Simone Battaglia, PhD

Currently appointed as Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna. Also affiliated as Research Fellow at the Department of Psychology, University of Turin, and Clinician Associate at the Cognitive Neuropsychology Center, Niguarda Hospital, Milan. Obtained the Italian national scientific qualification (ASN) as Associate Professor in 2022 and as Full Professor in 2025 in the scientific-disciplinary sector 11/E1 (Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences), former M-PSI/02 (General Psychology, Psychobiology, and Psychometrics).

My research investigates the complex functional interplay between brain regions involved in emotional learning, action control-inhibition, brain plasticity, visual perception, and various cognitive processes. To investigate these domains, I primarily employ non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), combined with a range of physiological recording methods, including electroencephalogram (EEG), skin conductance response (SCR), and heart rate variability (HRV).
My studies involve both healthy individuals, with a focus on intra- and inter-individual variability, and patients with acquired brain injuries. Adopting a multimodal approach, I integrate these methodologies to gain a comprehensive understanding of how cognition, behaviour, and physiological responses interact. The final aim of my work is to develop innovative therapeutic interventions, with particular emphasis on cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) to promote neuroplasticity and support functional brain recovery.

For two consecutive years, in 2023 and 2024, I was ranked among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University & Elsevier for the impact of my contributions to the field of neuroscience. In 2025, I was awarded the SPR Early Career Award by the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR), the FESN Prize by the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology (FESN), and the Young Investigator Award by the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN) for the year 2024. At the national level, I received the Young Researcher Award from the Italian Association of Psychogeriatrics (AIP) in 2024, as well as the Best PhD Thesis Award from the Italian Society of Neuropsychology (SINP) for the year 2020.