Dr Vanessa Sousa is a Clinical Academic and Principal Investigator in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at King’s College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Vanessa’s research focuses on advancing patient care by elucidating the significance of host-microbiome interactions and harnessing artificial intelligence to address periodontal and peri-implant diseases in relation to systemic health. She leads the PerioMEd Lab, where together with her team, she conducts clinical, fundamental, and translational research, with a strong emphasis on a people-centred approach. She also established and leads the Patient and Public Involvement Perio-Implant Group, fostering important collaboration and engagement with the public.

As an NHS Consultant, she runs specialist clinics for people with complex cardiac conditions who have periodontal and peri-implant diseases. She has significant expertise in the management of severe peri-implant diseases, enriched by international clinical and research fellowships.

Vanessa has a passion for education, science communication, inclusivity, and sustainability. She supervises students across various academic levels, including BDS, iBSc, MSc, MClinDent, and PhD programmes, and holds collaborative research grants with colleagues and institutions globally. She is frequently invited to speak internationally and welcomes visiting researchers to her lab. She is passionate about widening access to STEM and actively involved in public outreach, volunteering at the Science Museum, mentoring In2Science Students, and leading educational, research and innovation projects including the Let’s Get Clinical podcast.

Vanessa completed her PhD in Periodontology and Microbial Ecology at University College London, Eastman Dental Institute. Her clinical and academic development has been supported by prestigious fellowships, including those from the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, as well as diverse training experiences at institutions such as UANL, UCL, Baylor College of Dentistry, Harvard University and the Forsyth Institute.