Dr Nora Shaileshkumar Vyas

2016-2018: Faculty Champion for FASS. This was a large-scale university initiative to evolve teaching and learning through the rollout of the new Virtual Learning Environment, Canvas. The VLE principles, led by the each Faculty champion across the university, have been aligned with university learning and teaching policies, current good practice, and with contemporary research to provide exemplary learning spaces that are externally recognised as sector leading. By having a skilled and enthusiastic team which I lead as Faculty representative, staff received excellent levels of support as and when needed. This has brought about significant opportunities for staff to rethink their teaching.

2018- to date: KAPS Panel Assessor (SFHEA applications)

2018-to date: Course Director, Foundation Year in social sciences.

Undergraduate courses taught

• Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons)
• Foundation Year Social Sciences
• Psychology BSc (Hons)

Postgraduate courses taught

• Clinical Applications of Psychology MSc

Research Funding

2010-11: Examining brain connectivity, genes and neurocognition of childhood-onset schizophrenia and high-risk siblings. Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award, US-UK Fulbright Commission. 

2011-12: Brain connectivity in childhood-onset schizophrenia and their healthy siblings. Lindeman Trust Fellowship, English Speaking Union. 

2013-2015: Brain oscillatory patterns in childhood-onset schizophrenia. Research Capability Fund, Kingston University London. 

2015: Dopamine receptor imaging in bipolar disorder. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

2016: Multimodal imaging and cognition in schizophrenia. Churchill Fellowship, Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

2020-21: Cognitive testing facilities. UKRI World Class Laboratories (WCL) Fund. 

2020-21: Cognitive functioning in patients with lymphoma. CResCID grant, Kingston University London.

2020-21: Neurocognition in psychosis. CResCID grant, Kingston University London.

 

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4784-5559

Peer-Reviewed Publications

26. Vyas NS, et al. Cognitive function in early onset schizophrenia. In Preparation

25. Wadhen V, Pavey L, Vyas NS. The Effectiveness of Yoga Interventions inImproving Wellbeing and Productivity of Desk-based Workers: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. In Preparation.  PROSPERO: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=295990

24. Vyas NS, Burke L, Buxton J, Netherwood S, Caviston P, Simic M, Buchsbaum MS. Association of susceptibility genes and cognitive performance in schizophrenia. Under review.

23. Vyas NS, Burke L, Netherwood S, Caviston P, Simic M, Buchsbaum MS (2022). Neurocognitive profile of adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings. World J Biol Psychiatry, 23 (9), 677-688 doi: 10.1080/15622975.2021.2023758.

22. Mitelman SA, Buchsbaum MS, Vyas NS, Christian BT, Merrill BM, Buchsbaum BR, Mitelman AM, Mukherjee J, Lehrer DS (2021). Reading abilities and dopamine D 2/D 3 receptor availability: An inverted U-shaped association in subjects with schizophrenia. Brain & Language. 223, 105046. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105046. 

21. Vyas NS, Buchsbaum MS, Lehrer DS, Merrill BM, DeCastro A, Doninger A, Christian BT, Mukherjee J (2018). D2/D3 dopamine receptor binding with [F-18]fallypride correlates of executive function in medication-naïve patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 192, 442-456. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.05.017.

20. Vyas NS, Wang Y, Vyas SS, Killackey E, Haugland T-A, Chan RCK (2017). Theory of mind in the early course of schizophrenia. Current Psychiatry Reviews, 13 (2), 102-110. doi: 10.2174/1573400513666170502125017

19. Vyas NS, Birchwood M, Singh SP (2015). Youth Services: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Adolescents. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 32, 13-19.

18. Vyas NS, Ahn K, Stahl DR, Caviston P, Simic M, Netherwood S, Puri BK, Lee Y, Aitchison KJ (2014). Association of KIBRA rs17070145 polymorphism with episodic memory in the early stages of a human neurodevelopmental disorder. Psychiatry Research, 220 (1-2), 37-43.

