Academic CV

[11/2025 -  present] Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience (PSIC-01/B), Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, Novedrate, Como, Italy.

  [03/2025] National Scientific Habilitation (ASN): qualified as Full Professor in academic Scientific Sector 11/E1 of Neuropsychology and Cognitive           Neurosciences (PSIC-01/B; formerly M-PSI/02).

[10/2024 - 01/2026] Clinical Associate in Neuropsychology at the Cognitive Neuropsychology Center, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy. Supervisor: Gabriella Bottini.

[06/2024 - 06/2024] Visiting Researcher at the Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. Supervisors: Csifcsák Gábor &   Matthias Mittner.

[10/2023 -  present] Research Fellow (PSIC-01/B) at Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. Supervisor: Marco Tamietto.

[02/2023 - 10/2025] Assistant Professor (RTDa - PSIC-01/B) at the Centre for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology,     University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 

                       [09/2022] National Scientific Habilitation (ASN): qualified as Associate Professor in academic Scientific Sector 11/E1 of Neuropsychology and Cognitive           Neurosciences (PSIC-01/B; formerly M-PSI/02).

[05/2022 - 02/2025] Visiting Researcher at Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Netherlands. Supervisor: Beatrice De Gelder.

[04/2022 - 02/2023] Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Psychology (M-PSI/02), University of Turin, Italy. Supervisor: Marco Tamietto.

[04/2020 - 04/2022] Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology (M-PSI/02), University     of Bologna, Italy. Supervisor: Sara Borgomaneri.

[01/2019 - 09/2019] Visiting PhD Student in Neuroscience at the Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Eichstätt Ingolstadt, Germany.
    Supervisor: Martin E. Maier.

[09/2017 - 09/2017] Visiting PhD Student, ‘Visceral Mind: Functional Neuroanatomy’ Summer School, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales,     United Kingdom.  

[11/2016 - 03/2020] PhD Student at the Centre for studies and research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.     Supervisor: Giuseppe di Pellegrino.

[01/2016 - 07/2016] Research Assistant in Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom.
    Supervisor: Paul Downing.

[07/2015 - 12/2015] Internship for Psychologists (former D.P.R. 328\2001), Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology,         University of Bologna, Italy. 

[11/2016 - 03/2020] PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience (International PhD Program), summa cum laude. Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.       Supervisor: Giuseppe di Pellegrino.

[11/2013 - 07/2015] MSc in Neuroscience and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, summa cum laude. Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.           Supervisor: Giuseppe di Pellegrino.

[11/2010 - 07/2013] BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.
    Supervisor: Elisa Ciaramelli.

Publications (Total/First Name/Last Name): 57 / 28 / 11
Impact-Factor (Total/Average): 309.19 / 5.42
Scopus: h-index: 34; m-index: 3.77; citations: 2281; Author ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57193504367
WOS:     h-index: 33; m-index: 3.66; citations: 2236; Author ID: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/1964509
Scholar: h-index: 36; m-index: 4.00; citations: 3016; Author ID: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YmBOH-kAAAAJ&hl=it

1. Battaglia, S., Servajean, P., Friston, K. J. (2025). The Paradox of the Self-Studying Brain: Timescales, Self-Representation, and Roots of Consciousness. Reply to Comments on 'The paradox of the self-studying brain’. Physics of Life Reviews, 54, 162-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2025.07.008 [14.3 IF]

2. Però, L., Arlati, N., Lenzi, L., Quettier, T., Battaglia, S., Borgomaneri, S. (2025). Enhancing human action inhibition through cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.70077 [4.8 IF]

3. Tanaka, M., Battaglia, S. (2025). From Biomarkers to Behavior: Mapping the Neuroimmune Web of Pain, Mood, and Memory. Biomedicines, 13(9), 2226. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13061456 [3.9 IF]

4. Borgomaneri, S., Quettier, T., Ambrosecchia, M., Battaglia, S., Tamietto, M., Avenanti, A. (2025). Early changes in corticospinal excitability for subliminally presented fearful body postures. Scientific Reports, 15, 29088. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13185-y [3.9 IF]

5. Battaglia, S., Andero, R., Thayer, J. F. (2025). Translational cross-species evidence of heart-related dynamics in threat learning. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 176, 106273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106273 [7.9 IF]

6. Battaglia, S., Servajean, P., Friston, K. J. (2025). The paradox of the self-studying brain. Physics of Life Reviews, 52, 197-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2024.12.009 [14.3 IF]

7. Lanzilotto, M., Dal Monte, O., Diano, M., Panormita, M., Battaglia, S., Celeghin, A., Bonini, L., & Tamietto, M. (2025). Learning to fear novel stimuli by observing others in the social affordance framework. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 169, 106006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106006 [7.9 IF]

