Anatomy Education, Innovations in Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy, Oligodendroglial Development and Repair, Remyelination

Dr Yasith Mathangasinghe is an anatomy educator, clinician, and neuroscientist with over eight years of experience in teaching anatomy. He currently leads the Graduate Entry Medicine Anatomy program at Monash University.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Honours) in 2016 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. In 2024, Dr Mathangasinghe completed his PhD in Cell Biology and Neurosciences at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton. His doctoral research identified a novel protein disaggregation activation pathway in primates, which mitigates cell death caused by stress, ageing, and neurodegenerative conditions.

Following his PhD, Dr Mathangasinghe served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Monash University, where he investigated oligodendroglial plasticity and the mechanisms of myelin repair. He was awarded the prestigious Early Career Postdoctoral Fellowship for this work.

Dr Mathangasinghe has authored over 50 Q1 publications in peer-reviewed journal articles, including The Lancet, The Lancet Neurology, JAMA Neurology, and Nature Medicine, with his work accruing more than 10,000 citations. His research has informed global health policy, with his work cited in major policy documents, including three updates to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, underscoring its real-world impact.

He has a strong interest in innovation in anatomy education, and his open-access tools—including online escape rooms and assessor leniency adjustment applications—continue to receive international recognition. His teaching innovations have been recognised through multiple awards, including the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence – Innovations in Learning and Teaching (2025).

Dr Yasith Mathangasinghe supervises PhD, Honours, and BME3990 research students in projects focused on medical education and neuroanatomy. His current research explores the determinants of neurophobia among medical studentsthrough a longitudinal study, with the aim of identifying educational and experiential factors that influence confidence in neuroscience learning. He is also interested in the use of gamification and interactive digital tools to enhance engagement and conceptual understanding in neuroanatomy education. Dr Mathangasinghe welcomes motivated students with an interest in neuroanatomy education research and innovative learning design.

Lead co-ordinator of the graduate entry medicine anatomy programme

Editor - Case Reports in Medicine

• Co-chair of the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) 2026 Regional Conference
• Member of the International Federation of Association of Anatomists (IFAA) 2026 ECR Subcommittee
• Member of the Biomedical Discovery Institute Outreach Subcommittee