17. Vyas NS, Patel NH, Herscovitch P, Puri BK, Lanzenberger R (2013). Recent Developments in Neurochemical Imaging in Schizophrenia: An Update. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 20 (3), 351-356

16. Weisinger B, Greenstein D, Mattai A, Clasen L, Lalonde F, Feldman S, Miller R, Tossell JW, Vyas NS, Stidd R, David C, Gogtay N (2013). Lack of Gender Influence on Cortical and Subcortical Gray Matter Development in Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 39 (1), 52-58.

15. Vyas NS, Lee Y, Ahn K, Ternouth A, Stahl D, Al-Chalabi A, Powell JF, Puri BK (2012). Association of a Serotonin Receptor 2A Gene Polymorphism and Visual Sustained Attention in Early Onset Schizophrenia and their Non-Psychotic Siblings. Aging and Disease, 3(4), 291-300.

14. Vyas NS, Puri BK (2012). Association of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Polymorphism on general intellectual ability in early onset schizophrenia. Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 49 (2), 137-142.

13. Vyas NS, Gogtay N (2012). Treatment of Early Onset Schizophrenia: Recent Trends, Challenges and Future Considerations. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 3(29) 1-5.

12. Vyas NS, Shamsi SA, Malhotra AK, Aitchison KJ, Kumari V (2012). Can Genetics Inform the Management of Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia? Journal of Psychopharmacology, 26, 334-348.

11. Gogtay N*, Vyas NS *, Testa R, Wood SJ, Pantelis C* (2011). Age of Onset of Schizophrenia: Perspectives form Structural Neuroimaging Studies. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 37 (4), 503-514.

10. Vyas NS, Patel NH, Puri BK (2011). Neurobiology and Phenotypic Expression in Early Onset Schizophrenia. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 5 (2), 3-14.

9. Vyas NS, Patel NH, Nijran KS, Al-Nahhas A, Puri BK (2011). The Use of PET Imaging in Studying Cognition, Genetics and Pharmacotherapeutics Interventions in Schizophrenia. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 11 (1), 37-51.

8. Kumar CTS, Christodoulou T, Vyas NS, Kyriakopoulous M, Corrigall R, Reichenberg A, Frangou S (2010). Deficits in Visual Sustained Attention Differentiate Genetic Liability and Disease Expression for Schizophrenia from Bipolar Disorder. Schizophrenia Research, 124 (1-3), 152-160.

7. Vyas NS, Kumra S, Puri BK (2010). What Insights Can We Gain from Studying Early-Onset Schizophrenia? The Neurodevelopmental Pathway and Beyond. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 10 (8), 1243-1247.

6. Vyas NS*, Patel NH*, Nijran KS, Al-Nahhas A, Puri BK (2010). Insights on Schizophrenia using Positron Emission Tomography Imaging: Building the Evidence and Refining the Focus. British Journal of Psychiatry, 197 (1), 3-4.

5. Patel NH, Vyas NS, Puri BK, Nijran KS, Al-Nahhas A (2010). Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Schizophrenia: A New Perspective. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 51 (4), 511-520.

4. Vyas NS, Patel NH, Nijran KS, Al-Nahhas A, Puri BK (2010). Can PET/CT Imaging Advance Our Understanding of the Neurobiology of Schizophrenia? Nuclear Medicine Communications, 31 (2), 91-93.

3. Kyriakopoulos M, Perez-Iglesias R, Woolley JB, Kanaan RAA, Vyas NS, Barker GJ, Frangou S, McGuire PK (2009). Age of Onset Modifies Location of White Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 195 (4), 346-353.

2. Kyriakopoulos M, Vyas NS, Chitnis X, Barker GJ, Frangou S (2008). Parietal White Matter Abnormalities in Early Onset Schizophrenia: A Voxel-Based Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. Biological Psychiatry, 63 (5), 519-523.