8. Battaglia, S., Fazio, C. D., Borgomaneri, S., Avenanti, A. (2025). Cortisol Imbalance and Fear Learning in PTSD: Therapeutic Approaches to Control Abnormal Fear Responses. Current Neuropharmacology, https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X23666250123142526 [5.3 IF]

9. Tanaka, M., Battaglia, S. (2025). Dualistic Dynamics in Neuropsychiatry: From Monoaminergic Modulators to Multiscale Biomarker Maps. Biomedicines, 13(6), 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13061456 [3.9 IF]

10. Tanaka, M., Battaglia, S., Liloia, D. (2025). Navigating Neurodegeneration: Integrating Biomarkers, Neuroinflammation, and Imaging in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Motor Neuron Disorders. Biomedicines, 13(5), 1045. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051045 [3.9 IF]

11. Tanaka, M., He, Z., Han, S., Battaglia, S. (2025). Mindful Motion, Magnetic Modulation: Precision Neuromodulation Improves Mental Health. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 1633936. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1633936 [2.9 IF]

12. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., Lonsdorf, T., Thayer, J. F. (2024) Neuropsychobiology of Fear-Induced Bradycardia in Humans: Progress and Pitfalls. Molecular Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-024-02600-x . Download [10.1 IF]

13. Nazzi, C., Avenanti, A., Battaglia, S., (2024) The Involvement of Antioxidants in Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration: Mens Sana in Corpore Sano. Antioxidants, 13, 701. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13060701. Download  [6.6 IF]

14. Quettier, T., Ippolito, G., Cardellicchio, P., Però, L., Battaglia, S., Borgomaneri, S. (2024) Individual differences in intracortical inhibition predict action control when facing emotional stimuli. Frontiers in Psychology, 15:1391723. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1391723. Download  [2.9 IF]

15. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., Di Fazio, C., Borgomaneri, S., (2024) The role of pre-supplementary motor cortex in action control with emotional stimuli: an rTMS study. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.15145. Download [4.8 IF]

16. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., Fullana, M. A., di Pellegrino, G., & Borgomaneri, S. (2024). 'Nip it in the bud': Low-frequency rTMS of the prefrontal cortex disrupts threat memory consolidation in humans. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 178, 104548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2024.104548. Download [4.15IF]

17. Tanaka, M.*, Battaglia, S.*, Giménez-Llort, L.,  Chen, C., Hepsomali, P., Avenanti, A., Vécsei, L. (2024). Innovation at the Intersection: Emerging Translational Research in Neurology and Psychiatry. Cells, 13(10):790. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13100790. Download [5.2 IF]

18. Battaglia, S., Avenanti, A., Vécsei, L., & Tanaka, M. (2024). Neurodegeneration in Cognitive Impairment and Mood Disorders for Experimental, Clinical and Translational Neuropsychiatry. Biomedicines, 12(3), 574. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12030574.  Download [3.9 IF]

19. Gregorio, F. D., & Battaglia, S. (2024). The intricate brain-body interaction in psychiatric and neurological diseases. Advances in clinical and experimental medicine. https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/185689. Download  [1.9 IF]

20. Battaglia, S., Avenanti, A., Vécsei, L., & Tanaka, M. (2024). Neural Correlates and Molecular Mechanisms of Memory and Learning. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(5), 2724. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052724. Download  [4.9 IF]

21. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., & Thayer, J. F. (2024). Genetic differences associated with dopamine and serotonin release mediate fear-induced bradycardia in the human brain. Translational Psychiatry, 14(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02737-x. Download [6.2 IF]

22. Di Gregorio, F., Steinhauser, M., Maier, M. E., Thayer, J. F., & Battaglia, S. (2024). Error-related cardiac deceleration: Functional interplay between error-related brain activity and autonomic nervous system in performance monitoring. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 157, 105542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105542. Download  [7.9 IF]

23. Battaglia, S., Di Fazio, C., Mazzà, M., Tamietto, M., & Avenanti, A. (2024). Targeting Human Glucocorticoid Receptors in Fear Learning: A Multiscale Integrated Approach to Study Functional Connectivity. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(2), 864. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020864 Download  [4.9 IF]

24. Borgomaneri, S., Vitale, F., Battaglia, S., de Vega, M., & Avenanti, A. (2024). Task-related modulation of motor response to emotional bodies: A TMS motor-evoked potential study. Cortex, 171, 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.10.013. Download [3.6 IF]

25. Tortora, F., Hadipour, A. L., Battaglia, S., Falzone, A., Avenanti, A., & Vicario, C. M. (2023). The Role of Serotonin in Fear Learning and Memory: A Systematic Review of Human Studies. Brain Sciences, 13(8), 1197. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13081197. Download  [3.3 IF]

26. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., & Thayer, J. F. (2023). Heart's tale of trauma: Fear-conditioned heart rate changes in post-traumatic stress disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 148(5), 463–466. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13602. Download  [5.3 IF]

27. Battaglia, S., Schmidt, A., Hassel, S., & Tanaka, M. (2023). Editorial: Case reports in neuroimaging and stimulation. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1264669. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1264669. Download  [3.2 IF]

28. Battaglia, M. R., Di Fazio, C., & Battaglia, S. (2023). Activated Tryptophan-Kynurenine metabolic system in the human brain is associated with learned fear. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 16, 1217090. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2023.1217090. Download  [3.5 IF]

29. Tanaka, M., Diano, M., & Battaglia, S. (2023). Editorial: Insights into structural and functional organization of the brain: evidence from neuroimaging and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1225755. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1225755. Download [3.2 IF]

30. Di Gregorio, F., & Battaglia, S. (2023). Advances in EEG-based functional connectivity approaches to the study of the central nervous system in health and disease. Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 32(6), 607–612. https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/166476.  Download  [2.1 IF]

31. Turrini, S., Bevacqua, N., Cataneo, A., Chiappini, E., Fiori, F., Battaglia, S., Romei, V., & Avenanti, A. (2023). Neurophysiological Markers of Premotor-Motor Network Plasticity Predict Motor Performance in Young and Older Adults. Biomedicines, 11(5), 1464. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11051464. Download  [3.9 IF]

32. Battaglia, S., Nazzi, C., & Thayer, J. F. (2023). Fear-induced bradycardia in mental disorders: Foundations, current advances, future perspectives. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 149, 105163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105163. Download [7.6 IF]

33. Battaglia, S., Di Fazio, C., Vicario, C. M., & Avenanti, A. (2023). Neuropharmacological Modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate, Noradrenaline and Endocannabinoid Receptors in Fear Extinction Learning: Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity. International journal of molecular sciences, 24(6), 5926. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065926.  Download [4.9 IF]

34. Ippolito, G., Bertaccini, R., Tarasi, L., Di Gregorio, F., Trajkovic, J., Battaglia, S., & Romei, V. (2022). The Role of Alpha Oscillations among the Main Neuropsychiatric Disorders in the Adult and Developing Human Brain: Evidence from the Last 10 Years of Research. Biomedicines, 10(12), 3189. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10123189.  Download  [4.7 IF]

35. Battaglia, S., Cardellicchio, P., Di Fazio, C., Nazzi, C., Fracasso, A., & Borgomaneri, S. (2022). Stopping in (e)motion: Reactive action inhibition when facing valence-independent emotional stimuli. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 998714. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.998714. Download [3.0 IF] 

36. Di Gregorio, F., La Porta, F., Petrone, V., Battaglia, S., Orlandi, S., Ippolito, G., Romei, V., Piperno, R., & Lullini, G. (2022). Accuracy of EEG Biomarkers in the Detection of Clinical Outcome in Disorders of Consciousness after Severe Acquired Brain Injury: Preliminary Results of a Pilot Study Using a Machine Learning Approach. Biomedicines, 10(8), 1897. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10081897. Download [4.7 IF]

37. Battaglia, S., Cardellicchio, P., Di Fazio, C., Nazzi, C., Fracasso, A., & Borgomaneri, S. (2022). The Influence of Vicarious Fear-Learning in "Infecting" Reactive Action Inhibition. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 946263. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.946263. Download [3.0 IF]

38. Battaglia, S., & Thayer, J. F. (2022). Functional interplay between central and autonomic nervous systems in human fear conditioning. Trends in Neurosciences, 45(7), 504–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2022.04.003. Download [15.9 IF]

39. Battaglia, S., Orsolini, S., Borgomaneri, S., Barbieri, R., Diciotti, S., & di Pellegrino, G. (2022). Characterizing cardiac autonomic dynamics of fear learning in humans. Psychophysiology, 59(12), e14122. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14122. Download [3.7 IF]

40. Sellitto, M., Terenzi, D., Starita, F., di Pellegrino, G., & Battaglia, S. (2022). The Cost of Imagined Actions in a Reward-Valuation Task. Brain Sciences, 12(5), 582. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050582. Download  [3.3 IF]

41. Battaglia, S., Fabius, J. H., Moravkova, K., Fracasso, A., & Borgomaneri, S. (2022). The Neurobiological Correlates of Gaze Perception in Healthy Individuals and Neurologic Patients. Biomedicines, 10(3), 627. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10030627. Download [4.7 IF]

42. Battaglia, S. (2022). Neurobiological advances of learned fear in humans. Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 31(3), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/146756. Download [2.1 IF]

43. Battaglia, S., Harrison, B. J., & Fullana, M. A. (2022). Does the human ventromedial prefrontal cortex support fear learning, fear extinction or both? A commentary on subregional contributions. Molecular Psychiatry, 27(2), 784–786. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01326-4. Download  [11 IF]

