Dr Anusha Seneviratne is an Immunologist specialising in Vascular Disease with an interest in environmental modulators of inflammation. She is researching how air pollution increases atherosclerotic vascular disease, and whether naturally-derived anti-inflammatory compounds can provide protection. Her previous research focused on macrophage activity in atherosclerotic vascular disease and the protective role of plant-derived drug compounds.

She is the founder of "Girawa" - an international planetary health education project for youth in Global South countries. She is a member of the Education Working Group of the Planetary Health Alliance. She contributed to Non-Communicable Diseases report for the World Health Organization and the São Paulo Declaration on Planetary Health. She has also aided the development of Cell and Gene Therapies in Industry.

Environmental Modulators of Vascular Inflammation

Dr Seneviratne is studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind how environmental exposures modulate inflammation in the body such as air pollution, infectious diseases and medicinal plants. Her current focus is on how ultrafine air particulates and chemical toxins exacerbate cardiovascular inflammation in the context of Atherosclerosis, and whether natural anti-inflammatory compounds can dampen inflammation triggered by harmful exposures. She is interested in advising on air quality and public health policy to improve health outcomes from environmental exposures.

I am offering research projects as part of the MSc in Biological Sciences Research. If interested, please contact me for further discussion. 

Planetary Health Education

Dr Seneviratne founded the Girawa Project in 2021 establishing a Planetary Health education programme for secondary school students in Sri Lanka, Brazil, Kenya and beyond. Girawa is an organizational member of the Planetary Health Alliance. Through this project she uses pedagogical approaches to improve planetary health education for secondary level students globally and is currently researching the effectiveness of Youth Clubs and "Educommunication" as a means of Planetary Health education and interaction between youth of different countries, in collaboration with UNILINS (University Centre Lins) in Brazil and the Foundation of Goodness in Sri Lanka.

Dr Seneviratne leads teaching of human anatomy and physiology for the Department of Health Studies, with an emphasis on environmental and social determinants of health for the BSc Health Studies and MSc Occupational Therapy degrees.

BSc Health Studies Module Lead for:

HE1003 Introduction to Human Science

HE2000 Evaluating Evidence

HE2002 Health Promotion and Protection Frameworks

HE2005 Physical and Mental Conditions

Dr Seneviratne holds a BSc in Biomedical Sciences and an MRes in Biomedical Sciences, specialising in Cardiovascular Science from Imperial College London.

Her PhD, based at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology under the supervision of Professor Claudia Monaco, and funded by Imperial's British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, uncovered a novel molecular mechanism by which macrophages perform efferocytosis in atherosclerosis, and how this is impaired by the transcription factor IRF5 driving necrotic core formation.

Her post-doctoral research at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, also funded by the British Heart Foundation, demonstrated the protective effect of the anti-diabetic French Lilac plant-derived drug Metformin and Heme on macrophage activity in atherosclerotic disease via activation of the AMPK-ATF1 signalling pathway. She also developed novel in vivo models to study the role of AMPK-ATF1 signalling and CREB in the resolution of acute inflammation and subdural haematomas.