Overview
Background
Associate Professor Lata Vadlamudi is a Senior Staff Specialist in Neurology at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; Epileptologist within the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program; Metro North Clinician Research Fellow; and Brain, Neurology and Mental health Theme Leader at the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.
She obtained her medical degree from the University of Queensland and completed physician training in the field of Neurology. Further specialized training in epilepsy was undertaken in Melbourne, Sydney and the Mayo Clinic, USA. Her PhD was obtained from the University of Melbourne.
Clinical interests include management of women with epilepsy, particularly during pregnancy with a dedicated women and epilepsy clinic. Other interests include integrating genomics into clinical care with current research projects including developing a Queensland neuro-genomics service to underpin the era of precision-based medicine; and an MRFF-funded project personalising epilepsy regimes with stem cells and artificial intelligence models for superior treatment outcomes.
Awards have included the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research Clinician Researcher of the Year, Metro North Clinician Research Fellowship; Highly Commended Clinical Research Award by Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Epilepsy Queensland Health Award for contributions to the medical care of people with epilepsy; and Leonard Cox Award from the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists for outstanding contribution to research in the field of Neurology.
Availability
- Associate Professor Lata Vadlamudi is:
- Not available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne
- Postgraduate Diploma in Diagnostic Genomics, Queensland University of Technology
Research interests
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Women with epilepsy
1. The characteristics and quality of life of women with epilepsy We aim to use the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a large population-based prospective cohort study, to assess the characteristics and examine the association between epilepsy and health-related quality of life over two decades in women with epilepsy. We plan to undertake a retrospective, longitudinal study to assess the characteristics of women with epilepsy and the association between epilepsy and women’s health-related quality of life compared with women without epilepsy. 2. Women with epilepsy: peri-menopause and beyond (WELL study) We plan to commence a prospective, longitudinal study initially at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and then extend nationally. Our objectives To better understand the relationship between hormones and seizures in women with epilepsy: peri-menopause and beyond To better understand the factors involved in bone health in women with epilepsy: peri-menopause and beyond To better understand the quality of life (QOL) of women with epilepsy: peri-menopause and beyond.
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Personalising Epilepsy Regimes with Stem cells and artificial Intelligence models for Superior Treatment outcomes (PERSIST)
This MRFF funded project will utilise cohorts of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines (hIPSC) derived from drug-responsive and drug-resistant epilepsy patients established across the two epilepsy research nodes (The University of Queensland and Monash University) and build on our collective expertise in generating hIPSC-derived brain organoids. We will also integrate our expertise in artificial intelligence models to further advance the algorithm. We will use hiPSC-derived brain organoids and screen a library of approved drugs to identify those able to alter neural activity in a patient-specific model, train an artificial intelligence model that leverages both clinical and genomic data to assist drug selection, and validate treatment predictions in real-world clinical settings. Demonstrating the utility of an epilepsy patient-specific in-vitro drug screening platform in combination with decision-making software offers substantive health benefits for patients, provides neurologists with an evidence-based medicine approach, reduces health care costs and has the potential to enable transformative new insights into the genetic drivers of epilepsy and drug-resistance, to inform new therapy development
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Genomics and Epilepsy Clinical Outcomes (GECO)
Almost one third of epilepsy patients have to endure a “medication odyssey” in the hope of finding an effective treatment. To shorten or alleviate this burden, brain organoids can created from pluripotent stem cells derived from the blood cells of epilepsy patients that are drug responsive or drug refractory. We next examine the brain organoid activity patterns to discover drugs and drug combinations that are effective in treating the drug resistant patients (using the responsive ones as controls). We envisage that this unique approach will dramatically shorten the “medication odyssey” that epilepsy patients have to endure without finding an effective treatment.
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Developing a Queensland neuro-genomics service to underpin the era of precision-based medicine
To utilise genomic and neurological expertise to improve the diagnostic pathway and to facilitate precision-based management of patients with neurological conditions. A neuro-genomics service supports the complex process of assessment, testing and return of results, in order to facilitate ongoing care for the individual and their family, in close conjunction with their treating neurologist. This genomic information will underpin the era of precision medicine, which holds great promise for treatment advances such as gene-specific therapy, where genomic information can be used to better treat or cure disorders. We piloted a neurogenetics service for drug resistant epilepsy patients. The goal was to demonstrate that this model of care in drug resistant epilepsy patients will significantly improve their healthcare and show that this can be delivered using available resources effectively and efficiently.