44. Borgomaneri, S., Vitale, F., Battaglia, S., & Avenanti, A. (2021). Early Right Motor Cortex Response to Happy and Fearful Facial Expressions: A TMS Motor-Evoked Potential Study. Brain Sciences, 11(9), 1203. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11091203. Download [3.333 IF]

45. Battaglia, S., Serio, G., Scarpazza, C., D'Ausilio, A., & Borgomaneri, S. (2021). Frozen in (e)motion: How reactive motor inhibition is influenced by the emotional content of stimuli in healthy and psychiatric populations. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 146, 103963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2021.103963.
    Download [5.321 IF]

46. Borgomaneri, S.*, Battaglia, S.*, Sciamanna, G., Tortora, F., & Laricchiuta, D. (2021). Memories are not written in stone: Re-writing fear memories by means of non-invasive brain stimulation and optogenetic manipulations. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 127, 334–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.036. Download [9.052 IF]

47. Borgomaneri, S., Battaglia, S., Avenanti, A., & Pellegrino, G. D. (2021). Don't Hurt Me No More: State-dependent Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the treatment of specific phobia. Journal of Affective Disorders, 286, 78–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.076. Download [6.533 IF]

48. Garofalo, S., Battaglia, S., Starita, F., & di Pellegrino, G. (2021). Modulation of cue-guided choices by transcranial direct current stimulation. Cortex, 137, 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2021.01.004. Download  [4.644 IF]

49. Candini, M., Battaglia, S., Benassi, M., di Pellegrino, G., & Frassinetti, F. (2021). The physiological correlates of interpersonal space. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 2611. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82223-2. Download [4.996 IF]

50. Veer, I. M., Riepenhausen, A., Zerban, M., Wackerhagen, C., Puhlmann, L. M. C., Engen, H., Köber, G., Bögemann, S. A., Weermeijer, J., Uściłko, A., Mor, N., Marciniak, M. A., Askelund, A. D., Al-Kamel, A., Ayash, S., Barsuola, G., Bartkute-Norkuniene, V., Battaglia, S., Bobko, Y., Bölte, S., … Kalisch, R. (2021). Psycho-social factors associated with mental resilience in the Corona lockdown. Translational Psychiatry, 11(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-020-01150-4.  
    Download  [7.989 IF]

51. Battaglia, S., Garofalo, S., di Pellegrino, G., & Starita, F. (2020). Revaluing the Role of vmPFC in the Acquisition of Pavlovian Threat Conditioning in Humans. Journal of Neuroscience, 40(44), 8491–8500. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0304-20.2020. Download [6.167 IF]

52. Borgomaneri, S., Serio, G., & Battaglia, S. (2020). Please, don't do it! Fifteen years of progress of non-invasive brain stimulation in action inhibition. Cortex, 132, 404–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.09.002. Download [4.027 IF]

53. Borgomaneri, S.*, Battaglia, S.*, Garofalo, S., Tortora, F., Avenanti, A., & di Pellegrino, G. (2020). State-Dependent TMS over Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts Fear-Memory Reconsolidation and Prevents the Return of Fear. Current Biology, 30(18), 3672–3679.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.091. 
    Download  [10.834 IF]

54. Ellena, G., Battaglia, S., & Làdavas, E. (2020). The spatial effect of fearful faces in the autonomic response. Experimental Brain Research, 238(9), 2009–2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-020-05829-4. Download [1.972 IF]

55. Garofalo, S., Battaglia, S., & di Pellegrino, G. (2019). Individual differences in working memory capacity and cue-guided behavior in humans. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 7327. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43860-w. Download [3.998 IF]

56. Battaglia, S., Garofalo, S., & di Pellegrino, G. (2018). Context-dependent extinction of threat memories: influences of healthy aging. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 12592. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31000-9. Download [4.011 IF]

57. Garofalo, S., Timmermann, C., Battaglia, S., Maier, M. E., & di Pellegrino, G. (2017). Mediofrontal Negativity Signals Unexpected Timing of Salient Outcomes. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(4), 718–727. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01074. Download [3.468 IF]

*Shared Co-First Authorship

Funding acquired as Principal Investigator: ~€210K and as Co-Principal Investigator: ~€40K.

[2023] Research Grant "Tracking interhemispheric interactions and neural plasticity between frontal areas in the bilingual brain", funded by "Imminent - The Translated's Research Center".
Role: Principal Investigator (20K €).

[2023] Research Grant "Tracking causal interactions between premotor and motor areas in Multiple Sclerosis" (Prot. Num. FISM/2022/R-Single/071), funded by "FISM-2022" Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, Italy.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (30K €).

