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.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- Neurodegenerative Diseases/Disorders
- Neuropharmacology
- Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
- Neuroimaging
- Position Emission Tomography (PET)
Network
-
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
-
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
-
Manufacturing and commercialization of [18F]-PET radiotracers
Stupple, P., 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
-
Novel radioligands for PET imaging of multiple sclerosis diagnosis
Vivash, L., Baell, J., Kilpatrick, T. J., Scott, A., Parker, M. W., Binder, M., Vivash, L., Ackermann, U. & Mudududdla, R.
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
-
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
-
Automated Methods for Detecting and Quantitation of Enlarged Perivascular spaces on MRI
Moses, J., Sinclair, B., Law, M., O'Brien, T. J. & Vivash, L., Jan 2023, In: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 57, 1, p. 11-24 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
18F-FDG-PET hypometabolism as a predictor of favourable outcome in epilepsy surgery: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Courtney, M. R., Antonic-Baker, A., Sinclair, B., Nicolo, J. P., Neal, A., Law, M., Kwan, P., O'Brien, T. J. & Vivash, L., 6 Oct 2022, In: BMJ Open. 12, 10, 5 p., e065440.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other › peer-review
Open Access -
A critical guide to the automated quantification of perivascular spaces in magnetic resonance imaging
Pham, W., Lynch, M., Spitz, G., O’Brien, T., Vivash, L., Sinclair, B. & Law, M., 14 Dec 2022, In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. 16, 27 p., 1021311.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
A phase 1b open-label study of sodium selenate as a disease-modifying treatment for possible behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia
Vivash, L., Malpas, C. B., Meletis, C., Gollant, M., Eratne, D., Lin, Q-X., McDonald, S., O'Brien, W. T., Brodtmann, A. G., Darby, D. G., Kyndt, C., Walterfang, M., Hovens, C. M., Velakoulis, D. & O'Brien, T. J., 2022, In: Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. 8, 1, 9 p., e12299.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
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 Access11 Citations (Scopus)
Press/Media
-
Testing a Drug’s Disease-Modifying Potential For Frontotemporal Dementia
14/06/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
Sodium selenate: A potential future treatment for early-onset dementia
12/05/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
-
-
Australian scientists developing breakthrough drug to treata rare form of dementia in younger people
5/05/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature