Lakmali M. Silva is an Assistant Professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine specializing in Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity. She joined Harvard after completing her postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Dr. Silva earned her PhD from Queensland University of Technology in Australia and her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. Her research focuses on the inflammatory regulation within the periodontal microenvironment, contributing significantly to understanding the etiology of periodontal disease. Dr. Silva's work has led to breakthrough insights into how the fibrin-neutrophil axis promotes alveolar bone destruction. In recognition of her contributions to science, she was awarded the K99/R00 Pathway Independence Award by NIDCR in 2021 and the IADR Women in Science Award for Distinguished Research in 2022.