Dental and Oral Health

Biography

Dr. Nihal Bandara has received his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) with honours from The University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and graduated with honours as the Most Outstanding Dental Student of Sri Lanka (2001-2006). Subsequently, He received my Ph.D. in Oral microbiology (specializing, in mycology, bacteriology and molecular biology) from The Faculty of Dentistry, the University of Hong Kong under three distinguished scientists, Professor Lakshman Samaranayake, Professor L. J Jin and Dr. Rory Watt. His thesis was based on the communal interactions of Candida and bacteria in mixed species biofilms that could cause a variety of oral and non-oral infections. After completion of his Ph.D, he joined the laboratory of Dr. Hugh Smyth at the College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA to pursue work on novel approaches for drug delivery into microbial biofilms. Currently, he is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Australia and investigate on eradication of oral candidal infections using novel drug delivery technologies. Dr. Bandara has published over 15 research articles, 2 book chapters, 2 provisional patents and many abstracts and attended a number of international conferences. He has won many national and international awards for his excellence in dentistry and research. Specially, the International Association for Dental Research awarded him the IADR Research in Prevention Travel Award at its 89th General Sessions held in California. Also, in 2011, the University of Hong Kong awarded him the Research Output Award for the most outstanding scientific output from its Faculty of Dentistry.

Abstract

Abstract : Fungi in the Oral cavity: The opportunistic foes