Research impacts
Epilepsy is a serious and common neurological condition and affects over 50 million people worldwide. Epilepsy is a global health priority as the burden of the disease is far greater than just the seizures and includes psychiatric co-morbidity, quality of life, loss of productivity and increased risk of death. Epilepsy is a heterogenous disorder with many causes, and the challenge lies in the fact that more than 30% of epilepsy patients are resistant to anti-seizure medications. Current anti-seizure medications do not treat the cause.
Research plays a vital role to improve outcomes for epilepsy patients. The two most common questions patients ask their neurologist is “What is the cause of my epilepsy” and “How can my epilepsy be treated?”
Our research interests include the specific role hormones play in women with epilepsy and precision-based treatment. A better understanding of the cause for each person will underpin the era of more personalised treatments to improve outcomes for epliepsy.
WOMEN WITH EPILEPSY
The influence of hormones on epilepsy is evident throughout the life course of women with epilepsy. Catamenial epilepsy is defined as increase seizure frequency with certain menstrual cycle phases. Pregnancy is a uniquely complex experience in women with epilepsy due to balancing the risks of maternal seizures to the mother and foetus with the risks of anti-seizure medications on the foetus. At the other end of the life-course, women with a history of catamenial epilepsy, seizures have been shown to increase during perimenopause and decrease at menopause.
PRECISON-BASED TREATMENT
1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy and the current “one size fits all model” is not effective for more than one third of patients who remain resistant to anti-seizure medications. Currently our anti-seizure medications do not treat the cause but rather just aim to reduce seizure burden.
Works
Search Professor Lata Vadlamudi’s works on UQ eSpace
2003
Conference Publication
Epilepsy in Twins: Insights from unique historical data of William Lennox
Vadlamudi, Lata , Andermann, Eva , Lombroso, C. T., Schachter, S. C., Andermann, Fred and Berkovic, Samuel (2003). Epilepsy in Twins: Insights from unique historical data of William Lennox. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, Honolulu, HI, United States, 29 March-5 April 2003.
2002
Journal Article
Multifocal myoclonus due to verapamil overdose
Vadlamudi, Lata and Wijdicks, Eelco F.M. (2002). Multifocal myoclonus due to verapamil overdose. Neurology, 58 (6), 984-985. doi: 10.1212/WNL.58.6.984
2002
Conference Publication
The EEG findings in Kufs disease
Vadlamudi, Lata , Parisi, John and Westmoreland, Barbara (2002). The EEG findings in Kufs disease. Annual Meeting of the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 18-22 June 2002.
2001
Conference Publication
Factors underlying scalp-EEG interictal epileptiform discharges in intractable frontal lobe epilepsy.
Vadlamudi, Lata , So, Elson , Worrell, Greg , Cascino, Greg and Lesnick, Tom (2001). Factors underlying scalp-EEG interictal epileptiform discharges in intractable frontal lobe epilepsy.. American Epilepsy Society, Philadelphia, PA, United Sates, 30 November-5 December 2001.
2000
Journal Article
Cerebral arterial gas embolism by helium: An unusual case successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen and lidocaine
Mitchell, S. J., Benson, M., Vadlamudi, L. and Miller, P. (2000). Cerebral arterial gas embolism by helium: An unusual case successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen and lidocaine. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 35 (3), 300-303. doi: 10.1016/S0196-0644(00)70086-2
2000
Journal Article
Rasmussen's syndrome in a 54 year old female: more support for an adult variant
Vadlamudi, L., Galton, C. J., Jeavons, S. J., Tannenberg, A. E. G. and Boyle, R. S. (2000). Rasmussen's syndrome in a 54 year old female: more support for an adult variant. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 7 (2), 154-156. doi: 10.1054/jocn.1999.0173
1999
Conference Publication
Rasmussens's Syndrome in a fifty-four year old female- More support for an adult variant
Vadlamudi, Lata , Galton, Clare , Jeavons, Susan , Tannenberg, Anthony and Boyle, Richard (1999). Rasmussens's Syndrome in a fifty-four year old female- More support for an adult variant. Meeting of the 23rd International Epilepsy Congress, Prague, Czech Republic, 12-17 September 1999.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Lata Vadlamudi is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Venom-derived antiseizure medications for treatment of KCNT1 epilepsy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Glenn King
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Doctor Philosophy
Venom-derived drugs for targeting ion channels involved in genetic epilepsies
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Natalie Saez, Professor Glenn King
Completed supervision
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Consistency of Examiner Judgements in Medical Education: A Case Study of Competency-Based Assessment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Karen Moni
Media
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