[2022] Research Grant "SPARKS: Driving associative plasticity in the cortically blind brain to promote recovery of visual awareness" (Prot. Num. BIAL-235/2022), funded by "Fundação BIAL", Portugal.
Role: Principal Investigator (~ 60K €).

[2022] Research Grant "Driving associative plasticity in premotor-motor cortical network to enhance network functioning and promote motor control in healthy individuals and stroke patients" (Project Prot. N ° SG-2021-12375227) funded by "Ricerca Finalizzata 2021- Starting Grant, Ministry of Health", Italy.
Role: Principal Investigator (130K €).

[2022] Research Grant "Guiding the plasticity of parieto-frontal connections in aging through non-invasive brain stimulation" (Project Prot. N ° 1402bis /2021) funded by "Fondazione del Monte di Bologna and Ravenna", Italy.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (~ 12K €).

[2019] Research Grant  “The ‘Motor-way’ to Decision-Making: how the motor system drives cue-triggered decisions".  funded by 'FLAG-ERA Grant - Joint Transnational Call 2019 – Human Brain Project'.  
Role: Researcher Collaborator (~600K €).

[2024  - present] Ad-Hoc Grant Reviewer: Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen (FWO, Research Foundation - Flanders); UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UKRI BBSRC); Consortium Québécois sur la Découverte du Médicament (CQDM). For a total amount of research funding reviewed exceeding €/$ 4.5 Million (Euro/Dollar).

[2021 - to date] Editorial Activity: Scientific Reports (Editorial Board); Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (Editorial Board); Biomedicines (Topical Advisory Panel Member and Guest Editor); International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Topical Advisory Panel Member and Guest Editor); Current Neuropharmacology (Guest Editor); Plos One (Academic Editor); Brain Sciences (Guest Editor); Frontiers in Psychiatry (Review Editor); Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (Review Editor); Frontiers in Public Health (Review Editor); Frontiers in Systems Biology (Review Editor); Frontiers in Sociology (Review Editor); Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (Review Editor); Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine (Section Editor).

[2020 - to date] Ad-Hoc Journal Reviewer: Molecular Psychiatry; Cells; Cerebral Cortex; Neuroscience and Biobehavioral reviews; Scientific Reports; iScience; Psychonomic Bulletin & Review; Heliyon; Behaviour Research and Therapy; Frontiers in Public Health; Biomolecules; Nutrients; Antioxidants; Bioengineered; International Journal of Molecular Sciences; Bioengineering; Frontiers in Psychiatry; Molecules; Biomedicines; Pharmaceutics; Autism Research; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Neuroscience; Pharmaceuticals; Clinical and Experimental Medicine; Frontiers in Neuroscience; CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets; Sensors; Diagnostics; Genes; Plos One; Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience; Journal of Personalized Medicine; World Journal of Psychiatry; Journal of experimental psychology; Frontiers in Psychology; Frontiers in Human Neuroscience; Frontiers in Neurology; Neuroscience; European Journal of Neuroscience; Brain Communications; Brain Sciences; Medicina; Current Issues in Molecular Biology; Healthcare; Life; Current Alzheimer Research; Pharmacological Reports; Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences; Current Issues in Molecular Biology; Experimental Brain Research; Children; Neurology International; Psychonomic Bulletin & Review; Behavioral Sciences; Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine; Clinical Case Reports; Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering; PeerJ; Journal of Integrative Neuroscience; Frontiers in Bioscience Landmark;  Journal of Neurology and Neurobiology; The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery; Psych; Future pharmacology; Expert opinion on investigational drugs; World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics; Journal of clinical and translational research; Physiologia; World Journal of Critical Care Medicine; Journal of Anxiety Disorders; Exploration of Neuroprotective Therapy; World Journal of Clinical Cases; Antioxidants; World Journal of Virology; Journal of Clinical Medicine; World Journal of Gastroenterology; Journal of pharmaceutical health services research; Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion; Information; Journal of Ageing and Longevity; Psychiatry International; Academia Letters; Psychologie Française.

Editorial Activity & Peer Reviews can be verified: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/rid/AAH-5616-2020

[2025] Recognized as World's 2% Top Scientists 2025 granted by Stanford University & Elsevier.

[2025] SPR Early Career Award 2025, for Distinguished Early Career Contributions to psychophysiology, awarded by the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR), Montréal, Quebec.

[2025] SPR Travel Award 2025, awarded by the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR), Montréal, Quebec.

[2025] Brain Sciences Young Investigator Award, awarded by Brain Sciences Journal.

[2025] FESN Prize, awarded by the Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology (FESN), Leipzig, Germany.

[2025] Biomedicines Young Investigator Award, awarded by Biomedicines Journal.

[2024] Recognized as World's 2% Top Scientists 2024 granted by Stanford University & Elsevier.

[2024] ESCAN Young Investigator Award 2024 granted by European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN), Ghent, Belgium.

