Date Prepared: November 6, 2025
Name: Marta Bianciardi, Ph.D.
Office Address: Massachusetts General Hospital
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Room 2301, Building 149, 13th Street
Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129
Home Address: 30 Union Street Apt. 5
Cambridge, MA 02141
Work Phone: (617) 724-1723
Work Email: martab@mgh.harvard.edu
Work FAX: (617) 726-7422
Place of Birth: Rome, Italy
Education
10/2000 B.A. & M.A.
summa cum laude
Physics University of Rome “La
Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
01/2005 Ph.D. Biophysics University of Rome “La
Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
04/2006 Postgraduate Specialty
School
Medical Physics University of Rome “La
Sapienza”, Rome, Italy
Postdoctoral Training
01/05 - 12/06 Postdoctoral fellow Multimodal imaging (fMRI,
EEG)
(PI: Emiliano Macaluso)
Foundation Santa Lucia,
I.R.C.C.S., Neuroimaging
Laboratory, Rome, Italy
02/07 - 09/11 Postdoctoral visiting
fellow
Ultra-high field imaging (7 Tesla
fMRI)
(PI: Jeff Duyn)
Advanced MRI Section,
LFMI, NINDS, NIH,
Bethesda, MD
Faculty Academic Appointments
10/11 - 10/16 Instructor Radiology Harvard Medical School,
Boston, MA
11/16 - 09/23 Assistant Professor Radiology Harvard Medical School,
Boston, MA
110/23- present Associate Professor Radiology Harvard Medical School,
Boston, MA
Appointments at Hospitals/Affiliated Institutions
Current
10/11 – 09/23 Assistant in Biomedical
MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for
Massachusetts General
Engineering
Biomedical Imaging
Hospital, Boston, MA
10/11-present Faculty Member MR Physics and
Instrumentation Group
Athinoula A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical
Imaging
11/20-present Affiliated Faculty Division of Sleep Medicine Harvard Medical School
10/23-present Investigator, Associate
Professor
MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for
Massachusetts General
Biomedical Imaging
Hospital, Boston, MA
Major Administrative Leadership Positions
Local
2016-present Director, Brainstem Imaging Laboratory Athinoula A. Martinos Center for
Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts
General Hospital
International
2022-present Committee and Workshop Chair International Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine, American Society
of Neuroradiology (ASNR)/American
Society of Functional Neuroradiology
(ASFNR) (see Professional Societies)
Committee Service
Local
2017-present Advisor, Claflin Consultation Initiative of
Massachusetts General Hospital
the Center for Faculty Development's
Office for Women's Careers (OWC)
2018 Mentor, OWC mentored lunch for MGH
Massachusetts General Hospital
postdoc women
2019 Harvard University Examiner at Ph.D. Thesis Dissertation of
Dr. Kevin Sitek, Ph.D. in “Speech and
Hearing Bioscience and Technology”,
Division of Medical Sciences
22022-present Consultant, Harvard Catalyst Grant
Writing Service (e.g. “NIH K Grant
Specific Aims Consultation Service”)
2025-present Martinos Education Working group to
establish a possible new graduate PhD
program at the Martinos Center
Harvard Medical School
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for
Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts
General Hospital
International
2016-present University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Faculty member (foreign expert) of the
Ph.D. Review Board, Ph.D in “Medical-
Surgery Biotechnologies and Translational
Medicine” and in “Medical Physics,
Bioengineering and Artificial Intelligence”
Chairperson of session VII (“Tissue
microstructure”), XIII workshop
2018 International School on Magnetic
Resonance and Brain Function, “Ettore
Majorana” Foundation & Centre for
Scientific Culture
2019 International Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
Interviewer of “Pioneers of fMRI” Historical
Fireside Chat, as a member of the ISMRM
Historical Archive Committee
2019 International Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
University Sant’Anna (Pisa, Italy) Chairperson of the Session: “Novel Pulse
Sequences”
2020 Examiner at Ph.D. Thesis Dissertation of
Dr. Gianluca Mirizzi, Ph.D. in “Life
Sciences”, Division of Biomedical
Sciences
2022 2022 ISMRM Workshop on Ultra-high Field MR
(Lisbon, Portugal)
University Sant’Anna (Pisa, Italy) Moderator of the “Functional Imaging”
session
Reviewer and examiner at Ph.D. Thesis
Dissertation of Dr. Simone Cauzzo, Ph.D.
in “Translational Medicine”, Division of
Biomedical Sciences
2022 ISMRM (London, UK) Interviewer (Co-Interviewer: Riccardo
Lattanzi) of ISMRM AMPC Chair Steven
Sourbron and ISMRM AMPC Vice-Chair
Nivedita Agarwal
2022 ISMRM (London, UK) Moderator of Member-Initiated
Symposium: “Bridging the Scales of
Tissue Microstructure with Ultra-High Field
MRI & Multimodal Imaging”
2022 ISMRM (London, UK) Moderator (Secretary) of the Business
Meeting of the ISMRM Study Group on
Ultra-High Field MR
2023 ISMRM (Toronto, Canada) Interviewer of “Paul Callaghan’s legacy”
Historical Fireside Chat, as a member of
the ISMRI Historical Archive Committee
32023 ISMRM (Toronto, Canada) Moderator (Vice-Chair) of the Business
Meeting of the ISMRM Study Group on
2023 ISMRM Workshop on Current Issues in
Brain Function (Padova, Italy)
Ultra-High Field MR
Moderator of the session: “Novel
functional contrasts, non-BOLD methods”
2023 ISMRM Workshop on Current Issues in
Brain Function (Padova, Italy)
Interviewer of Historical Fireside Chat on
Italian MRI Pioneer Prof. Bruno Maraviglia
2024 ISMRM Study Group on Ultra High Field
MR
Chair, Business Meeting
2025 ISMRM (Honolulu, Hawaii, USA) Moderator of the educational session:
“Speaking Science III: Selling Yourself”
2025 ISMRM Study Group on Ultra High Field
MR
Moderator (Past-Chair) of the Business
Meeting of the ISMRM Study Group on
Ultra-High Field MR
Professional Societies
2005 - present International Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
Member
2010 – 2018, 2020-2023 2019-2022
Reviewer of conference abstracts
Member of the Annual Meeting Program
Committee (AMPC), fMRI Table member
in 2020, fMRI Table Chair in 2021 (~250
ISMRM abstracts, 5 AMPC Table
members), Neuro Table co-Chair in 2022
(~1000 ISMRM abstracts, 16 AMPC Table
members)
2018-present
Chair (2025-present) and Member (2018-
2025) of the Moments in MR History
Committee (previously called: Ad Hoc
Committee on Historical Archives). Her
goal is to consolidate and publicly release
the society archive of interviews of MR
pioneers.
