Bhagya M. Premarathne holds a B.Sc. degree in Natural Sciences from the Open University of Sri Lanka, and currently, she is pursuing a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Mycology at the Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya.

A young and dynamic researcher, she specializes in the taxonomy, phylogeny, and ethnomycology of edible and medicinal mushrooms in Sri Lanka. At present, her scholarly contributions include one review article in a peer-reviewed journal, three abstracts from her studies on edible and medicinal mushrooms, and co-authorship in five scientific publications. Additionally, one manuscript is under preparation.

Beyond her research achievements, Bhagya actively contributes to the taxonomic documentation of Sri Lanka’s fungal diversity, including the development of comprehensive fungal checklists. Committed to capacity building, she mentors undergraduate students, sharing her expertise in fungal morphology, culture preparation and sample preservation techniques.

She also engages with local communities to connect ethnomycological knowledge with modern science perspectives, thus establishing awareness regarding the nutritional, medicinal, and economic potentials of mushrooms.  Her long-term vision is to advance fungal taxonomy, phylogeny, and ethnomycology in Sri Lanka by discovering and promoting the wider recognition of Sri Lanka’s hidden array of fungal biodiversity globally. She wants to include traditional knowledge along with modern research to promote sustainable use, conservation, and the beneficial use of fungi.”

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