[2024] AIP Young Researcher Award 2024 granted by Italian Association of Psychogeriatrics (AIP), Florence, Italy.

[2024] Public Honor being distinguished for the career in Neuroscience, Mayor of Bertinoro Municipality, Italy.

[2024] Outstanding Reviewer Award 2023, Biomedicines Journal.

[2023] Recognized as World's 2% Top Scientists 2023 granted by Stanford University & Elsevier.

[2023] Battaglia et al., 2022 (Psychophysiology) Wiley’s top-cited papers that generated an immediate impact in the scientific community in the years 2021-2023.

[2023] Battaglia, Harrison & Fullana 2022 (Molecular Psychiatry) is one of the 12 of Molecular Psychiatry's highest impact articles from 2022, selected by Editor-in-Chief Julio Licinio.

[2023] Web of Science Excellent Reviewer Award, Publons, Clarivate Analytics.

[2022] Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Travel Grant, Rotary Club Cesena, Italy.

[2022] Web of Science Excellent Reviewer Award, Publons, Clarivate Analytics.

[2021] Veer et al., 2021 (Transl Psychiatry) is one of the 12 of Translational Psychiatry's highest impact articles from 2021, selected by Editor-in-Chief Julio Licinio.

[2021] Publons Excellent Reviewer Award, Publons, Clarivate Analytics.

[2020]  Best Poster Award, at the Transcranial Brain Stimulation in Cognitive Neuroscience Workshop 2020 (Rovereto, Italy) with the title "Erasing human fear responses: a state-dependent rTMS study ".

[2020] Best PhD Thesis Award of Italy in neuropsychology field, granted from Italian Society of Neuropsychology (SINP).

[2020] Awarding PhD degree with distinction, University of Bologna, Italy.

[2019] Best Poster Award, at the European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning (Wurzburg, Germany) with the title "Lesion to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex impairs the acquisition of learned fear in humans". 

[2018] Marco Polo Grant, with the project "The neural signature of extinguished memories". Role: PI.

[2017] NASA World Wind Challenge 2017, 2nd position (1st team in Europe) with the project "Multidimensional Visualization and Analysis Suite 2.0", Helsinki - Finland.

[2017] Google Summer of Code, granted from Google Inc., for the development of a digital platform for the visualization of multidimensional datasets. Role: PI.

[2016] NASA World Wind Challenge 2016, 3rd position (1st team in Europe) with the project "Multidimensional Visualization and Analysis Suite", Trento - Italy.

[2016] Scholarship for a period of research abroad, with the project "The role of medial prefrontal cortex in learning and control of cognitive processes" at the School of Psychology,  Bangor University, United Kingdom. Role: PI, (~3K €).

[2015] Academic excellence award, Rector of the University of Bologna grants an award of merit for being among the best and most deserving students, University of Bologna, Italy.

[a.y. 2025/26] Neuropsychology (PSIC-01/B), for BSc in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, Como, Italy.

[a.y. 2024/25] Neuropsychology (PSIC-01/B), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2024/25] Anatomophysiological foundations of neuropsychic activity (PSIC-01/B), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2023/24] Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation techniques in pediatric and adolescent treatment (PSIC-01/B), for MSc in 'Neuropsychological disorders and intervention technologies. From childhood to adolescence', Department of Psychology, University of Messina, Italy. 

[a.y. 2023/24] Neuropsychology (PSIC-01/B), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2023/24] Anatomophysiological foundations of neuropsychic activity (PSIC-01/B), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2022/23] Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: methods and applications (M-PSI/02), for MSc in ‘Neuroscience and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation’, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2022/23] Neuropsychology (M-PSI/02), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2021/22] Functional Neuroanatomy of the CNS and Elements of Neurology (M-PSI/02), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2020/21] Cognitive Neuroscience and Functional Neuroanatomy (M-PSI/02), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy. 

[a.y. 2020/21] Practicum Training in Psychology (M-PSI/01), BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2019/20] Cognitive Neuroscience and Functional Neuroanatomy (M-PSI/02), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy. 

[a.y. 2018/19] Cognitive Neuroscience and Functional Neuroanatomy (M-PSI/02), for MA in Music Therapy, State Conservatory of Music, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

[a.y. 2024/25] Academic Lecture on ‘Neurostimulation and Electrophysiological techniques’, for the PhD program in Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.

[a.y. 2023/24] Invited Seminar on ‘Targeting the Human Prefrontal Cortex: New Insight of Neural Mechanisms Underlying Fear Learning’, at the Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway (Norway), hosted by prof. Gabor Csifcsak.

[a.y. 2023/24] Invited Seminar on ‘The crucial involvement of prefrontal cortex in human fear conditioning’, at the Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg (Germany), hosted by prof. Matthias Gamer.