2019-present
Founder (2019) and Lead Organizer
(2020-present) of Historical Fireside Chats
2021-2025
Committee Leader, High Field Systems
and Applications Study Group (four-year
rotation: Secretary, Vice Chair, Chair,
Past-Chair)
2001 - 2004;
2006 - 2008;
2016, 2023
Human Brain Mapping (HBM) Member
2009 – 2016, 2022 Reviewer of conference abstracts
2010; 2014; Society for Neuroscience Member
42021 International Parkinson and Movement
Disorder Society
Member
2022- International REM-sleep Behavior
Disorder Study Group (IRBDSG)
Member
2022- Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative
(PPMI) Imaging Working Group
Member
2022 ISMRM Workshop on Ultra-high Field MR
(Lisbon, Portugal)
Organizing Committee Member, reviewer
of workshop abstracts, sessions organizer
2023 ISMRM Workshop on Current Issues in
Brain Function (Padova, Italy)
Organizing Committee Member, reviewer
of workshop abstracts, sessions organizer
2025 Joint ISMRM Workshop of the Ultra-High
Field MR and Brain Function Study
Groups (Annapolis, MD, USA)
in all organizational aspects of the
workshop (e.g. securing a venue and
sponsors, forming an organizing
the workshop)
Organizing Committee Co-Chair, involved
committee, building the program, inviting
speakers, reviewing abstracts, advertising
2025 Association for the Scientific Study of
Consciousness, annual meeting
(Heraklion, Crete, Greece)
plenary speaker sessions organizer
Organizing Committee Member, reviewer
of workshop tutorial/symposia/abstracts,
2025 Ultra-high field MRI Study Group of the
American Society of Neuroradiology
(ASNR) and American Society of
Functional Neuroradiology (ASFNR)
Grant Review Activities
Co Vice-Chair
2017
2021 Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council – UK Research and
Innovation (EPSRC – UKRI, UK)
Reviewer
2022 NIH NINDS NST-2 Study Section,
“Neurological Sciences Training Initial
Review Group” (NINDS postdoc
fellowships, F32s, and career
development applications, K99s & K01s,
USA)
Reviewer
2022-2023 National Fund for Scientific Research
(Belgium)
Reviewer
2022 NIH ZRG1_CN-T(90), Center for Scientific
Review Special Emphasis Panel
“Neurological and Neuropsychological
Injuries and Disorders” (R01s)
Reviewer
52023
Congressionally Directed Medical
Research Programs, Parkinson’s
Research Program (Department of
Defense, USA)
Reviewer
2024
NINDS Scientific Review Committee (NIH,
USA)
Reviewer
2025
National Fund for Scientific Research
(Belgium)
Reviewer
2025
NWO Talent Programme VICI AES 2025
(Netherlands)
Reviewer
Editorial Activities
Ad hoc Reviewer
Neuroimage
Human Brain Mapping
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
MAGMA
PLoS ONE
The Open Neuroimaging Journal
Brain Structure and Function
Frontiers in Neuroinformatics/Physics/Physiology
Brain Imaging and Behavior
Reviewer of conference abstracts (ISMRM, HBM, UHF Wokshop, Workshop on Current Issues in Brain
Function)
Neurology
Journal of Neuroscience
Brain Imag Behav
Other Editorial Roles
2018-2025 Review Editor for Medical Physics and
Frontiers in Physiology and Frontiers in
Imaging
Physics
2018-2020 Guest Associate Editor Frontiers in Physics, Frontiers in
Physiology, “Proceedings of the
International School on Magnetic
Resonance and Brain Function - XIII
Workshop”
2022-2025 Associate Editor for Medical Physics and Frontiers in Physiology and Frontiers in
6Imaging Physics
Honors and Prizes
2003 Travel Award HBM annual meeting Research Award
2005 Travel Award ISMRM annual meeting Research Award
2008 Best Poster Award ISMRM ultra-high field
workshop
Research Award
2014 Caring for Dependents Travel
Award
MGH Center for Faculty
Development
Research Award
2017 MGH Claflin Distinguished
Scholar
MGH Executive
Committee on Research
Research Award
2017 Caring For Dependents Travel
Award
MGH Center for Faculty
Development
Research Award
2019 Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty
Initiative
Harvard University Faculty Award
2019 Best Abstract Award Finalist
(top five)
ISMRM Ultra-High Field
Study Group
Research Award
2020 Best Abstract Award (3rd place) ISMRM Ultra-High Field
Study Group
Research Award
2021 Top abstract American Neurological
Association Meeting
Poster Tour and SIG
session
2021 Top abstract International Parkinson
and Movement Disorder
Society Meeting
Poster Tour
2022 Keynote Speaker 24th Neuroimaging
Workshop, CIMAT,
Guanajuato, Mexico
Keynote Speaker
2023
Research Resources Imaging
Program Award
Michael J Fox Foundation
Research Award
2024
Keynote Speaker
McConnell Brain Imaging
Centre 40th Anniversary
Scientific Day, The Neuro,
McGill, Montreal, Canada
Keynote Speaker
2025 Plenary Speaker ISMRM annual meeting Plenary Speaker
Report of Funded and Unfunded Projects
Funding Information
Past
2007 - 2011 Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Human Brain Anatomy and Function 1ZIANS003027
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology Development 1ZIANS002990 (PI: Duyn)
NIH NINDS
Co-investigator (research post-doctoral fellow)
7The goal of this study was to: develop novel fMRI approaches to detect functional
activity of large cerebral vessels, investigate the modulation of spontaneous fMRI
activity in the human visual cortex at 7 T by behavior, and characterize instrumental
and physiologic noise in human fMRI at 7 T
2011 - 2014 Center for Functional Imaging Technologies, Regional Resource for functional brain
imaging
NIH NCRR P41RR014075
Co-investigator (PI: Rosen)
The major goal of this grant was to develop high-resolution ultra-high field fMRI.
Specific aim is to develop novel procedures to quantify blood oxygenation and volume
changes based on fMRI mapping of frequency shifts/susceptibility changes and to
identify novel MRI biomarkers of physiological and biomechanical properties of brain
tissue by the use of physiological MRI noise as a “signal of interest”.
2014 - 2015 Neuroimaging Leadership for the PTSD-TBI Clinical Consortium
DOD W81XWH-08-2-0159, Subcontract Harvard
Co-investigator (PI: Shenton; PI sub: Rosen)
Sub contract provided standardized MR and diffusion acquisition protocols which were
implemented across the consortium sites.
2014 - 2015 Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging University of California at San Diego
NIH NIBIB 5R01EB000790
Co-investigator (PI sub: Boas)
Subcontract supported the development of novel MRI and optical imaging methods to
investigate brain function with high spatio-temporal resolution
2015 - 2018 Magnetic particle imaging for breast cancer screening and monitoring
MGH ECOR RESEARCH SCHOLARS
Co-investigator (PI: Lawrence Wald)
The central aim is to develop a new technology and method able to detect changes in
the concentration of iron oxide nanoparticles in blood for breast cancer screening and
monitoring.
2014 – 2019 Center for Functional Imaging Technologies, Regional Resource for functional brain
imaging
NIH NIBIB P41RR014075
Co-investigator* (PI: Rosen)
In this application we seek renewed support for our continued efforts to develop
innovative neuroimaging technologies within the highly integrated multimodal
framework of our P41 Regional Resource. My major goal in this grant is to anatomically
delineate brainstem nuclei of the autonomic and motor systems by multi-contrast EPI at
7 Tesla, and to map their structural and functional connectogram.
*effort adjusted to comply with K01 policies
2016 - 2019 Brain Mechanisms of Chronic Subjective Dizziness
Italian Department of Health, Finalized Research with an Italian Researcher Abroad
PE-2013-02355372,
Italian Researcher Abroad, Collaborator (PI: Indovina)
In this application we seek to investigate altered structure and function of brain regions
mediating vestibular function and anxiety in chronic subjective dizziness.
2016 - 2020 In vivo atlas of the ascending arousal system in health and traumatic coma
8NIH NIBIB K01EB019474
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $649,600)
The central aim of this project is to develop an in vivo atlas of human brainstem nuclei
of the ascending arousal system and to map arousal connectivity pathways in traumatic
coma.
2017 - 2019 Imaging individual brainstem nuclei and pathways in sleep disorders
MGH ECOR CLAFLIN
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $100,000)
The central aim of this project is to investigate the integrity of brainstem microstructure
and pathways in sleep disorders.
2017-2019 In vivo mapping of human brainstem vestibular and autonomic pathways
NIH NIDCD R21DC015888
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $275,000)
The central aim of this project is to develop an in vivo atlas of human brainstem nuclei
of the vestibular and autonomic systems and to map their connectivity pathways in
healthy human subjects.
2019-2020 Brainstem mechanisms of REM sleep behavior disorder in humans
Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative, Harvard University
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $50,000)
The central aim is to investigate brainstem mechanism of behavior disorder during
REM sleep.
2016 - 2021 Fundamental Subcortical Mechanisms of Affective Processing
NIH NCI U01CA193632
Co-investigator* (PI: Feldman-Barrett, Northeastern; PI of S/C: Wald)
In this application, we plan to use ultra high-resolution structural and functional imaging
at 7 T to study the basic neural mechanisms of affect and provide basic information
about how the brain creates feelings of stress, emotion and pain. This information will
allow people to make better behavioral decisions related to cancer prevention, early
diagnosis, good prognosis and quality of life upon cancer survival, enabling more
personalized care.
*effort adjusted to comply with K01 policies.
2020-2023 Beyond ‘mindfulness’ and toward a modern science of meditative mastery and
transformation
Bial Foundation Grants Programme for Scientific Research
Collaborator (PI: Sacchet)
Multimodal neuroimaging study of advanced mindfulness meditative states
2022-2023 The Meditation Research Program at Mass General
Dimension Giving Fund
Co-Investigator (PI: Sacchet)
The award supports the research program toward advancing our understanding of
advanced meditation in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.
Current
92020-2026 Brainstem-based imaging biomarkers of pre manifest synucleinopathy
NIH NIA 1R01AG063982-01A1
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $2,212,318.00)
The goal of this project is to generate an atlas of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in
living elderly healthy subjects by ultra-high field MRI, and to use the atlas as a tool to
investigate brainstem-based biomarkers of premanifest synucleinopathy.
2023-2026 Brainstem-based toolkit and biomarkers of prodromal Parkinson’s disease
Michael J Fox Foundation MJFF-022672
Principal Investigator (Total direct costs: $554,817.78)
The goal of this project is to create and publicly release a Brainstem Navigator toolkit,
able to automatically localize brainstem nuclei in conventional MRI of patients, and generate cross-sectional and longitudinal biomarkers of prodromal PD by applying the
toolkit to datasets of the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative.
2025-2029 Advancing human brainstem MRI and its application in clinical research and practice
(ImagingBrainstemHealth)
European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) CA24118
Collaborator (Total direct costs: $0)
The COST Action will create a multidisciplinary network to facilitate and extend the use
of brainstem MRI in clinical research and practice.
2016 - 2021 Improved imaging of deep brain nuclei with 7 Tesla MRI using comprehensive
magnetic field monitoring and compensation
NIH NIBIB K99EB021349
Collaborator (PI: Jason Stockmann)
The central aim of this project is to develop an innovative comprehensive system for
real-time shimming at 7 Tesla, which includes: integrated RF-shim coil elements for
maximum shimming and RF efficiency, NMR field probes for field monitoring, and
feedback control for real-time shim updating.
2022-2023 7T structural and functional MRI during REM sleep in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
(RBD), and correlations with REM sleep without atonia: New insights into RBD
pathophysiology
Max Kade Foundation
Mentor (PI: Stefani)
The central aim of this project is to provide new insight into Parkinson’s disease
pathophysiology and progression at prodromal/early disease stages.
2022-2023 Longitudinal changes of brainstem-based biomarkers of prodromal Parkinson’s disease
with ultra-high field MRI
American Parkinson Disease Association (ADPA)
Mentor (PI: Grimaldi)
The central aim of this project is to provide new insight into Parkinson’s disease
pathophysiology and progression at prodromal/early disease stages.
