression. The Colombo Twin and Singleton Study 3 (COTASS-3) is unlocking vital insights into the genetic and environmental roots of non-communicable diseases. Each of these initiatives is built on international collaboration, local expertise, and a deep respect for the people at the heart of our research — working together toward a healthier, more equitable Sri Lanka.
Ongoing projects
The TRANSLATE Project is a pioneering mental health initiative led by Dr. Rumi Ruben and implemented in Sri Lanka by the Institute for Research and Development (IRD), in collaboration with NIHR, Keele University, and Khyber Medical University. The project aims to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice in early psychosis intervention — an area critically underdeveloped in Sri Lanka. Through structured stakeholder engagement with patients, caregivers, psychiatrists, and policymakers, TRANSLATE works to translate evidence-based strategies into real-world healthcare improvements. Its findings are designed to drive long-term, systemic change in how psychosis is detected, diagnosed, and treated across Sri Lanka.
The Colombo Twin and Singleton Study 3 (COTASS-3) is a UK Medical Research Council-funded nutrition research project conducted by IRD in collaboration with King’s College London. Led by an international team of experts in behavioural genetics, nutrition, and public health, the study investigates the genetic and environmental factors driving intergenerational transmission of nutritional choices and their links to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. Using data from 304 twins and their adult offspring, the project aims to build Sri Lanka-specific food composition databases, strengthen research capacity through specialist training, and advance multidisciplinary, community-based approaches to tackling the country’s growing NCD burden.
ENHANCE Sri Lanka is part of the internationally funded ENHANCE programme, focused on addressing perinatal depression — a widely prevalent yet neglected health issue affecting mothers and children across Sri Lanka. The project aims to adapt and integrate the WHO-endorsed Thinking Healthy Programme (THP), a low-intensity, task-shifted psychosocial intervention, into the Sri Lankan healthcare system. Funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research, the project is implemented in three phases: culturally adapting THP through co-design, identifying barriers and facilitators in rural community settings, and developing a sustainable integration strategy — ultimately closing the treatment gap for perinatal mental health in Sri Lanka.