[a.y. 2022/23] Invited Lecture on ‘Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in cognitive neuroscience', for MSc in Psychology of wellbeing and social inclusivity, University of Bologna (Italy), prof. Sara Borgomaneri.

[a.y. 2021/22] Invited Lecture on ‘Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in cognitive neuroscience', for MSc in Psychology of wellbeing and social inclusivity, University of Bologna (Italy), prof. Sara Borgomaneri.

[a.y. 2020/21] Invited Seminar on ‘Characterizing cardiac autonomic dynamics of fear learning in humans’, for NIC at Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (Germany), hosted by prof. Raffael Kalisch.

[a. y. 2019/20] Invited Lecture on 'Psychophysiological measures in cognitive neuroscience’,  for BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology,  University of Bologna (Italy), by prof. Sara Borgomaneri.

[a.y. 2018/19] Invited Lecture on 'Skin conductance responses and heart rate variability in neuroscience', for BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna (Italy),  by prof. Sara Borgomaneri.

[a.y. 2017/18] Invited Lecture on 'Skin conductance responses and as a measure of emotions', for BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology,  University of Bologna (Italy), by prof. Giuseppe di Pellegrino.

[a.y. 2016/17] Invited Lecture on 'Skin conductance responses and as a measure of emotions',  for BSc in Psychology, Department of Psychology,  University of Bologna (Italy), by prof. Giuseppe di Pellegrino.

[a.y. 2016/19] Teaching Tutor of Neuroscience and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Master Course, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy.

[2024 - 2027] Co-supervisor of 1 PhD Student in Psychology (curriculum in Cognitive Neuroscience), University of Bologna, Italy - in co-supervision with Prof. Alessio Avenanti.

[2024 - 2024] Supervisor of 1 Postdoctoral Researcher in Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy. 

[2023 - 2026] Co-supervisor of 1 PhD Student in Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy - in co-supervision with Prof. Sara Palermo.

[2020 - 2025] Supervisor of Internship for Psychologists (former D.P.R. 328\2001) (M-PSI/02) for n.9 candidates. Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Italy. 

[2018 - 2022] Co-supervisor of Internship for Psychologists (former D.P.R. 328\2001) (M-PSI/02) for n.3 candidates - in co-supervision with Prof. Giuseppe di Pellegrino. Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Italy. 

[2016 - 2023] Co-supervisor of BSc and MSc thesis project (M-PSI/02) for n.42 candidates - in co-supervision with Prof. Giuseppe di Pellegrino, Prof. Alessio Avenanti and Prof. Sara Borgomaneri. Departments of Psychology of the University of Bologna, Italy. 

• Battaglia S., ‘The architecture of fear: how prefrontal cortex shapes emotion’. Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR). Early Career Award Lecture, October 2025 - Montreal, Quebec (Canada).

• Battaglia S., ‘Fear-induced bradycardia: transient parasympathetic dynamics reflect responses to conditioned fear’. Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR). Poster, October 2025 - Montreal, Quebec (Canada).

• Battaglia S., Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR). Conference Mentor, October 2025 - Montreal, Quebec (Canada).

• Battaglia S., ‘How the prefrontal cortex shapes human emotional fear learning’. Federation of the European Societies of Neuropsychology (FESN). FESN-Prize Award Lecture, Sept 2025 - Leipzig (Germany).

• Battaglia S., Annual Congress of the Italian Society of Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience (SIPF), Conference Organizer, Sept 2024 - Cesena (Italy).

• Battaglia S., BRAINiac: International Affective and Cognitive Neuroscience Conference, Conference Organizer, July 2024 - Tenerife (Spain).

• Battaglia S., 'Multimodal Approaches to Study Human Fear Learning: from Neuroimaging to Microbiota Evidence' BRAINiac: International Affective and Cognitive Neuroscience Conference, Symposium Chair, July 2024 - Tenerife (Spain).

• Battaglia S., 'Pushing the boundaries of emotional fear learning in the human brain' European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 2024, Young Investigator Award Lecture, May 2024 - Ghent (Belgium).

• Battaglia S., & Borgomaneri S., 'Enhance associative neural plasticity through innovative protocol of non-invasive brain stimulation: cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation' European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 2024, Symposium Chair, May 2024 - Ghent (Belgium).

• Battaglia S., 'Driving associative connectivity in the visual processing pathway to strengthen re-entrant feedback projection from STS to V1' European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 2024, Talk, May 2024 - Ghent (Belgium).

• Battaglia S., 'Fear Learning Symposium' 15th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Symposium Chair, May 2024 - Heeze (Netherlands).

• Battaglia S., Nazzi C., Borgomaneri S. Don't Freeze Me Now! Prefrontal Cortex Modulation of Fear-Driven Action Control: an rTMS study. 15th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Poster, May 2024 - Heeze (Netherlands).