2022-2023 Biomarqueurs de neurodégénérescence du tronc cérébral en IRM cérébrale 7 Tesla au
Training Grants and Mentored Trainee Grants
to
10stade prémoteur de la Maladie de Parkinson avec troubles du comportement en
sommeil paradoxal
France Parkinson
Mentor (PI: Grimaldi)
We aim to develop biomarkers of brainstem neurodegeneration using 7 Tesla MRI in
the premotor stage of Parkinson's disease with REM sleep behavior disorder.
Report of Local Teaching and Training
Teaching of Students in Courses
2005 - 2006 Seminar Series lectures on Magnetic
Resonance Spectroscopy and MRI
Physics
Students with a MA pursuing the title of
Specialist in Medical Physics
Specialization School in Medical Physics,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome,
Italy
6-hour lectures per year
Formal Teaching of Residents, Clinical Fellows and Research Fellows (post-docs)
2015 - 2017 Physiological noise in MRI MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical
Imaging
MGH Radiology residents 1 hour per month
Laboratory and Other Research Supervisory and Training Responsibilities
2013 - 2017 Supervision of visiting researcher /
3 hour (2013-2015) / 1 hour (2016-2017)
MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical
meeting per week plus training on 7 Tesla
Imaging
imaging
2014 - 2016 Supervision of visiting researcher /
MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical
Imaging
2016 - 2018 Supervision of resident research fellow /
Brigham and Women’s Hospital/A.A.
Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
2017-2018 Supervision of B.S. student in Behavioral
Neuroscience/Northeastern University
2017-2025 Supervision of Ph.D. student/post-
doctoral fellow in
Psychology/Northeastern University
2017-present Supervision of 2-4 post-doctoral fellows in 11
3 hour meeting per week plus training on 7
Tesla imaging and physiological
recordings
2 hour meeting per week to delineate
brainstem nuclei plus training on 7 Tesla
imaging and physiological recordings
1 hour meeting per week to support 7
Tesla fMRI data acquisition and analysis
1 hour meeting per week to support 7
Tesla fMRI data acquisition and analysis
1-3 hour meeting per week to train andRadiology/MGH/HMS/A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging
support 7 Tesla fMRI data acquisition and
analysis of healthy subjects and RBD
patients
2020-2021 Supervision of a PhD Student in
Translational Medicine
1-3 hour meeting per week to train and
support 7 Tesla fMRI data acquisition and
analysis of healthy subjects
2020-present Supervision of a Clinical Coordinator 1 hour meeting per week to train on
recruitment, data acquisition and analysis
2013 - 2017 Nicola Toschi. Ph.D. / Associate Professor, Medical Physics Section, Department of
Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy.
Career stage: Visiting assistant (2013-2015) / associate (2016-2017) professor.
Mentoring role: research advisor. Accomplishments: 5 published manuscripts and
multiple-conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos Center for
Biomedical Imaging.
2014 - 2016 Patricia Figueiredo, Ph.D. / Assistant Professor, Institute for Systems and Robotics,
Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa,
Lisbon, Portugal.
Career stage: Visiting Assistant Professor. Mentoring role: research advisor.
Accomplishments: 1 published manuscript and multiple-conference abstracts of
research performed at the A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
2016 - 2018 Christian Strong, MD / Neurosurgery resident, Brigham and Women Hospital
Career stage: resident. Mentoring role: research mentor. Accomplishments: 1
published manuscripts and multiple-conference abstracts of research performed at the
A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
2017-2018 Tara Srirangarajan / Research Assistant, Northeastern University.
Career stage: B.S. student in Behavioral Neuroscience. Mentoring role: research
mentor. Accomplishments: 2 conference abstract of research performed at the A.A.
Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
2017-2025 Jiahe Zhang / Graduate Student and Research Fellow, Northeastern University.
Career stage: Ph.D. student in Psychology and currently post-doctoral fellow.
Mentoring role: research mentor. Accomplishments: 3 conference abstract of research
performed at the A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 1 published paper.
2017-2021 Maria Guadalupe Garcia Gomar / Post-doctoral fellow, A.A. Martinos Center for
Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 15 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging; 8 published papers.
2018-2023 Kavita Singh / Post-doctoral fellow, A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 13 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Mentored Trainees and Faculty
122020-2021 2020-2021 2021-2023 2022-2023 2022-present 2022-2023 2023-present 2024-present 2025-present Center for Biomedical Imaging; 8 published papers.
Simone Cauzzo / PhD Student in Translational Medicine, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna,
Pisa, Italy.
Career stage: PhD Student. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 3 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging; 4 published papers.
Matthew Stauder / Clinical Research Coordinatior, MGH.
Career Stage: Research Training to get into a graduate school. Mentoring role:
research mentor.
Accomplishments: 7 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging; 3 published papers.
Avijit Chowdhury / Post-doctoral fellow, McLean Hospital.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research training (mentor Dr.
Matthew Sacchet, MGH).
Accomplishments: acquired and analyzed 7 Tesla data, manuscript submitted.
Ambra Stefani / Post-doctoral fellow, A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and
MGH.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor (co-mentor Dr.
Aleksandar Videnovic, MGH).
Accomplishments: 1 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Subhranil Koley / Post-doctoral fellow, A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 4 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging; 1 paper submitted for publication.
Stephan Grimaldi / Post-doctoral fellow, A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: analyzed data, manuscript submitted for publication.
Firdaus Fabrice Hannanu, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 4 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Timothy Lawn, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: secondary mentor.
Accomplishments: running data analysis.
Lin Hua, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging.
Career stage: Post-doctoral fellow. Mentoring role: research supervisor.
Accomplishments: 2 conference abstracts of research performed at the A.A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging.
13Local Invited Presentations
No presentations below were sponsored by outside entities.
Report of Regional, National and International Invited Teaching
and Presentations
Invited Presentations and Courses
No presentations below were sponsored by outside entities.
Regional
2013 2020 2021 2023 2024 2024 2025 Echo-planar imaging of cerebral physiology and metabolism at 7 T / Brain Map
Seminar MGH / A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA
Brainstem mechanisms of REM sleep behavior disorder in humans / Harvard Mind
Brain Behavior Winter Retreat / American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Cambridge,
MA, USA
In vivo atlas and connectome of brainstem nuclei in health and premanifest
synucleinopathy / Mass General Neuroscience Leadership Council, Boston, MA, USA
The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit to investigate brainstem nuclei structure, function,
and connectivity in living humans / Vitaly Napadow’s lab meeting, Athinoula A. Martinos
Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH, Boston, MA, USA
MR Physics and the Brainstem Navigator / Physics Honors Freshman Class,
Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, Cambridge, MA, USA
The Brainstem Navigator / Ultra-High Field and Ultra-High Performance MR Workshop,
MGB Radiology Collaborative Clinical and Research Program, Boston, MA, USA
Tips on grant writing: how to write a Specific Aims page / Brain Map Seminar MGH /
A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA
National
2009 2010 2010 2023 Physiologic noise and spontaneous activity in human fMRI at 7T / Invited lecture
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Physiologic noise and spontaneous activity in human fMRI at 7 T / Invited lecture
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Spontaneous activity and non-thermal noise in human fMRI at 7 T / Brain Map Seminar
MGH/A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, USA
Brainstem microstructure and pathways in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder by 7
Tesla MRI / American Board of Internal Medicine meeting / Invited lecture (virtual
meeting)
International
2003 On the detection limit of current induced phase changes in Magnetic Resonance
14Imaging at 1.5T (selected abstract)
The 4th International Conference on Noninvasive Functional Source Imaging (NFSI),
Chieti, Italy
2005 Neuronal current fMRI (Hagberg GE & Bianciardi M) / Invited lecture
III Workshop of the International School on Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function,
Erice, Italy
2008 Spontaneous activity in the visual cortex persists during visual stimulation: a 7T study
(selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Toronto,
Canada
2008 BOLD imaging of ongoing and evoked activity in human visual cortex / Invited lecture
VI Workshop of the International School on Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function,
Erice, Italy
2009 Sources of fMRI signal fluctuation in the human brain at rest: a 7T study (selected
abstract)
HI, USA
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu,
2009 Physiologic fluctuations at 7T / Invited lecture
Workshop on Applications of Human Ultra-High Field MRI, International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu, HI, USA
2009 Physiologic noise and spontaneous activity in human fMRI at 7T / Invited lecture
Bi-annual Minnesota Workshop on high field magnetic resonance and functional brain
imaging, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2010 Structural and functional MRI of the human brain at 7 Tesla / Invited lecture
1st meeting of the Italian Chapter of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance
in Medicine, Milan, Italy
2010 Contribution of different sources of signal variance to T2* and S0 maps in the human
brain at rest: a 7T study (selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Stockholm,
Sweden
2010 Spontaneous signal fluctuations in human fMRI at high magnetic fields / Invited lecture