1. Vyas NS, Hadjulis M, Vourdas A, Byrne P, Frangou S (2007). The Maudsley Early Onset Schizophrenia Study. Predictors of Psychosocial Outcome at 4-year Follow-Up. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 16 (7), 465-470.

 

 

Qualifications and expertise

• BSc (Hons) Psychology
• PhD Psychiatry
• CSci
• CPsychol
• AFBPsS

Areas of specialism

• psychosis
• neuropsychology
• neuroimaging
• genetic risk
• mindfulness

Scholarly affiliations

• Department of Imaging, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Research student supervision

Main supervision

• Miss Lara Quartel

Other supervision

• Mrs Shereen Paul
• Vipin Wadhen

Publications

Knowledge Transfer

Blogs

12/3/2019: "How to Recharge Your Mind": https://blogs.kingston.ac.uk/kul/2019/03/12/how-to-recharge-your-mind/#more-2089

February 2021: World Sleep Day: "How to get a better night's sleep":  https://blogs.kingston.ac.uk/kul/2022/02/22/world-sleep-day/

Newspaper

18/2/2018: South West Londoner newspaper "Bipolar disorder: Can social media be used to diagnose mental illness?" by Lucy Dyer. Link: https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/news/18012018-bipolar-disorder-can-social-media-used-diagnose/

Invited guest speaker - Resourceful Women's Network 

19th January 2022: "Beating the Blues: overcoming depression and anxiety"

2nd March 2022: "Self harm and mental health: strategies supporting individuals and families"

15th June 2022: "Strategies for overcoming loneliness" - Loneliness Awareness Week.

Invited guest speaker - Riverside Radio, UK: https://www.riversideradio.com/

30th July 2021: "Loneliness, friendships and social media influences in young people during the pandemic."

10th January 2022: "Behaviour behind new years resolutions and whether they actually work?" Dr Nora Vyas (guest speaker) in Dr Rosena Allin-Khan's show on Mental Health Matters. Dr Rosena is Labour MP for Tooting, Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health.

Community Engagement Talks

Talks on "The power of sleep" (30/1/2021), "Taking care of yourself (Swadharma)" (23/1/2021) with Virtual Dharma Mandir.

Healing our Earth: Wellbeing and mental health (2020-current)

Public engagement talks supporting WMHD

October 2021: "Protecting our mental health during challenging times" - This event was in association with Healing Our Earth. 11 eminent speakers, three Hosts (This session involved hearing from experts talking about the importance of exercise on mental health and 'feeling great', nutritional secrets for wellness, sharing poem on values, as well as sharing how simple lifestyle practices such as positive affirmation and meditation can help overall wellbeing). 

October 2018: WMHD event (A series of inspirational talks from representatives of several mental health charities, and a positive psychology and mindfulness coach).

October 2016: WMHD event. Dr Nora Vyas (KU) will present 'Emergence of psychiatric disorders during adolescence' and Dr Monte S Buchsbaum (UCSD) will present 'Brain imaging and the neuroscience revolution', followed by Q&A session. 

Organiser of the Mindfulness meditation series at KU (2017-2018). Topics: "Lose what needs to be lost.. To find what needs to be found" (12/4/2017), "Experiencing mindfulness" (24/10/2017), "Mindfulness Meditation Series: being in the present" (21/11/2017), "Stress busting: keeping cool under pressure" (22/11/2018)

2022- current: LSBS Civic Partnership and Knowledge Exchange Lead

2018-2022: Course Director of the Foundation Year in Social Sciences

2021- current: Member, Mental Health Action Group, Kingston University.

2020- current: External examiner - MSci Advanced Applied Psychology programme, University of Chichester.

2013- current: Associate Editor, Frontiers in Neuropsychiatric Imaging and Stimulation

2011- current: Associate Editor, Frontiers in Child and Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry

June-July 2021: Psychologist, Psychology Zone, I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here.

2016-2018: Faculty Champion for the roll out of a virtual learning environment "Canvas" across Kingston University.