• Battaglia S., Nazzi C., Fullana M.A., di Pellegrino G., Borgomaneri S. 'Nip it in the bud': Low-frequency rTMS of the prefrontal cortex disrupts threat memory consolidation in humans. 14th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Poster, May 2023 - Salsburg (Austria).

• Borgomaneri S., Nazzi C., di Pellegrino G., Battaglia S. 'Cut the roots': rTMS reveals the crucial role of prefrontal cortex in threat memory consolidation in humans. 5th International Brain Stimulation Conference. Talk, February 2023 - Lisbon (Portugal).

• Battaglia S., Orsolini S., Borgomaneri S., Barbieri R., Diciotti S., di Pellegrino G. Characterizing cardiac autonomic dynamics of fear learning in humans. 13th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Talk, May 2022 - Online (hosted in Germany).

• Battaglia S., Orsolini S., Borgomaneri S., Barbieri R., Diciotti S., di Pellegrino G. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability in human fear learning. 25th World Congress of Neurology. Poster, October 2021 - Rome (Italy).

• Battaglia S., Orsolini S., Borgomaneri S., Barbieri R., Diciotti S., di Pellegrino G. Cardiac autonomic signature of learned fear in humans. Annual Congress of the Italian Society of Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience (SIPF). Poster, September 2021 - Palermo (Italy).

• Battaglia S., Borgomaneri S., Garofalo S., Tortora F., Nazzi C., Avenanti A., di Pellegrino G. The role of dlPFC in human reconsolidation: erasing fear responses through rTMS. 12th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Poster, May 2021 - Bochum (Germany).

• Starita F., Garofalo S., Battaglia S., di Pellegrino G. Emotional learning in peripersonal space. 12th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Poster, May 2021 - Bochum (Germany).

• Battaglia S.,  Garofalo S., Tortora F., Avenanti A., di Pellegrino G., Borgomaneri S. Erasing human fear responses: a state-dependent rTMS study.  Transcranial Brain Stimulation in Cognitive Neuroscience Workshop. Poster, December 2020 - Rovereto (Italy). 

• Starita F., Garofalo S., Battaglia S., di Pellegrino. The space of fear: emotional learning and peripersonal space. Annual congress of Italian Society of Neuropsychology (SINP). Poster, December 2019 -  Bologna (Italy).

• Starita F., Garofalo S., Battaglia S., di Pellegrino G. The space of fear: emotional learning in peripersonal space. BMI Symposium: Fear learning. Poster, November 2019 - Lausanne (Switzerland).

• Battaglia S., Starita F., Garofalo S., di Pellegrino. Lesion to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex impairs the acquisition of learned fear in humans. 11th European Meeting of Human Fear Conditioning. Poster, May 2019 - Wurzburg (Germany).

• Battaglia S., Individual differences in working memory modulate the effect of Pavlovian stimuli in choice behaviors. Italian Association of Psychology (AIP) - XXIII National Congress of the Experimental Section. Talk, September 2017 - Bari (Italy).

• Battaglia S., The processing of context in fear acquisition and extinction. 1st Bologna Workshop on Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Talk, July 2017 - Bologna (Italy).

• Battaglia S., Sellitto M., Terenzi D., Menghi N., Iacono V., di Pellegrino G. The cost of imaginated actions in a valuation task. Concepts, Actions, and Objects (CAOs ) - Functional and Neural Perspectives. Poster, May 2016 - Rovereto (Italy).

[2025 - to date] Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR) - Member.

[2024 - to date] European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN) – Full Member.

[2021 - to date] Italian Society of Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience (SIPF) – Young Researcher.

[2020 - to date] Accredited as 'Psychologist Supervisor' for the internship (former D.P.R. 328 \ 2001) by the Italian National Order of Psychologists, Bologna, Italy.

[2017 - to date] Italian Professional Order of Psychologists – Psychologist member n°ER8640.

[2017 - to date] Italian Society of Neuropsychology (SINP) – Ordinary Member.

• Several articles and interviews published in national media outlets (e.g., La Repubblica, Il Resto del Carlino, Rai TG1, Corriere Romagna, Unibo Magazine) and international ones (e.g., Forbes, The Times, Daily Mail UK, Neuroscience News, National Brain Mapping Lab); see here.

• From 2021 to 2025, coordinator of the "ALTzheimer Project”, supported by the Province of Forlì-Cesena, Italy. This project focuses on screening activities for neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive impairment. The goal is to promote timely intervention for disease detection and contribute to both prevention and caregiver support through screening activities. Since 2024, I have served as the regional coordinator for Emilia-Romagna, Italy. 

• From 2024 to 2025, member of the ‘Third Mission and Social Impact Committee’ of the Department of Psychology at the University of Bologna, Italy.