Workshop on Applications of Human Ultra-High Field MRI, Danish Research Centre for
Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen, Denmark
2011 BOLD frequency shifts in human fMRI at 7T (selected abstract)
Workshop on Ultra-High Field Systems and Applications of the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Alberta, Canada
2014 Imaging gray matter in human brainstem in vivo through high spatial resolution
Diffusion Tensor Imaging at 7 Tesla (selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Milan, Italy
2014 In Vivo Delineation of Human Brainstem Grey Matter with Diffusion Tensor Imaging at 15
72015 2015 2017 2017 2017 2018 2018 2018 2019 2020 2020 Tesla (selected abstract)
Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, Washington, DC, USA
Echo-planar-imaging of human brain function, physiology, and structure at 7 Tesla:
challenges and opportunities / Invited lecture
Ultra-high field MRI Workshop: Transition to Human 7 T in Finland, Aalto Brain Centre,
Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
Echo-planar imaging of human brain function, physiology and structure at 7 Tesla:
challenges and opportunities / Invited lecture
Advanced Brain Imaging Techniques Symposium, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon,
Portugal
In vivo 7 Tesla probabilistic neuroimaging structural atlas of human
pedunculotegmental, oral pontine reticular and paramedian-raphe nuclei (selected
abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu,
HI, USA
7 Tesla imaging of microstructural brainstem changes in REM sleep behavior disorder
(selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu,
HI, USA
7 Tesla imaging of microstructural brainstem changes in REM sleep behavior disorder
(selected abstract)
SLEEP annual meeting, Boston, MA, USA
Ultra-high field MRI of the human brainstem / Invited lecture
XIII Workshop of the International School on Magnetic Resonance and Brain Function,
Erice, Italy
Redundancy and resiliency of arousal mechanisms in traumatic coma patients
(selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Paris,
France
In vivo human brainstem atlas and connectome by 7 Tesla MRI / Invited lecture
Santa Lucia Foundation, I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
Probabilistic structural atlas of human lateral parabrachial nucleus, medial parabrachial
nucleus and vestibular nuclei complex using in vivo 7 Tesla MRI (selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Montreal,
Canada
Brainstem anatomy and hodology: in vivo imaging (invited educational course)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting (virtual
meeting)
Validation and application of soma and neurite density imaging (SANDI) for in vivo
human brainstem nuclei atlasing (selected abstract)
162020 2021 2022 2022 2022 2022 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting (virtual
meeting)
Microstructural and connectivity brainstem changes in REM sleep behavior disorder by
7 Tesla MRI (selected abstract)
American Academy of Neurology annual meeting (virtual meeting)
Resilience of Arousal Mechanisms in Traumatic Coma (selected abstract)
American Neurological Association annual meeting, SIG session on “Traumatic Brain
Brainstem structural connectivity changes in in-vivo isolated REM sleep behavior
disorder by 7 Tesla MRI Injury” (virtual meeting)
/ Invited talk
15th International REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) Study Group meeting, Ravenna,
Italy
Navigating the brainstem gray matter in healthy living humans by high and ultra-high
field MRI / Invited talk
24th Neuroimaging Meeting, Center of Mathematical Studies (CIMAT) and Neurobiology
Institute of Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico
Guanajuato, The Brainstem Navigator toolkit: tutorial and translational application to traumatic coma
and premanifest synucleinopathy / Invited talk
24th Neuroimaging Meeting, Center of Mathematical Studies (CIMAT) and Neurobiology
Institute of Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico
Guanajuato, Brainstem nuclei atlasing and connectomics in health and disease / Invited talk
“Brain Meetings” seminar series, Imperial College London, UK (virtual seminar)
Mapping brainstem nuclei structure and connectivity in health and disease / Invited talk
“Neuroscience” seminar series, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
Resting state fMRI and recent advances / Invited educational talk
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting (Toronto,
Canada)
The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit to investigate brainstem nuclei structure, function,
and connectivity in living humans (selected abstract)
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting (Toronto,
Canada)
Functional and structural brainstem-based biomarkers of isolated RBD using 7 Tesla
MRI / Invited talk
16th International REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) Study Group meeting, Montreal,
Canada
The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit to study brainstem nuclei structure and function in
living humans (selected abstract)
Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Montreal, Canada
The MGH Neuro Translational Experience at 7 Tesla / Invited talk
Kick off meeting of the 7 Tesla Translational Alliance of North America. Los Angeles,
17CA, USA (virtual talk)
2023 Atlasing and connectomics of brainstem nuclei in living humans / Invited talk
ISMRM Brain Function Study Group Virtual Meeting: “Functional MRI of Subcortical
Regions: Acquisition & Analysis” (virtual talk)
2024 The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit to investigate brainstem nuclei structure, function,
and connectivity in living humans / Invited talk
Histological MRI meeting, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain
Sciences, Leipzig, Germany (virtual talk)
2024 The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit for brainstem nuclei atlasing and connectomics in
living humans/ Invited talk
Hammerer’s Lab meeting, University of Innsbruck, Austria (virtual talk)
2024 The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit for brainstem nuclei atlasing and connectomics in
living humans / Invited talk
Locus Coeruleus Imaging meeting, Innsbruck, Austria (virtual talk)
2024 Brainstem nuclei atlasing and connectomics: an opportunity for neuroscience and
brainstem-related disorders / Invited Keynote Lecture
McConnell Brain Imaging Centre 40th Anniversary Scientific Day, The Neuro, McGill,
Montreal, Canada
2025 Brainstem nuclei atlasing and connectomics in living humans / Invited talk
The Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research
and Treatment (ISTAART), webinar organized by the Neuroimaging and
Neuromodulatory Subcortical Systems Professional Interest Areas (PIAs) (virtual talk)
2025 Heart-brain conversations: a window on glymphatic and autonomic functions / Invited
plenary talk.
Hawaii, USA.
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu,
2025 Brainstem Imaging at 7 Tesla
ASNR-ASFNR Joint Webinar: Ultra-High Field, Ultra-High Insight: Exploring 7T MRI
(virtual talk)
2025 My 10 years of brainstem imaging at ultra-high field
MGB 7 Tesla Center meeting (virtual talk)
Report of Technological and Other Scientific Innovations
Methods using recurrence
quantification analysis to
analyze and generate
images (2009):
Zbilut JP, Sirabella P, Bianciardi M, Hagberg GE, Colosimo A, Giuliani A.
U.S. Patent issued No. 7430313 (Patent Application Publication No.: US
2009/0080725 A1, Publication Date: Mar. 26. 2009) funded by Rush
University, Chicago, U.S.A.
This innovation might be used to detect recurrent patterns in complex
18dynamical images of the human body (e.g. brain/cardiac/gastrointestinal
function) and provide novel biomarkers of disease. Other researchers
focusing on MRI and speech function use this material. Dr. Bianciardi had
the idea of applying recurrence quantification analysis to functional MRI data,
which later lead to a publication on this topic in Neuroimage. In this patent,
Dr. Zbilut further expanded this concept to quantify patterns in digital images
of dynamic systems of any type (e.g. biology, medicine, geography,
meteorology).
The Brainstem Navigator
toolkit v0.9, v1.0
https://www.nitrc.org/projects/brainstemnavig/
The Brainstem Navigator toolkit is a collection of in-vivo brainstem nuclei
atlas labels, MRI templates and documentation. The atlas is in stereotactic
space and includes gray matter brainstem regions involved in arousal/sleep,
autonomic, motor, sensory and limbic function. The atlas labels of brainstem
nuclei were created by semi-automatic and manual segmentations of multi-
contrast MRI of living humans at 7 Tesla. This package has been made
available to enable researchers to identify the location of brainstem nuclei in
both conventional and advanced MRI (e.g. 3 Tesla, 7 Tesla).
Repository registered on 12/30/2021, public release v0.9 on 1/2/2022 and
v1.0 on 10/8/2024
DOI: 10.25790/bml0cm.96. Current user community: more than 2700 users.
Report of Education of Patients and Service to the Community
Recognition
2024 Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Highlights Magazine vol 9, page. 43
Interview by Melissa Lowe to Marta
Bianciardi: “ISMRM Fireside Chats”
Report of Scholarship
Peer-Reviewed Scholarship in print or other media
Research Investigations
1. 2. 3. Mangia S, Garreffa G, Bianciardi M, Giove F, Di Salle F, Maraviglia B. The aerobic brain: lactate
decrease at the onset of neural activity. Neuroscience. 2003;118(1):7-10. PMID: 12676131.
Hagberg GE1, Bianciardi M, Patria F, Indovina I. Quantitative NumART2* mapping in functional MRI
studies at 1.5 T. Magn Reson Imaging. 2003 Dec;21(10):1241-1249. PMID: 14725932.
Bianciardi M, Cerasa A, Patria F, Hagberg GE. Evaluation of mixed effects in event-related fMRI
studies: impact of first-level design and filtering. Neuroimage. 2004 Jul;22(3):1351-1370. PMID:
15219607. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.02.039.
194. Cerasa A, Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Sabatini U. Visually cued motor synchronization: modulation
of fMRI activation patterns by baseline condition. Neurosci Lett. 2005 Jan 3;373(1):32-37. PMID:
15555772. DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2004.09.076.
5. Bianciardi M, Di Russo F, Aprile T, Maraviglia B, Hagberg GE. Combination of BOLD-fMRI and VEP
recordings for spin-echo MRI detection of primary magnetic effects caused by neuronal currents.
Magn Reson Imaging. 2004 Dec;22(10):1429-1440. PMID: 15707792. DOI:
10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.009.
6. Briselli E, Garreffa G, Bianchi L, Bianciardi M, Macaluso E, Abbafati M, Grazia Marciani M,
Maraviglia B. An independent component analysis-based approach on ballistocardiogram artifact
removing. Magn Reson Imaging. 2006 May;24(4):393-400. PMID: 16677945. DOI:
10.1016/j.mri.2006.01.008.
