DrThilini Jayasinghe

Dr Jayasinghe leads a research program on diet, the microbiome and inflammation in oral and systemic health. Her current projects include the FIBRE-GUM randomised controlled trial, which tests whether dietary fibre supplementation reduces gingival inflammation in healthy volunteers, using a human experimental gingivitis model with total MMP-8 in gingival crevicular fluid as the primary outcome. She also works on the oral and gut microbiome in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the maternal oral microbiome and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and, through collaboration, the gut microbiome and short-chain fatty acid metabolism in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Her earlier work integrated preclinical murine periodontitis models with human studies to examine how dietary fibre shapes the microbiome, metabolome, inflammation and alveolar bone loss.

She is an active supervisor across all levels. As lead supervisor she has guided multiple Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) research groups on projects spanning dietary fibre and periodontal disease, diet and inflammation in periodontitis models, smoking and the microbiome in pregnancy, and oral health and mental disorders. As co-supervisor she has supported Higher Degree by Research candidates through Master of Philosophy and PhD projects, including periodontitis and type 2 diabetes, periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, gut immune regulation in periodontal disease, machine learning applied to metabolic syndrome and periodontitis, the gut microbiome in Alzheimer's disease, and the vaginal microbiome in endometriosis. In total she has mentored more than 20 undergraduate, Honours, DMD and HDR students, with outcomes including a First Class Honours result and completed doctoral theses.