Dr Dennis Velakoulis
Dr Dennis Velakoulis, MB BS, FRANZCP, DipCrim
Director, Neuropsychiatry Unit, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
Clinical Director, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre
Dr Dennis Velakoulis is a consultant neuropsychiatrist and director of the Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital and with Prof Chris Pantelis set up what is now the Neuroimaging Arm of the MNC. He was appointed Clinical Director of the MNC in September 2004 and has been Director of the Neuropsychiatry Unit at Royal Melbourne Hospital since August 2001. Since 1994 he has been involved in the development of a program of neuroimaging and cognitive research in neuropsychiatric disorders particularly schizophrenia. Dr Velakoulis was instrumental in the establishment of the imaging laboratory within the MNC. Dr Velakoulis has also published on the role of neuroimaging in clinical psychiatry, and on conditions including organic psychoses and dementia. He has been a chief investigator on 6 NH&MRC grants since 1997 and has had 39 peer reviewed publications in the years 1999-2004, the majority directly related to research arising from the grants. Dr Velakoulis work is recognised at an international level and provided strong international impetus to the investigation of brain structural changes in the early stages of psychosis. He has been an invited speaker at international conferences, symposia and workshops. Dr Velakoulis’ clinical areas of expertise includes neuropsychiatric aspects of schizophrenia, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, atypical dementias, movement disorders, other neurological disorders and the development of a neuropsychiatric cognitive screening tool.