7. Barba C, Formisano R, Sabatini U, Cicinelli P, Elisabeth Hagberg G, Marconi B, Ciurli P, Bianciardi
M, Matteis M. Dysfunction of a structurally normal motor pathway in a brain injury patient as revealed
by multimodal integrated techniques. Neurocase. 2006 Aug;12(4):232-235. PMID: 17000593. DOI:
10.1080/13554790600878879.
8. Cerasa A, Hagberg GE, Peppe A, Bianciardi M, Gioia MC, Costa A, Castriota-Scanderbeg A,
Caltagirone C, Sabatini U. Functional changes in the activity of cerebellum and frontostriatal regions
during externally and internally timed movement in Parkinson's disease. Brain Res Bull. 2006 Dec
11;71(1-3):259-269. PMID: 17113955. DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2006.09.014.
9. Bianciardi M, Sirabella P, Hagberg GE, Giuliani A, Zbilut JP, Colosimo A. Model-free analysis of
brain fMRI data by recurrence quantification. Neuroimage. 2007 Aug 15;37(2):489-503. PMID:
17600730. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.05.025.
10. Cassarà AM, Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Migliore M, Maraviglia B. Realistic simulations of neuronal
activity: a contribution to the debate on direct detection of neuronal currents by MRI. Neuroimage.
2008 Jan 1;39(1):87-106. PMID: 17936018. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.08.048.
11. Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Brainovich V, Cassarà AM, Maraviglia B. The effect of physiological
noise in phase functional magnetic resonance imaging: from blood oxygen level-dependent effects to
direct detection of neuronal currents. Magn Reson Imaging. 2008 Sep;26(7):1026-1040. PMID:
18479875. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2008.01.010.
12. Bianciardi M, Bianchi L, Garreffa G, Abbafati M, Di Russo F, Marciani MG, Macaluso E. Single-
epoch analysis of interleaved evoked potentials and fMRI responses during steady-state visual
stimulation. Clin Neurophysiol. 2009 Apr;120(4):738-747. PMID: 19250866. DOI:
10.1016/j.clinph.2009.01.009.
13. Bianciardi M, van Gelderen P, Duyn JH, Fukunaga M, de Zwart JA. Making the most of fMRI at 7 T
by suppressing spontaneous signal fluctuations. Neuroimage. 2009 Jan 15;44(2):448-454. PMID:
18835582. PMCID: PMC2784593. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.08.037.
14. Bianciardi M, Fukunaga M, van Gelderen P, Horovitz SG, de Zwart JA, Duyn JH. Modulation of
spontaneous fMRI activity in human visual cortex by behavioral state. Neuroimage. 2009 Mar
1;45(1):160-168. PMID: 19028588. PMCID: PMC2704889. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.10.034
15. Bianciardi M, Fukunaga M, van Gelderen P, Horovitz SG, de Zwart JA, Shmueli K, Duyn JH.
Sources of functional magnetic resonance imaging signal fluctuations in the human brain at rest: a 7
20T study. Magn Reson Imaging. 2009 Oct;27(8):1019-1029. PMID: 19375260. PMCID: PMC3512098.
DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2009.02.004.
16. de Zwart JA, van Gelderen P, Jansma JM, Fukunaga M, Bianciardi M, Duyn JH. Hemodynamic
nonlinearities affect BOLD fMRI response timing and amplitude. Neuroimage. 2009 Oct 1;47(4):1649-
1658. PMID: 19520175. PMCID: PMC2731556. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.06.001.
17. Bianciardi M, Fukunaga M, van Gelderen P, de Zwart JA, Duyn JH. Negative BOLD fMRI signals in
large cerebral veins. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2011 Feb;31(2):401-412. PMID: 20859295. PMCID:
PMC3049531. DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2010.164.
18. Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Brainovich V, Cassara AM, Maraviglia B. Phase stability in fMRI time
series: effect of noise regression, off-resonance correction and spatial filtering techniques.
Neuroimage. 2012 Feb 15;59(4):3748-3761. PMID: 22079450. DOI:
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.10.095.
19. Satpute AB, Wager TD, Cohen-Adad J, Bianciardi M, Choi JK, Buhle JT, Wald LL, Barrett LF.
Identification of discrete functional subregions of the human periaqueductal gray. Proc Natl Acad Sci
U S A. 2013 Oct 15;110(42):17101-17106. PMID: 24082116. PMCID: PMC3801046. DOI:
10.1073/pnas.1306095110.
20. Bianciardi M, van Gelderen P, Duyn JH. Investigation of BOLD fMRI resonance frequency shifts and
quantitative susceptibility changes at 7 T. Hum Brain Mapp. 2014 May;35(5):2191-2205. PMID:
23897623. PMCID: PMC4280841. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22320.
21. Bright MG, Bianciardi M, de Zwart JA, Murphy K, Duyn JH. Early anti-correlated BOLD signal
changes of physiologic origin. Neuroimage. 2014 Feb 15;87:287-296. PMID: 24211818. PMCID:
PMC4001078. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.10.055.
22. Bilgic B, Fan AP, Polimeni JR, Cauley SF, Bianciardi M, Adalsteinsson E, Wald LL, Setsompop K.
Fast quantitative susceptibility mapping with L1-regularization and automatic parameter selection.
Magn Reson Med. 2014 Nov;72(5):1444-1459. PMID: 24259479. PMCID: PMC4111791. DOI:
10.1002/mrm.25029.
23. Bianciardi M, Toschi N, Edlow BL, Eichner C, Setsompop K, Polimeni JR, Brown EN, Kinney HC,
Rosen BR, Wald LL. Toward an in vivo neuroimaging template of human brainstem nuclei of the
ascending arousal, autonomic and motor systems. Brain Connect. 2015 Dec;5(10):597-607. PMID:
26066023. PMCID: PMC4684653. DOI: 10.1089/brain.2015.0347.
24. Duggento A, Bianciardi M, Passamonti L, Wald LL, Guerrisi M, Barbieri R, Toschi N. Globally
conditioned Granger causality in brain-brain and brain-heart interactions: a combined heart rate
variability/ultra-high-field (7 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Philos Trans A Math
Phys Eng Sci. 2016 May 13;374(2067). pii: 20150185. PMID: 27044985. PMCID: PMC4822445. DOI:
10.1098/rsta.2015.0185.
25. Bianciardi M, Toschi N, Polimeni JR, Evans KC, Bhat H, Keil B, Rosen BR, Boas DA, Wald LL. The
pulsatility volume index: an indicator of cerebrovascular compliance based on fast magnetic
resonance imaging of cardiac and respiratory pulsatility. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2016
May 13;374(2067). pii: 20150184. PMID: 27044992. PMCID: PMC4822444. DOI:
10.1098/rsta.2015.0184.
2126. Bianciardi M, Toschi N, Eichner C, Polimeni JR, Setsompop K, Brown EN, Hämäläinen MS, Rosen
BR, Wald LL. In vivo functional connectome of human brainstem nuclei of the ascending arousal,
autonomic and motor systems by high spatial resolution 7 Tesla fMRI. MAGMA. 2016 Jun;29(3):451-
462. PMID: 27126248. PMCID: PMC4892960. DOI: 10.1007/s10334-016-0546-3.
27. Pinto J, Nunes S, Bianciardi M, Dias A, Silveira LM, Wald LL, Figueiredo P. Improved 7 Tesla
resting-state fMRI connectivity measurements by cluster-based modeling of respiratory volume and
heart rate effects. Neuroimage. 2017 Apr 6. pii: S1053-8119(17)30298-7. PMID: 28392488. DOI:
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.009.
28. Bernardini M, Thevenet H, Berthold C, Desbrée A, Smadja C, Desiré C, Bianciardi M, Ghazzar N.
Optimisation of reconstruction, volumetry and dosimetry for 99mTc-SPECT and 90Y-PET images:
Towards reliable dose-volume histograms for selective internal radiation therapy with 90Y-
microspheres. Phys Med. 2017 Jul;39:147-155. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2017.06.021. Epub 2017 Jul 4.
PMID: 28687192
29. Bianciardi M, Strong C, Toschi N, Edlow BL, Fischl B, Brown EN, Rosen BR, Wald LL. A
probabilistic template of human mesopontine tegmental nuclei from in vivo 7 T MRI. Neuroimage.
2018 Apr 15;170:222-230. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.070. Epub 2017 May 3. PMID:
28476663
30. Satpute AB, Kragel PA, Barrett LF, Wager TD, Bianciardi M. Deconstructing arousal into wakeful,
autonomic and affective varieties. Neurosci Lett. 2018 Jan 31. pii: S0304-3940(18)30048-X. doi:
10.1016/j.neulet.2018.01.042. PMID: 29378297
31. Benabdallah N, Bernardini M, Bianciardi M, de Labriolle-Vaylet C, Franck D, Desbrée A. 223Ra-
dichloride therapy of bone metastasis: optimization of SPECT images for quantification. EJNMMI Res
2019 Feb 21;9(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s13550-019-0488-7.
32. Viessmann O, Scheffler K, Bianciardi M, Wald LL, Polimeni JR. Dependence of resting-state fMRI
fluctuation amplitudes on cerebral cortical orientation relative to the direction of B0 and anatomical
axes. Neuroimage. 2019 Apr 16. pii: S1053-8119(19)30322-2. doi:
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.036. PMID: 31002965
33. Kragel PA, Bianciardi M, Hartley L, Matthewson G, Choi JK, Quigley KS, Wald LL, Wager TD,
Feldman Barrett L, Satpute AB. Functional Involvement of Human Periaqueductal Gray and Other
Midbrain Nuclei in Cognitive Control. J Neurosci. 2019 Jul 31;39(31):6180-6189. doi:
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2043-18.2019. Epub 2019 Jun 3. PMID: 31160537
34. García-Gomar MG, Strong C, Toschi N, Singh K, Rosen BR, Lawrence LL, Bianciardi M. In vivo
probabilistic structural atlas of the inferior and superior colliculi, medial and lateral geniculate nuclei
and superior olivary complex based on 7 Tesla MRI. Frontiers in Neuroscience, July 2019, doi:
10.3389/fnins.2019.00764.
