Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am a Research Fellow in the Department of Neuroscience, Monash University and an emerging leader in the field of Positron Emission Topography (PET) radiotracer development, application and translation for rare neurodegenerative and neurological diseases known as tauopathies. I have a major interest in the role of the protein tau in neurodegenerative diseases, and the development of biomarkers to better identify tauopathies.
I use neuroimaging techniques (particularly PET imaging) to study the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases in order to change the current diagnosis and treatment of rare neurodegenerative diseases.
I have a strong translational research focus with capability in proof of concept in vitro studies (preclinical development and commercialisation), through to diagnostic validity in clinical application. My work in developing PET radiotracers has received substantial funding through the NIH (CI $1.4M USD, 2022-2025), the Department of Science the Environment and Resources (CI $1M, 2022-24), Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia (CI $235,000, 2021-22) and the NHMRC (CID $870,000, 2018-21).
My research program has focussed on early phase “first in human” and “first in disease” clinical trials of sodium selenate, a potentially disease-modifying treatment for tauopathies. Long term (<23 months) treatment with sodium selenate showed reduced cognitive decline than expected with natural history.
I lead a research group in which I supervise two PhD students, one MSc student, and three Honours students. I also co-supervise one post-doc and one PhD student. I am part of the iBRAIN research group leadership team.
I am one of the chief investigators of the Monash Cognition and Imaging Study (MCIS), a study that aims to better characterise different neurodegenerative diseases and find new biomarkers for earlier diagnosis. This is funded by the pharmaceutical company Biogen (USD$169,000) and philanthropic donations ($50,000).
I am an active collaborator in the ENIGMA epilepsy and MELD consortia.
Research area keywords
- Neurodegenerative Diseases/Disorders
- Neuropharmacology
- Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
- Neuroimaging
- Position Emission Tomography (PET)
Network
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Brain injury in intimate partner violence: Insight into a silent pandemic
Shultz, S., O'Sullivan, M. J., Fitz-Gibbon, K., Meyer, S., van Donkelaar, P., Mychasiuk, R., McDonald, S., Law, M., Vivash, L., O'Brien, T., Ponsford, J., Jupp, B., Chen, B., Mitra, B. & Marks, J.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia)
1/01/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Measuring inflammation in brain and blood for predicting risk of post-traumatic epilepsy
Ali, I., Jones, N., O'Brien, T., Dedeurwaerdere, S., Wright, D. & Vivash, L.
United States Department of Defense (DOD)
30/09/21 → 30/09/24
Project: Research
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Manufacturing and commercialization of [18F]-PET radiotracers
Baell, J., Hawkey, L., Mudududdla, R., O'Brien, T., Vivash, L., Jupp, B., Santamaria, G., Ware, R., Stephens, A. & Mueller, A.
10/04/21 → 26/09/25
Project: Research
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Novel radioligands for PET imaging of multiple sclerosis diagnosis
Baell, J., Kilpatrick, T. J., Scott, A., Parker, M., Binder, M., Vivash, L., Ackermann, U. & Mudududdla, R.
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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Sodium Selenate as a Disease Modifying Treatment for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (Sodium Selenate for PSP)
O'Brien, T., Bertram, K., Vivash, L., Evans, A. H., Kimber, T. E., O'Sullivan, J. D., Malpas, C., Fielding, J., Velakoulis, D. & Law, M.
1/06/20 → 31/05/25
Project: Research
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A systems-level analysis highlights microglial activation as a modifying factor in common epilepsies
Altmann, A., Ryten, M., Di Nunzio, M., Ravizza, T., Tolomeo, D., Reynolds, R. H., Somani, A., Bacigaluppi, M., Iori, V., Micotti, E., Di Sapia, R., Cerovic, M., Palma, E., Ruffolo, G., Botía, J. A., Absil, J., Alhusaini, S., Alvim, M. K. M., Auvinen, P., Bargallo, N. & 82 others, , Feb 2022, In: Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. 48, 1, 15 p., e12758.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Atlas of lesion locations and postsurgical seizure freedom in focal cortical dysplasia: A MELD study
Wagstyl, K., Whitaker, K., Raznahan, A., Seidlitz, J., Vértes, P. E., Foldes, S., Humphreys, Z., Hu, W., Mo, J., Likeman, M., Davies, S., Lenge, M., Cohen, N. T., Tang, Y., Wang, S., Ripart, M., Chari, A., Tisdall, M., Bargallo, N., Conde-Blanco, E. & 47 others, , Jan 2022, In: Epilepsia. 63, 1, p. 61-74 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Neuroinflammation in the cerebellum and brainstem in Friedreich ataxia: an [18F]-FEMPA PET study
Khan, W., Corben, L. A., Bilal, H., Vivash, L., Delatycki, M. B., Egan, G. F. & Harding, I. H., Jan 2022, In: Movement Disorders. 37, 1, p. 218-224 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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The ENIGMA-Epilepsy working group: Mapping disease from large data sets
Sisodiya, S. M., Whelan, C. D., Hatton, S. N., Huynh, K., Altmann, A., Ryten, M., Vezzani, A., Caligiuri, M. E., Labate, A., Gambardella, A., Ives-Deliperi, V., Meletti, S., Munsell, B. C., Bonilha, L., Tondelli, M., Rebsamen, M., Rummel, C., Vaudano, A. E., Wiest, R., Balachandra, A. R. & 53 others, , Jan 2022, In: Human Brain Mapping. 43, 1, p. 113-128 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access16 Citations (Scopus) -
Topographic divergence of atypical cortical asymmetry and atrophy patterns in temporal lobe epilepsy
Park, B., Lariviere, S., Rodríguez-Cruces, R., Royer, J., Tavakol, S., Wang, Y., Caciagli, L., Caligiuri, M. E., Gambardella, A., Concha, L., Keller, S. S., Cendes, F., Alvim, M. K. M., Yasuda, C. L., Bonilha, L., Gleichgerrcht, E., Focke, N. K., Kreilkamp, B. A. K., Domin, M., Von Podewils, F. & 67 others, , Apr 2022, In: Brain. 145, 4, p. 1285–1298 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access