Spotlight on Dr Suwan Jayasinghe

This week the spotlight is on Dr Suwan N.

Jayasinghe, Lecturer and Group leader, Department of Mechanical Engineering.

What is your role and what does it involve?

I am a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. At present, I lecture on several courses addressing bioengineering, biomaterials and biophysics, while also administering another course.

These courses have truly provided a forum in which I engage with unconventional thinkers (students) from a wide range of backgrounds, challenging the status quo and thinking beyond the envelope.

This has been very rewarding and refreshing, while also providing excellent researchers to my research group. The BioPhysics Group, which I lead in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has contributed to many fields of research under healthcare.

My group endeavours to develop direct cell-handling approaches for regenerative medicine (which includes the targeted and controlled delivery of drugs).

Our research on the direct handling of living cells for engineering synthetic tissues has demonstrated the ability to directly create three-dimensional tissues for modelling and for their exploration for repairing, replacing and rejuvenating damaged or ageing tissues and organs. For more information, please visit our group website.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I have been at UCL for six years and continue to enjoy the vibrant environment here. Prior to joining UCL, I was at Queen Mary, University of London where I earned my PhD.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

I am proud of two achievements and initiatives that I have been closely involved with. The first is being given the opportunity to teach some bright students who have been very challenging and engaging while also personally inspiring me in both teaching and research.

The second has been my group's efforts, which have truly demonstrated the ability to explore several electric and non-electric field-driven approaches for the creation of living three-dimensional tissues/organs.

These findings currently lead at an international level the direct cell-handling approaches for engineering functional tissues and organs, and have far-reaching ramifications for several uses in both the laboratory and clinical environments.

What is your life like outside UCL?

It is very hard to find time to have a life outside UCL (not that this bothers me) when your teaching and research provide a great deal of enjoyment and fun.

Therefore, I don't have much of a life outside my activities in UCL, but I do find that time spent reading and playing squash seems to fill those spaces when available.