35. Snider SB, Bodien YG, Bianciardi M, Brown EN, Wu O, Edlow BL. Disruption of the ascending
arousal network in acute traumatic disorders of consciousness. Neurology 2019;93:1-6.
doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000008163
Bianciardi M, Stufflebeam S, Hamalainen M, Solo V. Individual Resting-
36. Sundaram P, Luessi M, State Brain Networks enabled by Massive Multivariate Conditional Mutual Information. IEEE Trans
Med Imaging. 2019 Dec 26. doi: 10.1109/TMI.2019.2962517.
2237. Wang YC, Bianciardi M, Chanes L, Satpute AB. Ultra High Field fMRI of Human Superior Colliculi
Activity during Affective Visual Processing. Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 28;10(1):1331. doi: 10.1038/s41598-
020-57653-z. PMID: 31992744
38. Singh K, Indovina I, Augustinack JC, Nestor K, García-Gomar MG, Staab JP, Bianciardi M.
Probabilistic Template of the Lateral Parabrachial Nucleus, Medial Parabrachial Nucleus, Vestibular
Nuclei Complex, and Medullary Viscero-Sensory-Motor Nuclei Complex in Living Humans From 7
Tesla MRI. Front Neurosci. 2020 Jan 23;13:1425. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01425. eCollection 2019.
PMID: 32038134
39. Snider SB, Bodien YG, Frau-Pascual A, Bianciardi M, Foulkes AS, Edlow BL. Ascending arousal
network connectivity during recovery from traumatic coma. Neuroimage Clin. 2020;28:102503. doi:
10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102503. Epub 2020 Nov 19. PMID: 33395992; PMCID: PMC7724378.
40. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Bianciardi M. Probabilistic Atlas of the Mesencephalic Reticular
Formation, Isthmic Reticular Formation, Microcellular Tegmental Nucleus, Ventral Tegmental Area
Nucleus Complex, and Caudal-Rostral Linear Raphe Nucleus Complex in Living Humans from 7
Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Brain Connect. 2021 Oct;11(8):613-623. doi:
10.1089/brain.2020.0975. Epub 2021 Jun 17. PMID: 33926237; PMCID: PMC8817713.
41. Bianciardi M, Izzy S, Rosen BR, Wald LL, Edlow BL. Location of Subcortical Microbleeds and
Recovery of Consciousness After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurology. 2021 Jul 13;97(2):e113-
e123. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012192. Epub 2021 May 28. PMID: 34050005; PMCID:
PMC8279563.
42. García-Gomar MG, Videnovic A, Singh K, Stauder M, Lewis LD, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Bianciardi M.
Disruption of Brainstem Structural Connectivity in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Using 7 Tesla
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Mov Disord. 2022 Apr;37(4):847-853. doi: 10.1002/mds.28895. Epub
2021 Dec 29. PMID: 34964520; PMCID: PMC9018552.
43. Singh K, Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Stauder M, Vanello N, Passino C, Bianciardi M. Functional
connectome of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in living humans by 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI.
Neuroimage. 2022 Apr 1;249:118865. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118865. Epub 2022 Jan 12.
PMID: 35031472; PMCID: PMC8856580.
44. Cauzzo S, Singh K, Stauder M, García-Gomar MG, Vanello N, Passino C, Staab J, Indovina I,
Bianciardi M. Functional connectome of brainstem nuclei involved in autonomic, limbic, pain and
sensory processing in living humans from 7 Tesla resting state fMRI. Neuroimage. 2022 Apr
15;250:118925. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118925. Epub 2022 Jan 21. PMID: 35074504;
PMCID: PMC8885980.
45. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Staab JP, Indovina I, Bianciardi M. Structural connectivity of
autonomic, pain, limbic, and sensory brainstem nuclei in living humans based on 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla
MRI. Hum Brain Mapp. 2022 Jul;43(10):3086-3112. doi: 10.1002/hbm.25836. Epub 2022 Mar 19.
PMID: 35305272; PMCID: PMC9188976.
46. García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. In vivo structural connectome of arousal and
motor brainstem nuclei by 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI. Hum Brain Mapp. 2022 Oct 1;43(14):4397-4421.
doi: 10.1002/hbm.25962. Epub 2022 May 28. PMID: 35633277; PMCID: PMC9435015.
47. Grimaldi S, Guye M, Bianciardi M, Eusebio A. Brain MRI Biomarkers in Isolated Rapid Eye
Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder: Where Are We? A Systematic Review. Brain Sci. 2023 Sep
2330;13(10). doi: 10.3390/brainsci13101398. Review. PubMed PMID: 37891767; PubMed Central
PMCID: PMC10604962.
48. Yang WFZ, Chowdhury A, Bianciardi M, van Lutterveld R, Sparby T, Sacchet MD. Intensive whole-
brain 7T MRI case study of volitional control of brain activity in deep absorptive meditation states.
Cereb Cortex. 2024 Jan 14;34(1). doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhad408. PubMed PMID: 37943791; PubMed
Central PMCID: PMC10793575.
49. Fischbach AK, Satpute AB, Quigley K, Kragel PA, Chen D, Bianciardi M, Wald L, Wager TD, Choi
JK, Zhang J, Barrett LF, Theriault JE. Seven Tesla Evidence for Columnar and Rostral-Caudal
Organization of the Human Periaqueductal Gray Response in the Absence of Threat: A Working
Memory Study. J Neurosci. 2024 Jun 26;44(26). doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1757-23.2024. PubMed
PMID: 38664013; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11211719.
50. Hansen JY, Cauzzo S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Shine JM, Bianciardi M, Misic B. Integrating
brainstem and cortical functional architectures. Nat Neurosci. 2024 Oct 16;. doi: 10.1038/s41593-
024-01787-0. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 39414973.
51. Chowdhury A, Bianciardi M, Chapdelaine E, Riaz OS, Timmermann C, van Lutterveld R, Sparby T,
Sacchet MD. Multimodal neurophenomenology of advanced concentration absorption meditation: An
intensively sampled case study of Jhana. Neuroimage. 2025 Jan;305:120973. doi:
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120973. Epub 2024 Dec 14. PMID: 39681243; PMCID: PMC11770875.
52. Zhang J, Chen D, Deming P, Srirangarajan T, Theriault J, Kragel PA, Hartley L, Lee KM, McVeigh K,
Wager TD, Wald LL, Satpute AB, Quigley KS, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Barrett LF*, Bianciardi M*.
Cortical and subcortical mapping of the allostatic-interoceptive system in the human brain using 7
Tesla fMRI. Nat Neurosci. 2025 Nov;28(11):2380-2391. doi: 10.1038/s41593-025-02087-x. Epub
2025 Oct 23. PMID: 41131362. (* co-senior authors)
Non-Peer Reviewed scientific or medical scholarship/materials in print or other media
Proceedings of meetings or other non-peer reviewed scholarship
1. Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Patria F. Selection of event sequences in single task event-related fMRI
designs. Neuroimage. 2001;13(6):S13, Part 2.
2. 3. 4. 5. Evans KC, Keil B, McLaren DG, Bianciardi M, Song TY, Triantafyllou C. Hypercapnia evokes
amygdalo-thalamic and brainstem activity: a 7 T functional magnetic resonance imaging study in
healthy humans. Anaesthet Res Soc, British J Anaesthesia. 2013; 11(2):312P.
Dias A, Bianciardi M, Nunes S, Abreu R, Rodrigues J, Silveira LM, Wald LL, Figueiredo, P. A new
hierarchical brain parcellation method based on discrete morse theory for functional MRI data.
Proceedings - International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging, 2015 July, art. no. 7164122, pp.
1336-1339.
Leitao AC, Francisco AP, Abreu R, Nunes S, Rodrigues J, Figueiredo P, Wald LL, Bianciardi M,
Silveira LM. Techniques for Brain Functional Connectivity Analysis from High Resolution Imaging.
Studies in Computational Intelligence. 2015;597:131-138.
Duggento A, Bianciardi M, Wald LL, Passamonti L, Guerrisi M, Barbieri R, Toschi N. Globally
conditioned causality in estimating directed brain-heart interactions through joint MRI and RR series246. analysis. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2015 Aug;2015:3795-3798. PMID: 26737120. DOI:
10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319220.
Nunes S, Bianciardi M, Dias A, Silveira LM, Wald LL, Figueiredo P. Physiological noise model
comparison for resting-state fMRI at 7 T. IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging.
2016. DOI: 10.1109/ISBI.2016.7493434.
Reviews, chapters, monographs and editorials
1. Mangia S, Giove F, Bianciardi M, Di Salle F, Garreffa G, Maraviglia B. Issues concerning the
construction of a metabolic model for neuronal activation. J Neurosci Res. 2003 Feb 15;71(4):463-
467. PMID: 12548701. DOI: 10.1002/jnr.10531.
2. 3. 4. 5. Giove F, Mangia S, Bianciardi M, Garreffa G, Di Salle F, Morrone R, Maraviglia B. The physiology
and metabolism of neuronal activation: in vivo studies by NMR and other methods. Magn Reson
Imaging. 2003 Dec;21(10):1283-1293. PMID: 14725935.
