About
Dr Chinthaka Samaranayake
MBChB, FRACP, PhD
Respiratory Physician and Interventional Pulmonologist
Dr Samaranayake (Dr Sam) is a Consultant Respiratory and Sleep Physician and Interventional Pulmonologist. He has sub-specialty expertise in lung nodules, lung cancer, pulmonary embolism (blood clots), pulmonary hypertension (blood pressure in the lungs), and interstitial lung diseases (lung fibrosis).
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Dr Samaranayake graduated top of his class from The University of Auckland Medical School as the most distinguished medical graduate, with numerous awards for academic and clinical excellence. He completed initial physician training in Auckland and advanced Physician Training in Respiratory Medicine in Queensland. He received extensive training in all aspects of respiratory medicine, with a special focus on diagnosis and management of lung cancer, interventional bronchoscopy, severe asthma, pleural disorders and pulmonary infections. He then completed a Fellowship in Sleep Medicine and Ventilatory Failure and developed expertise in all aspects of Sleep Medicine. Dr Samaranayake was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2019.
Dr Samaranayake pursued further international training and completed a post-graduate clinical and research fellowship for 2-years at the world-renowned Royal Brompton Hospital, London UK, whilst completing a PhD. He gained extensive training in performing minimally invasive procedures including pulmonary vascular interventions. He was then appointed as a Consultant Respiratory Physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust where he delivered highly specialised clinical care to patients with advanced cardio-pulmonary conditions, before returning to Australia in 2023.
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Dr Samaranayake is highly specialised in performing advanced diagnostic bronchoscopy and therapeutic interventional bronchoscopy procedures such as linear and radial Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Biopsy (EBUS), cone-beam CT guided lung biopsies, cryobiopsies, rigid bronchoscopy, debulking central airway tumours and recanalisation and stenting of central airway obstructions. He is also experienced in all diagnostic and therapeutic pleural procedures including indwelling pleural catheter insertions and medical thoracoscopy.
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Dr Samaranayake is a Staff Specialist in Lung Cancer and Inverventional Pulmonology at Westmead Hospital and a Visiting Medical Officer at Westmead Private Hospital. He holds an academic appointment as a Clinical Senior Lecturer at The University of Sydney.
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Research
Dr Samaranayake operates an active research program in Lung Cancer, minimally invasive bronchoscopic techniques and pulmonary Vascular disease. He is also a Senior Lecturer of the University of Sydney. He has published extensively in leading scientific journals, given numerous national and international conference presentations, and has received multiple international research awards, including the prestigious European Respiratory Society and APSR Young Investigator of the Year Award. His research has been supported by competitive research grants including a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate Scholarship.
Dr Samaranayake’s current research interests includes early diagnosis and interventions in lung cancer and metabolic modulation of the pulmonary circulation. Dr Samaranayake has an established research track record as an early-career researcher in cardiopulmonary medicine. He has been led several investigator-initiated clinical trials as chief investigator, including two randomised controlled trials. He also has experience in translational research and conducted first-in-human studies using glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary embolisms in collaboration with colleagues at Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College London.
Teaching
Dr Samaranayake is passionate about medical education and physician training. He is strongly committed to continuing medical education and is a key contributor to the medical education and physician training programmes in Respiratory and Sleep Medicine. He is actively involved in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians committees and is directly involved in the training and mentoring junior doctors and research fellows.
Sydney Consulting Rooms:
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Ivy Medical Specialists Norwest Private Hospital
Suite 109A | 10 Norbrik Drive, Bella Vista
Sydney, NSW 2153
T: 02 8824 7800
F: 02 8824 7811
E: info@ivymedicalspecialists.com.au
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Procedures and in-patient admissions:
Westmead Private Hospital
12 Mons Road, Westmead, NSW 2145.
T: 02 8824 7800
F: 02 8824 7811
​​​Gold Coast Consulting Rooms:
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Robina Specialist Suites
Suite 5 | 18 Campus Crescent, Robina QLD 4226
T: 07 3123 5350
F: 07 3123 5338
reception@respirologist.com.au