Patrícia Figueiredo

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Research interests:

I am interested in imaging human brain function noninvasively, by exploiting the wonderful versatility and never-ending possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and by combining this with the highly complementary technique of electroencephalography (EEG) whenever appropriate. In one line of research, I seek to obtain more quantitative measures of brain function by evaluating the underlying cerebrovascular dynamics through the integration of multiple MRI techniques, including imaging of tissue perfusion and cerebrovascular reactivity. Another line of research involves the multimodal combination of EEG with functional MRI, with the aim of assessing the spatial-temporal dynamics of brain networks. Overall, I expect that these developments will help elucidate the investigation of brain function, in healthy individuals as well as in patients suffering from neurological and psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, I hope to leverage advanced brain imaging techniques to improve noninvasive neuromodulation approaches aimed at repairing brain function, particularly through neurofeedback training. Specifically, I have been focused on applications in the paroxysmal disorders of epilepsy and migraine, in cerebrovascular diseases associated with dementia and stroke, in gliomas, and also in schizophrenia and depression.

Bio sketch:

I graduated in Physics Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, in 1996, and obtained the DPhil degree in Neuroimaging from the University of Oxford in 2003. I subsequently held postdoctoral fellowships at Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, and Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, before joining IST in 2007 as Assistant Professor with the Physics Department. I was a founding member of the Department of Bioengineering (DBE) at IST in 2011, where I obtained my Tenure in 2011, was conferred Habilitation in Biomedical Engineering in 2017, and was promoted to Associated Professor in 2020 and to Full Professor in 2023. Since 2010, I have been Principal Investigator at the Evolutionary Systems and Biomedical Engineering Lab (LaSEEB) of the Institute for Systems and Robotics – Lisboa (ISR-Lisboa). I have been Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, and Visiting Scientist at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, and the Politecnico di Milano.

I have been responsible and participated in several national and international research projects in brain imaging, neuroscience and biomedical engineering, and I have been the author of over several papers in international journals of high impact in these fields. My work has been distinguished with the Prize for Women in Science by L’Oréal Portugal, the 2nd best paper award by the Portuguese League against Epilepsy, and the António Xavier Prize for the best Portuguese PhD Thesis (as advisor) in NMR, EPR or MRI. I have supervised and co-supervised several PhD and MSc theses. I have also been the vice-coordinator of the MSc programme in Biomedical Engineering at IST, where I have been responsible for teaching graduate courses in Medical Imaging, Neuroimaging and Neuroengineering. Moreover, I regularly participate in academic management activities within the university, including the Executive Committee of the Department of Bioengineering of IST, where I am currently Vice-President, as well as the Scientific Council of IST and the Scientific Committee of ISR-Lisboa. Internationally, I have been actively involved with the European Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology (ESMRMB), as a member of its Education Committee, Chair of the Congress Planning Committee for the 2021 ESMRMB Annual Meeting, and currently Vice-President. I have also been elected Secretary of the Study Group on Current Issues in Brain Function of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM).

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