Garreffa G, Bianciardi M, Hagberg GE, Macaluso E, Marciani MG, Maraviglia B, Abbafati M, Carnì
M, Bruni I, Bianchi L. Simultaneous EEG-fMRI acquisition: how far is it from being a standardized
technique? Magn Reson Imaging. 2004 Dec;22(10):1445-1455. PMID: 15707794. DOI:
10.1016/j.mri.2004.10.013.
Hagberg GE, Bianciardi M, Maraviglia B. Challenges for detection of neuronal currents by MRI.
Magn Reson Imaging. 2006 May;24(4):483-493. PMID: 16677955. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2005.12.027.
Sclocco R, Beissner F, Bianciardi M, Polimeni JR, Napadow V. Challenges and opportunities for
brainstem neuroimaging with ultrahigh field MRI. Neuroimage. 2017 Feb 21. pii: S1053-
8119(17)30163-30165. PMID: 28232189. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.02.052.
Thesis
Bianciardi M. Neuronal current fMRI: pushing the limits of MR-based functional neuroimaging. Ph.D.
Thesis. Department of Bio-Physics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy. (Ph.D. supervisors:
Prof. Bruno Maraviglia, Dr. Gisela Hagberg; Ph.D. coordinator: Prof. Alfredo Colosimo.)
http://padis.uniroma1.it/handle/10805/547
Abstracts, Poster Presentations and Exhibits Presented at Professional Meetings
1. 2. García-Gomar MG, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M. Investigating
premanifest synucleinopathy: structural connectome of brainstem nuclei in REM sleep behavior
disorder. Presented at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting,
Montreal, Canada, 2019.
Singh K, Indovina I, Staab J, Bianciardi M. Probabilistic structural atlas of human lateral parabrachial
nucleus, medial parabrachial nucleus and vestibular nuclei complex using in vivo 7 Tesla MRI. Oral
abstract presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual
meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2019.
253. 4. 5. 6. García-Gomar MG, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M. Structural connectome
of brainstem nuclei in premanifest synucleinopathy: REM sleep behavior disorder. Presented at the
Human Brain Mapping annual meeting, Rome, Italy, 2019.
Singh K, Indovina I, Staab J, Bianciardi M. In vivo probabilistic structural atlas of human parabrachial
and vestibular nuclei complex at 7 Tesla. Presented at the Human Brain Mapping annual meeting,
Rome, Italy, 2019.
Bianciardi M, Izzy S, Rosen B, Wald LL, Edlow BL. Redundancy and resiliency of arousal
mechanisms in patients recovering from traumatic coma. Presented at the Human Brain Mapping
annual meeting, Rome, Italy, 2019.
García-Gomar MG, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M. Structural connectome
of brainstem nuclei in REM sleep behavior disorder. Presented at the Parkinson and Movement
Disorder Society Meeting, Nice, France, 2019.
7. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Bianciardi M. Probabilistic structural atlas of human ventral tegmental
area, mesencephalic and isthmic reticular formation using in-vivo 7 Tesla MRI. Presented at the
8. 9. International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2020.
Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Staab JP, Cauzzo S, Indovina I, Bianciardi M. Structural connectome of
autonomic and sensory brainstem nuclei in humans based on 7 Tesla high spatial and angular
resolution diffusion imaging. Presented at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
Medicine annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2020.
García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Bianciardi M. Redundancy of arousal brainstem structural connectivity
pathways in humans by 7 Tesla HARDI. Presented at the International Society for Magnetic
Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2020.
10. García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Stauder M, Lewis LD, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Brainstem structural connectivity changes in prodromal Parkinson’s disease by 7 Tesla HARDI. Oral
abstract presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual
meeting, virtual meeting, 2020.
11. García-Gomar MG, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M. Structural connectome
of brainstem nuclei in REM sleep behavior disorder. Oral abstract presentation at American Academy
of Neurology annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2020
12. García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Bianciardi M. Probabilistic structural atlas and connectome of brainstem
nuclei involved in arousal and sleep by 7 Tesla MRI in living humans. Presented at the International
Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2021
13. Cauzzo S, Singh K, Stauder M, García-Gomar MG, Vanello N, Passino C, Staab JP, Indovina I,
Bianciardi M. Functional connectome of autonomic, limbic, nociceptive, and sensory brainstem nuclei
using 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI in living humans. Oral abstract presentation at the International
Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2021
14. Singh K, Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Stauder M, Vanello N, Passino C, Bianciardi M. Functional
connectome of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei using 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI in living humans.
Presented at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, virtual
meeting, 2021
2615. Bianciardi M, Izzy S, Rosen BR, Wald LL, Edlow BL, Resilience of Arousal Mechanisms in Traumatic
Coma. Oral abstract presentation and poster at the American Neurological Association annual
meeting, virtual meeting, 2021.
16. García-Gomar MG, Videnovic A, Singh K, Stauder M, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Bianciardi M.
New insight into REM sleep behavior disorder circuits in living humans. Oral abstract presentations
(poster tour session, and SIG session “Sleep Disorders and Circadian Rhythm”) and poster at the
American Neurological Association annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2021.
17. García-Gomar MG, Videnovic A, Singh K, Stauder M, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Bianciardi M.
New insight into REM-sleep atonia circuits underlying REM sleep behavior disorder in living humans.
Top abstract oral presentation at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS)
annual meeting, virtual meeting, 2021.
18. Singh K, Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Stauder M, Vanello N, Passino C, Bianciardi M. Functional
connectome of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei using 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI in healthy
population: outset to address sleep wave disturbances post TBI. 11th Annual Traumatic Brain Injury
conference, virtual meeting, 2021.
19. García-Gomar MG, Videnovic A, Singh K, Stauder M, Lewis L, Wald LL, Rosen BR, Bianciardi M.
Brainstem structural connectivity changes in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder by 7 Tesla MRI.
Oral abstract presentation at the XXIII Neuroimaging Meeting of the Center of Mathematical Studies
(CIMAT, at UNAM, Mexico), virtual meeting, 2021.
20. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. The Brainstem Navigator: an atlas and
connectome of brainstem nuclei in living humans. Oral abstract presentation at the International
Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Workshop on Ultra-High Field MR, hybrid meeting,
Lisbon, Portugal, 2022
21. García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. Functional and structural connectomes of
subthalamic nucleus subregions in living humans using 7 Tesla MRI. Oral Power Pitch abstract
presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, hybrid
meeting, London, UK, 2022
22. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. Functional and structural connectomes of the
lateral and medial geniculate nuclei in living humans using 7 Tesla MRI. Oral Power Pitch abstract
presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, hybrid
meeting, London, UK, 2022
23. Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Bianciardi M. Functional connectome of hypothalamus,
nucleus accumbens and hippocampus in living humans from 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI. Oral Power
Pitch abstract presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual
meeting, hybrid meeting, London, UK, 2022
24. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. The Brainstem Navigator: an atlas and
connectome of brainstem nuclei in living humans to address sleep/wake post Traumatic Brain Injury.
12th Annual Traumatic Brain Injury conference, Washington D.C., USA, 2022.
25. Bianciardi M, Cauzzo S, Toschi N, Koley S, García-Gomar MG, Singh K. The Brainstem Navigator: a
toolkit to investigate brainstem nuclei structure, function and connectivity in living humans. Oral
abstract presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual
meeting, Toronto, Canada, 2023.
2726. Koley S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Bianciardi M. Towards a probabilistic structural atlas of
brainstem nuclei in elderly humans using in-vivo 7 Tesla multi-contrast MRI. Oral abstract presentation
at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Toronto, Canada,
2023.
27. Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M. Functional connectivity changes of
brainstem nuclei in prodromal Parkinson’s disease: A 7 Tesla resting-state study. Oral Power Pitch
abstract presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual
meeting, Toronto, Canada, 2023.
28. Koley S, García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Bianciardi M. A probabilistic atlas of brainstem nuclei in elderly
humans using in-vivo 7 Tesla multi-contrast MRI. Presented at the Organization for Human Brain
Mapping annual meeting, Montreal, Canada, 2023.
29. Bianciardi M, Cauzzo S, Toschi N, Koley S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG. The Brainstem Navigator: a
toolkit to study brainstem nuclei structure and function in living humans. Oral abstract presentation
and poster presentation at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping annual meeting, Montreal,
Canada, 2023.
30. Grimaldi S, Singh K, Garcia-Gomar MG, Koley S, Hannanu FF, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Changes in neurofluids volume and composition in aging and prodromal synucleinopathy: a 7 Tesla
MRI study. Oral abstract presentation at the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases conference,
Lisbon, Portugal, 2025
31. Stefani A, Grimaldi S, Hannanu FF, Singh K, Garcia-Gomar MG, Koley S, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
ADPD Ambra Microstructural changes within brainstem nuclei correlate with REM sleep without atonia
in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder: A pilot study. Presented at the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Diseases conference, Lisbon, Portugal, 2025
32. Hannanu FF, Garcia-Gomar MG, Singh K, Grimaldi S, Koley S, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Evaluation of choroid plexus volume and microstructure in premanifest synucleinopathy: a 7 Tesla
MRI study. Presented at the the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases conference, Lisbon, Portugal,
2025
33. Grimaldi S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Koley S, Hannanu FF, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Increased neurofluid volume in aging and premanifest synucleinopathy: consequence or cause of
neuronal cell loss? Oral abstract presentation at the International RBD Study Group meeting, Oxford,
2024.
