My research involves the use of functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to study functional brain activity and, in particular, by means of the new generation of wireless and wearable fNIRS devices in naturalistic environments. More precisely, my technical work focuses on the development and implementation of new algorithms and tools for the analysis of fNIRS data collected in more ecologically-valid settings with unstructured cognitive experiments. A great part of my research is to explore the use and limitations of fNIRS in multimodal cognitive neuroscience experiments. I have been involved in several neuroscience studies both on typical and atypical populations integrating fNIRS with other technologies (e.g., systemic physiology, eye-tracking, motion capture, thermal imaging, etc).

My current role at CBCD involves the development of the new ToddlerLab that integrates cutting-edge wearable technologies like fNIRS, EEG, motion capture, eye-tracking in an immersive Virtual Reality environment for the study brain development in ecological settings.

2020 – 2021. Honorary Research Associate. Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London.

2016 – 2019. Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Department of Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, University College London (UCL), London.

2014 – 2016. Next2U s.r.l. Co-founder of the spin-out company, and Engineering and Modules Integration Area Manager.

2013 – 2016. PhD. ‘Functional Neuroimaging: instruments, methods and models for the study of the mind-brain-behavior relations’. Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences - University “G. d’Annunzio”, Chieti-Pescara, Italy

2009 – 2011. MSc in Biomedical Engineering. Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.

2006 – 2009. BSc in Biomedical Engineering. Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.

2014 – 2015. One year Research Visit Scholarship granted by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.

2013 – 2015. Full 3 years Ph.D. Scholarship granted by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.

2012. Qualified as a professional engineer, granted by the Italian Industrial Engineers Association.