Biographical details
I received my PhD in Bioengineering (Cum Laude) at Politecnico di Milano (Milan, Italy) in 2016, after my MSc (2013) and BSc (2011) in Biomedical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano.
During my PhD, mentored by Prof. Giuseppe Baselli and Dr Francesca Baglio and working full-time at the IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi in Milan (MRI Lab), I implemented and applied advanced imaging techniques towards the study of healthy and pathological brain function in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. During my PhD, I also spent a visiting research period at the CISC, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (Brighton, UK), under the supervision of Prof. Mara Cercignani.
In 2016, I joined the Department of Neuroimaging at the IoPPN, King’s College London, where I currently hold a position as senior imaging scientist.
My current research is focused on the development and validation of analytical strategies to decipher the complexity of human brain function in health and disease. I'm particularly interested in the synergetic use of different neuroimaging techniques that, if combined with advanced analytical modelling methods, could provide a new, integrative insight into the heterogeneity of brain disorders, uncover the mechanisms underlying functional response to pharmacological treatment and finally pave the way to the long-awaited translation of neuroimaging biomarkers from bench to bedside. I have also significantly contributed to the development of new tools to study brain function through neuroimaging. In 2018, I took part as a co-investigator in a project funded by the Neuroimaging Theme of the NIHR Maudsley BRC, focused on the development, implementation, and validation of a version of the ‘Z-shimmed’ ASE sequence for GE MRI scanners to measure the Oxygen Extraction Fraction (OEF) in the brain. This sequence is now available for the broad KCL community interested in investigating oxygen metabolism in the brain using non-invasive imaging probes. Over the years, given my solid technical background and extensive knowledge of data analysis, I have also developed and expanded pipelines and analytical frameworks for the analysis of resting-state fMRI data, and organised workshops to train research staff and students. Throughout my work, I have involved several undergraduate and postgraduate students in my research, which have completed or are now conducting their research projects under my supervision. I have also actively participated in training of KCL staff and in teaching activities focused on research methods applied to neuroimaging. My network of collaborations includes national and international prestigious academic institutions (e.g., Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Medical College of Wisconsin) and industrial organisations (e.g., GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, GE Healthcare).