Dulantha is a Senior Scientist in AgResearch’s Food Function & Physiology team in Palmerston North, New Zealand. His research focuses on the interactions between bacteria and their human hosts, exploring how human cells respond to beneficial gut microbes and how pathogenic bacteria manipulate their environment. Currently, he studies the interplay between food components and gut bacterial communities, particularly their effects on intestinal barrier function. Dulantha has developed advanced in vitro cell models adopted by global companies like Yili and Mars. Recently, his team created a model simulating the gut-brain axis, aiding in the identification of food ingredients that may enhance brain health.