About Me

Dr. Dushani L. Palliyaguru is an expert in aging, disease prevention and environmental health. She currently serves as the Co-founder and CEO of HealthSurveil, a US-based health tech startup that specializes in preventing and controlling aging-related chronic diseases using data, AI, sensor and IoT technology, and scientifically-backed products.

Dr. Palliyaguru completed her primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka and won a Full Scholarship to Clark University in Worcester, MA in the U.S., where she majored in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She obtained her Ph.D. in Environmental and Occupational Health from University of Pittsburgh in 2016 where her dissertation focused on understanding how Withaferin A targeted the Nrf2-mediated environmental stress response pathway to prevent liver disease. She also completed her Postdoctoral training at the National Institutes of Health where she studied biomarkers of aging, pharmacological compounds for healthspan and lifespan extension and dietary interventions for Alzheimer's disease prevention.

Dr. Palliyaguru has over a decade of experience in scientific research & leadership across multiple institutions of academia, government and biotech. She has published high-impact articles and has won prestigious awards, including a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence grant from the NIH. Dr. Palliyaguru serves on many expert panels focusing on public health outcomes, including ones attached to the World Health Organization (WHO). She has also been featured on multiple interviews, news articles, blog posts and podcasts discussing topics related to longevity, disease prevention, environmental health and women in science.

Dr. Palliyaguru strongly believes that while aging might be inevitable, healthy aging is certainly achievable through careful planning. She is deeply passionate about developing solutions, tools, technologies and products that can help people live longer and healthier lives.

Education and Experience

University of Pittsburgh

Ph.D. in Environmental and Occupational Health, 2016

Clark University

Global Scholar - Full merit-based scholarship awarded to select International students for academic performance, leadership and global community service

B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Major) and Mathematics (Minor) 2009

Highest departmental honors and magna cum laude

Education

Experience

UMASS Medical School, Massachusetts, US
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
National Institute on Aging, Maryland, US

World Health Organization (WHO)

HealthSurveil LC, Texas, US

Selected Awards and Accolades

· Chair, Gordon Research Seminar on Biology of Aging, Barcelona, Spain July, 2023

· K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, NIH, US September, 2022

· Excellence in Research Award, NIA/NIH, US May, 2021

· Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award, NIA/NIH, US June, 2020

· Nathan W. Shock STAR Postdoctoral Mentorship Award, NIA/NIH , US May, 2020

· Postdoc Award, Clinical and Translational Toxicology SS, Society of Toxicology, US March, 2017

· Best Paper Award, International Conference of Non-communicable disease, Sri Lanka Dec, 2017

· Ronald G. Thurman Award, First Place, Society of Toxicology, US March, 2015

· American Institute of Chemists Award for Biochemistry, US May, 2009

Selected First-author Publications

H-Index: 14

Selected Presentations, Talks and Media

· Speaker, Senior Day out, Lubbock, US - "Healthy aging - the do's". July, 2024

· Invited Speaker, Link Natural, Sri Lanka- “Decoding longevity and healthy aging”. April, 2024

· Feature, Vita-DAO podcast series, Singapore – “Nrf2 and longevity” March, 2024

· Invited Speaker, Elon University, US – “Leveraging data to improve human health” October, 2023

· Invited Speaker, Oregon University, US – “From Phenotype to metabolite: defining factors that regulate lifespan and healthspan” February, 2022

· Poster, Annual AGE Meeting, US - “Effect of riboflavin deficiency in Alzheimer’s disease” July, 2021

· Feature, Lanka Monthly Digest, Sri Lankans Overseas – “Beyond the comfort zone” April, 2021

· Panelist, NIA and NIDA, US – “Women scientists: shaping the future of science” June, 2021

· Invited Speaker, Family Health Bureau, Sri Lanka – “Nutrition & disease prevention: research perspectives” Dec 2017