Trung Ngo

Biography

 I completed a PhD in Neuroscience (2009) with eminent Australian neurobiologist Jack Pettigrew (FRS). My research employed caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS) — a simple, non-invasive (unihemispheric) brain stimulation technique — to demonstrate evidence for a novel neural mechanism of visual rivalry: the interhemispheric switch (IHS) model. I was awarded an NHMRC postdoctoral clinical research fellowship to continue investigating rivalry mechanisms and abnormalities in psychiatric groups. From 2010–2015 I was project coordinator and technology lead for this work at Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre. My fellowship studies also examined CVS as a potential therapeutic intervention in persistent (chronic) pain disorders. I am continuing this body of work with the following research projects: [A] Testing and validating novel visual task measures for identifying individuals at increased risk of developing mental illness (e.g., young people, at-risk/early psychosis cohorts). [B] Effectiveness of non-invasive vestibular neuromodulation protocols as a treatment for psychiatric and neurological illnesses (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, epilepsy, persistent pain). [C] Development of autonomic activity recording devices with real-time analysis output of endogenous rhythms and their clinical (diagnostic) utility in psychiatry, neurology and sleep medicine. [D] Phylogenetics and evolution of bistable switching — from bacterial chemotaxis and fruit fly optomotor responses to binary decision-making in mammals (e.g., approach/avoidance choice behaviour) and disordered mood/cognitive states in humans (e.g., mania/depression, denial/insight).

Research Interest

  Minimal phenotyping: Perceptual and cognitive testing  Multi-platform development of candidate diagnostic/endophenotype perceptual and cognitive task measures for large-scale user-friendly testing in genotyped and at-risk/youth cohorts (e.g., web, mobile, tablet, gaming, virtual reality). Vestibular brain stimulation: Applications and mechanisms  Clinical applications of non-invasive vestibular neuromodulation, and the genetics and neuroimaging of its therapeutic response, with the aim of elucidating novel electroceutical pathways, response biomarkers and personalised treatment protocols across a spectrum psychiatric and neurological disorders ('electroceutomics'). Biomedical device & software development  Development of portable/wearable devices with integrated software applications for (i) perceptual rivalry viewing (e.g., stereoscopic 3D displays), data collection and analyses; (ii) probing IHS rhythms (e.g., autonomic respiratory/nasal cycle periodicity); and (iii) inducing, recording and real-time analysis output of vestibular neuromodulation. Phylogenetics & evolution of bistable switching and the vestibular system  Investigating the comparative genetics, neural network dynamics (e.g., vestibulocortical circuitry) and molecular mechanisms of bistable (anti-phase) interhemispheric oscillations — which have been observed across a range of phenotypes (e.g., biological rhythms, autonomic functions, oculomotor activity, perception/attention, cognitive/behaviour changes) and in different species (e.g., Drosophila, sandlance, birds, cetaceans, rodents, humans). Scientometrics and research outcome measures  Developing quantitative indicators of interdisciplinary conceptual and empirical synthesis, scientific impact and translational outcomes using AI, machine learning and big data analysis algorithms.