Dr. Liyanage received her B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, followed by an M.S. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from New Mexico State University. She then earned both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Bioorganic Chemistry at the University of Rochester, New York.

Her research focuses on engineering dendrimer bioconjugates including siRNA, microRNA, antibodies, peptides, proteins, and CRISPR/Cas9 for targeted gene and drug delivery. By integrating chemistry, nanotechnology, and biology, her work aims to develop next-generation therapeutic platforms for ocular and neurodegenerative diseases.