Dr. Vivek Tiwari

Research Focus 

I am a neurochemist and biophysicist with research interests centered on the neurobiology of brain disorders and cancer biochemistry. My work focuses on uncovering clinically relevant genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic reprogramming events that drive glioma progression, brain aging, cognitive decline, and other neurological disorders. By integrating molecular, metabolic, and neuroimaging approaches, I seek to identify quantitative biomarkers and mechanistic pathways that can be translated into clinical practice.

My research employs multidisciplinary methodologies encompassing metabolic kinetics, advanced neuroimaging, cognitive assessments, and computational modeling across human cohorts, animal models, and cellular systems. Leveraging expertise in neuroscience, metabolism, and quantitative imaging, I aim to develop robust and clinically translatable neurofoundational frameworks that enable precise characterization of disease mechanisms and support diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic decision-making in neurology and neuro-oncology.

To further elucidate neurochemical and metabolic dynamics, my laboratory utilizes stable isotope tracing approaches based on ¹³C- and deuterium-labeled substrates, coupled with proton and carbon magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These isotopomer-based investigations provide unique insights into metabolic fluxes, neurotransmitter cycling, bioenergetics, and cellular reprogramming in both physiological and pathological states. Through the integration of imaging, metabolism, and systems-level analyses, our goal is to make the invisible biology of the brain measurable, interpretable, and clinically actionable.