34. Koley S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Hannanu FF, Bianciardi M. Structural and functional
connectivity patterns of brainstem nuclei in living humans by 7Tesla MRI. Oral Power Pitch abstract
presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting,
Singapore, 2024.
35. Hannanu FF,Grimaldi S, Singh K, Koley S, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Garcia-Gomar MG, Bianciardi M.
Choroid plexus atrophy in premanifest synucleinopathy using 7 Tesla MRI: an underlooked
mechanism for α-synuclein accumulation? Oral abstract presentation at the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Singapore, 2024.
36. Hannanu FF, Garcia-Gomar MG, Singh K, Grimaldi S, Koley S, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Choroid Plexus Volume and Microstructural Changes in prodromal Parkinson’s Disease: Insights from
7 Tesla MRI. Presented at the 7 T Translational Alliance in North America (7TANA), Minneapolis, MN,28USA, 2024.
37. Koley S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Hannanu FF, Bianciardi M. A Probabilistic Atlas of Brainstem
Nuclei in Elderly Living Humans Using In-Vivo 7 Tesla Multi-Contrast MRI. Oral Power Pitch and
poster presentation at the Joint ISMRM Workshop of the Ultra-High Field MR & Brain Function Study
Groups, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2025.
38. Hannanu FF, Singh K, Garcia-Gomar MG, Grimaldi S, Koley S, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Structural and Functional Changes in Choroid Plexus Sub-compartments in Aging and Premanifest
Synucleinopathy using High-Resolution 7 Tesla MRI. Oral abstract presentation at the Joint
ISMRM Workshop of the Ultra-High Field MR & Brain Function Study Groups, Annapolis, MD, USA,
2025.
39. Hua L, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Hannanu FF, Koley S, Stefani A, Grimaldi S, Videnovic
A, Bianciardi M. Disruption of Brainstem Functional Connectivity in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
Using 7 Tesla Resting-state fMRI. Presented at the Joint ISMRM Workshop of the Ultra-High Field MR
& Brain Function Study Groups, Annapolis, MD, USA, 2025.
40. Koley S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Hannanu FF, Bianciardi M. The Brainstem Navigator atlas in
in-vivo elderly adults by 7 Tesla multi-contrast MRI. Oral abstract presentation at the International
Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 2025.
41. Hannanu FF, Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Toschi N, Bianciardi M. The Brainstem
Navigator Toolkit v1.0: An Atlas of Brainstem Nuclei and Coregistration Tutorial in Younger Adults.
Oral Power Pitch and poster presentation at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 2025.
42. Hannanu FF, Singh K, Garcia-Gomar MG, Grimaldi S, Koley S, Stefani A, Videnovic A, Bianciardi M.
Structural and Functional Changes in Choroid Plexus Sub-compartments in Aging and Premanifest
Synucleinopathy using High-Resolution 7 Tesla MRI. Oral presentation at the International Society for
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine annual meeting, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 2025.
43. Bianciardi M. The Brainstem Navigator: a toolkit for in-vivo brainstem nuclei atlasing, connectomics
and evaluation of arousal and sleep mechanisms in humans. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the
Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, Crete, Greece, 2025.
44. Hua L, Singh K, Garcia-Gomar MG, Hannanu FF, Koley S, Stefani A, Grimaldi S, Videnovic A,
Bianciardi M. Disrupted Brainstem Functional Connectivity and Molecular Signatures in Isolated REM
Sleep Behavior Disorder. Presented at Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA,
USA, 2025.
Narrative Report
Introduction
As a biophysicist by training with strong interest in neurology and neuroscience, my research
centers on the development of novel ultra-high (7 Tesla) and high (3 Tesla) MRI techniques for the
investigation of brain anatomy, function, and physiology. I joined the faculty at MGH and HMS with the
goal of developing an in vivo neuroimaging-based atlas and connectome of brainstem nuclei by 7 Tesla
MRI to: (i) enhance our knowledge and the quality of patient care in disorders of consciousness, sleep
29disorders and movement disorders (such as Parkinson’s disease); (ii) map, in humans, system
neuroscience circuits of arousal, sleep, and interoceptive functions, currently mostly known in animals.
Area of Excellence – Investigation
My major research achievement focuses on MRI technique/software development (the Brainstem
Navigator toolkit) and its application to neurology and neuroscience.
With my team I developed an original in vivo structural probabilistic 3D atlas of 31 human
brainstem nuclei (76 structures in total) of the ascending arousal, sleep, autonomic and motor systems
by a newly developed multi-contrast echo-planar-imaging approach at 7 Tesla (Bianciardi et al., Brain
Connectivity, 2015; Bianciardi et al., Neuroimage, 2018; Garcia-Gomar et al., Front Neurosci, 2019;
Singh et al., Front Neurosci 2020; Singh et al., Brain Conn 2021; Garcia-Gomar et al., Mov Disord 2021).
This atlas and a tutorial of precise coregistration routines have been publicly released within the
Brainstem Navigator toolkit (https://www.nitrc.org/projects/brainstemnavig/) and downloaded by more
than 2700 users. This deformable atlas can be applied to the image of any patient collected with
conventional (3 Tesla) and advanced (7 Tesla) MRI scanners and facilitate investigation of brainstem-
related disorders (e.g. for delicate surgical interventions such as implantation of deep brain stimulation
electrodes in Parkinson’s disease, for the evaluation of micro-bleed location in traumatic coma or of
changes in brainstem microstructure and connectivity in sleep and motor disorders). Thus, the Brainstem
Navigator atlas is a web-based “GPS” navigation tool for researchers, clinicians and neuroanatomy
students to navigate within brainstem images of living humans and localize with outmost precision which
brainstem nuclei and circuits are involved for specific brain function or impaired in a broad set of brain
diseases. The automatic localization of tiny and deep brainstem nuclei through the Brainstem Navigator
is a major improvement compared to extrapolations from post-mortem atlases (printed collections of 2D
histology images/schematics), which suffer from poor precision/inter-observer reproducibility in localizing
the boundary contours of these regions.
Further, I applied the atlas to improve the prognostication of traumatic coma patients by evaluating
which arousal brainstem nuclei are affected by microbleeds (Bianciardi et al., Neurology 2021). With my
current NIH NIA R01 grant, I am currently expanding the atlas to an elder population and developing
brainstem-based imaging biomarkers of sleep disorders and premotor Parkinsons’s disease (Garcia-
Gomar et al., Mov Disord 2021).
Lastly, but not the least, with my team, I applied the atlas to map circuits of arousal, sleep and
interoception, mostly uncharted in humans thus far. I developed a structural and functional connectome
of brainstem nuclei in humans using high spatial resolution fMRI and DWI at 7 Tesla (Bianciardi et al.,
MAGMA, 2016; Singh et al., Neuroimage 2022; Cauzzo et al., et al., Neuroimage 2022; Singh et al., Hum
Brain Mapp, 2022; Garcia-Gomar et al., Hum Brain Mapp, 2022); further, I applied the atlas to investigate
the human brainstem-cortex architecture (Hansen et al., Nat Neurosci 2024) and define in humans the
cortical and subcortical allostatic-interoceptive circuit (Zhang et al, Nat Neurosci 2025).
Teaching
Dr. Bianciardi is the primary mentor of three post-doctoral fellows in her lab, and a secondary
mentor of a post-doctoral fellow. She has also mentored or co-mentored PhD Students (Northeastern
University, University of Pisa, McLean Hospital), neurosurgery/radiology residents (Brigham and
Women’s Hospital, MGH), as well as Visiting Assistant/Associate Professors (University of Lisboa,
University of Rome Tor Vergata).
As the leader of the Brainstem Imaging Lab, Dr. Bianciardi has daily opportunities to mentor
additional trainees and research staff. These mentoring activities focus on providing training and ad-hoc
advice on: a) ultra-high field MRI acquisition and processing; b) physiological noise effects in MRI data,
physiological recordings during MRI experiments, and methods of physiological noise removal; c)
brainstem neuroanatomy and segmentation; d) analysis pipelines for structural/diffusion and functional
MRI at 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla; e) disorders of consciousness, synucleinopathy; f) system neuroscience
(e.g. human circuits of arousal, sleep, autonomic function); g) manuscript and grant writing; h) career
development.
30Dr. Bianciardi has had several opportunities to educate clinicians in the Harvard community by
giving educational seminars about brainstem imaging in health and in sleep/movement
disorders/disorders of consciousness at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (Harvard Mind Brain
Behavior Winter Retreat), Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (Brain Map Seminars),
MGB (Mass General Neuroscience Leadership Council, MGB 7 Tesla Center). As a Harvard Catalyst
consultant, she also teaches K Award applicants how to write a Specific Aims page of an NIH K Award.
Summary
Since my appointment as Associate Professor at HMS I have endeavored to conduct innovative
research in brainstem imaging at ultra-high magnetic field with applications in neuroscience and
neurology. Through my lecturing at national and international level, my publication of peer reviewed
original manuscripts in international scientific journals, my basic-science and translational research, and
my leadership within professional societies I have sought to improve our understanding of brainstem
circuits in health, traumatic coma, sleep disorders and Parkinson’s disease, as well as to expand the
education of MRI methods and MRI history in the community.