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Dr. (Mrs.) M. D. M. Munasinghe

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Dr. (Mrs.) M. D. M. Munasinghe

Dr. (Mrs.) M. D. M. Munasinghe

B.Sc. (Food Science & Tech., USJP), M.Phil. (Food Science & Tech., USJP), Ph.D. (Nutritional Physiology, La Trobe University, Australia).

Title: Senior Lecturer.

Email: mihirimunasinghe@sjp.ac.lk

Research Interests: Dietetics and Nutrition (Phytochemicals and their role in health, diet and health).

First-author publications in Scopus indexed journals

  • Munasinghe, M., Afshari R., Heydarian D., Almotayri A., Dias D. A., Thomas J. & Jois, M. (2022). Effects of cocoa on altered metabolite levels in purine metabolism pathways and urea cycle in Alzheimer’s disease in C. elegans. Translational Medicine of Aging, 6,14-24, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tma.2022.10.001.
  • Munasinghe, M., Almotayri, A., Thomas, J., Heydarian, D., & Jois, M. (2021). Early Exposure is Necessary for the Lifespan Extension Effects of Cocoa in C. elegans. Nutrition and Metabolic Insights, 14, 11786388211029443. https://doi.org/10.1177/11786388211029443.
  • Munasinghe, M., Almotayri, A., Thomas, J., Heydarian, D., Weerasinghe, M., & Jois, M. (2021). Cocoa improves age-associated health and extends lifespan in C. elegans. Nutrition and Healthy Aging, 6, 73-86. doi:10.3233/NHA-200100.
  • Munasinghe, M., Almotayri, A., Kolivas, D., Thomas, J., Heydarian, D., & Jois, M. (2021). Cocoa supplementation reduces amyloid-beta 1–42 (Aβ 1–42) induced deficits in a transgenic C. elegans. Nutrition and Healthy Aging, 6, 117-130. doi:10.3233/NHA-200114.
  • Munasinghe, M., Wansapala, J. (2016). Oil extraction from Madhuca longifolia (J. Konig) J.F. Macbr seeds and evaluation of physico-chemical properties, fatty acid profile, antioxidant potential and sensory characteristics. Tropical Agriculture, 93(1), 29-35. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20203409447.
  • Munasinghe, M., Wansapala, J. (2015). Β-Carotene content of M. longifolia seed oil in different agro-climatic zones in Sri Lanka, the effect of heat on its stability and the composition of seed cake. Potravinarstvo, 9 (1), 474-479. DOI: 10.5219/502.

First-author publications in indexed, peer-reviewed journals

  • Munasinghe, M., Wansapala, J. (2015). Study on Variation in Seed Morphology, Oil Content and Fatty Acid Profile of Madhuca longifolia Grown in Different Agro-Climatic Zones in Sri Lanka. Science Research, 3 (3),105-109. DOI: 10.11648/j.sr.20150303.20.
  • Munasinghe, M., Jayawardena J. A. E. C., Liyanage R., Katukurunda K. G. S. C. (2015). Assessment of Consumption Pattern and Awareness of Fast/Instant Foods among University Students in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology. 2 (5), 8-11.

Co-author publications in indexed, peer-reviewed journals

  • Almotayri, A., Jois, M., Radcliffe, J., Munasinghe, M., & Thomas, J. (2020). The effects of red chilli, black pepper, turmeric, and ginger on body weight- A systematic review. Human Nutrition & Metabolism, 19, 200111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hnm.2020.200111.
  • Almotayri, A., Thomas, J., Munasinghe, M., & Jois, M. (2021). The Effect of Mianserin on Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans is Abolished by Glucose. Current aging science. doi:10.2174/1874609813999210104203614.
  • Almotayri, A., Thomas, J., Munasinghe, M., Weerasinghe, M., Heydarian, D., & Jois, M. (2021). Metabolic and Behavioural Effects of Olanzapine and Fluoxetine on the Model Organism C. elegans. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. 29 (8), 917-929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2021.07.006.

Conference presentations and symposiums

  • Poster presentation at 22nd International C. elegans Conference, University of California, Los Angeles in 2019 on “Cocoa reduces amyloid-β (Aβ) toxicity and increases lifespan in a transgenic C. elegans”.
  • Poster presentation at 34th Virtual International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International in 2020 on “Long-term consumption of cocoa prevents dementia induced by amyloid-β1-42(Aβ1-42) in C. elegans”.
  • Poster presentation and “3 min talk” at PAM Research Symposium 2019 held by PAM HDR Student Society, Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
  • Oral presentation at 8th International Research Conference-Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka in 2015 on “Oil Extraction from Madhuca longifolia Seeds and Evaluation of Physico-Chemical Properties, Fatty Acid Profile, Antioxidant Potential and Sensory Characteristics.
  • Poster presentation at 2nd International Conference on Multidisciplinary Approaches (ICMA)-2015 at Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka on Impact of Geographical Localization on Seed Morphology, Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Madhuca longifolia Grown in Sri Lanka.

Scholarships

  • La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (LTUPRS) and La Trobe University Full Fee Research Scholarship (LTUFFRS).

Awards

  • 22nd International C. elegans Conference travel award 2019, Genetics Society of America (USD 500).
  • “Professor W. S. Fernando Gold Medal” which is offered by the Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura for the Best student in Food Chemistry relevant course units in convocation held in 2014.

   
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