Gabriella Bottini is a neurologist, neuropsychologist, full professor of Psychophysiology at the University of Pavia in the Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences. She directs the Cognitive and Forensic Neuropsychology Lab and the Neuroscience and Society Lab together with Daniela Ovadia. She also directs the Cognitive Neuropsychology Center at the Niguarda Hospital of Milan that is agreed upon with the University of Pavia. She spent two years at the Cyclotron Unit of the Hammersmith Hospital of London in the research team of RSJ Frackowiak, working with him, CD Frith and Uta Frith.

Her main topics of research are the cognitive impairments of drug resistant epilepsy and dementia; the body representation impairment in patients with stroke, severe spinal cord injury, and Body Identity Integrity Disorders (BIID). She is also interested in the interaction between Neuroscience and Law mainly focusing on its implication in patients with neurological and psychiatric diseases.

She is author of over 80 papers, chapters and books on Neuroscience and Neuropsychology.

Current positions:

• 2019- present Delegate with responsibility for areas concerning the University’s Third Mission activities, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
• 2016- present Coordinator of the PhD program in “Psychology, Neuroscience and Data Science”, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
• 2012-present  Full Professor, Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
• 2001-present  Director of the Centro di Neuropsicologia Cognitiva, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.

Previous Positions:

• 2000-2011  Associate Professor, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
• 1994-2000   Senior registrar Neurologist, Unità Operativa di Neurologia, Ospedale Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
• 1992-1994  Research Fellow, MRC Cyclotron Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London, U.K.
• 1990-1992  Senior registrar Neurologist, Unità Operativa di Neurologia, Ospedale Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
• 1986-1988 Resident MD, Neurology Department, University of Milan, Italy.
• 1979-1981  Student Internship, Neurology Department, University of Milan, Italy.

Educational background:

• 1975 High School Graduation, Liceo Classico C. Beccaria, Milan.
• 1982 MD degree, University of Milan. (110 cum laude).
• 1986 Specialization in Neurology, University of Milan.
• 1991 PhD in Neurological Science.

Grants:

• 2016-2019  European Union – Horizon 2020 (Task Leader; 242.250 Euros): “Modelling the PRocesses leading to Organised crime and TerrOrist Networks — PROTON”
• 2011-2014 Italian Ministry of Research and Education Grants – Miur PRIN (Unit coordiantor): Neural basis of bodily-awareness.
• 2009-2012  Italian Ministry of Health Grants – Ricerca Finalizzata (co-Investigator): “MAPS: Studio multicentrico per la standardizzazione di un nuovo strumento informatico per la valutazione delle funzioni cognitive e comportamentali nell’ictus acuto”(RF-2009-1549303).
• 2007-2010  Italian Ministry of Research and Education Grants – Miur PRIN (co-Investigator): Functional anatomical explorations of motor awareness in patients with anosognosia for hemiplegia and in hemiplegic patients aware of their motor deficit.
• 2007-2010  Italian Ministry of Health Grants – Ricerca Finalizzata (co-Investigator): “TUTOR: sistema integrato per il supporto della rete ospedale-territorio nella gestione multidisciplinare del paziente mieloleso”.
• 2003-2006   Italian Ministry of Research and Education Grants – Miur PRIN (co-Investigator PI): Neural mechanisms underlying the modulation of spatial representation induced by vestibular stimulation: fMRI studies in normal subjects and in patients with spatial neglect.
• 2001-2004  Italian Ministry of Research and Education Grants – Miur PRIN (co-Investigator): Anatomical and functional anatomical bases of aware tactile perception and of the hemispheric asymmetry of body schema representation.

Fields of Research:

• Neuropsychology
• Forensic Neuropsychology
• Neuropsychology of Epilepsy
• Neglect, body representation
• Functional Neuroimaging: Functional Magnetic Resonance (fMRI)
• Neuroscience and Society, Neuroethics

Labs

Gabriella Bottini leads the Cognitive and Forensic Neuropsychology Lab. This reaserach lab has a strong background on both clinical and basic cognition. It collaborates with the European Center on Law and New Technologies at University of Pavia and developed a strong expertise in forensic evaluation, especially in the fields of capacity and determinants of criminal behaviors. The members of the staff are competent in both behavioural (including computerized systems for cognitive and emotional testing) and instrumental approaches such as fMRI, tDCS, Skin Conductance, and TMS.

She leads also the Neuroscience and Society Lab, devoted to the study of the legal, ethical and social impacts of neuroscientific research. The researchers are also involved in training psychologists, doctors and lawyers in the ethical evaluation of neuroscientific researches and devices. They have a strong expertise in multistakeholders involvement, discussions and dissemination.

Member of:

• Società Italiana di Neuropsicologia (SINP).
• British Neuropsychology Society (BNS)
• Lega Italiana contro l’Epilessia (LICE).
• Coordinator of the Study Group on Neuropsychology of Epilepsy – LICE.
• Società italiana di neuroetica e filosofia delle neuroscienze (SINE)
• European Association for Neuroscience and Law (treasurer and member of the Steering Committee)

Academic activity:

• Member of the Scientific Committee of ECLT- Univeristy of Pavia
• Expert for the courts (in the field of neuroscience and neuropsychology)
• Member of the Faculty of the Neuroscience and Law Winter/Summer School at University of Pavia and, from 2016, co-director of the School (with prof. Amedeo Santosuosso).
• Honorary Senior Lecturer, Institute of Neurology, London, U.K.

Editorial activity:

• Guest referee for Brain, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, NeuroImage, Italian Journal of Neuroscience, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
• Associate Editor: Neuroscience Letters.