Selene Schintu

2011 - 2014      Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience. Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM, CRNS, and Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, France

2006 - 2008      MS Science of Mind. University of Turin, Italy

2003 - 2006      BS Neuropsychological Sciences and Techniques. University of Turin, Italy

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2022 – now       Researcher. Neurocognitive Rehabilitation Center (CeRiN)- Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento  

2019 - 2022      Part-time Faculty - Psychology Department, George Washington University, Washington DC, DC, USA

2015 - 2022      Post-Doctoral Fellow - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) - NIH and George Washington University, USA. Principal Investigators: Dr. Eric M. Wassermann and Prof. Sarah Shomstein

2011 - 2014      Ph.D. Candidate - Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL) - INSERM, CRNS, and Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, France. Principal Investigators: Dr. Alessandro Farnè

2010 - 2011      Research Associate - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) - NIH, USA. Principal Investigators: Dr. Jordan Grafman and Dr. Eric M. Wassermann

2009                 Student Internship - Institut des Sciences Cognitives "Marc Jeannerod" – CNRS, Lyon, France. Supervisors: Dr. Michel Desmurget and Dr. Angela Sirigu

2007 - 2009      Student Interniship - University of Turin in collaboration with San Camillo Hospital and Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, Turin, Italy. Supervisors: Dr. Patrizia Gindri and Dr. Federico Maria Cossa

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION

2021                  Qualification to the profession of psychologist (50/50; Ordine psicologi del Piemonte, section A, n°10190)

2018 - 2024      National scientific qualification (ASN) for the profession of Associate Professor (Italy) Section: 11/E1General Psychology, Psychobiology and Psychometric

TEACHING

UNIVERSITY COURSES

2024     Neurocognitive Rehabilitation - Spring semester (with Prof. Alessandra Dodich), Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy

2023     Clinical Neurology and Neuropsychology - Fall semester (with Prof. Alessandra Dodich), Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy

2023     Neurolingustic - Spring semester (with Prof. Costanza Papagno), Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy

2023     Neurocognitive Rehabilitation - Spring semester (with Prof. Costanza Papagno and Prof. Bruno Giometto), Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy

2022     Clinical Neurology and Neuropsychology - Fall semester (with Prof. Costanza Papagno and Dr. Alessandra Dodich), Center for Mind and Brian Science (CIMeC), University of Trento, Italy

2021     Cognitive Neuroscience - Summer semester (synchronously online due to COVID-19), George Washington University, USA 

2021     Cognitive Neuroscience - Spring semester (synchronously online due to COVID-19), George Washington University, USA 

2020     Cognitive Neuroscience - Summer semester (synchronously online due to COVID-19), George Washington University, USA 

2019     Cognitive Neuroscience - Fall semester, George Washington University, USA 

SEMINAR ACTIVITIES

2020     Guest lecture: Let’s talk about emotions. George Washington University, USA

2019     Guest lecture: Emotions - What are those? George Washington University, USA

2018     Guest lecture: Prismatic adaptation an effective tool for changing functional connectivity, space representation and learning. University of Turin, Italy

2018     Guest lecture: Hemispheric lateralization. George Washington University, USA

2017     Guest lecture: Brain asymmetries. George Washington University, USA

2016     Guest lecture: Attention and hemispatial neglect. American University, USA

MENTORING

2024                Vittoria Soncin, master student at DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy 

                         Martina Leonardi, master student at DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy

2023                 Angela Froni, master student at CiMeC, University of Trento, Italy

                         Rebecca Boarini, master student at DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy

                         Nina Ivashchuk, master student at DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy

2022                 Madalina Bucur, post-graduate (co-supervision) at CIMeC, University of Trento, Italy

                         Pierfrancesco Sarti, graduate student at CIMeC, University of Trento, Italy

2020 - 2022      Amelia Stapleton, graduate student at NIH, USA

2017 - 2019      Catherine A Cunningham, graduate student at NIH, USA

2019                 Claire Factor, undergraduate summer student at NIH, USA

2016 - 2017      Fatou H Sarr, undergraduate student at George Washington University, USA

2016 - 2017      Zayna Alam, graduate student at NIH, USA

2009 - 2010      Ivan Patané et Michela Caldano, Master students at CRNL, France

ACADEMIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES

2023 -2024    Coordinator of the “Alternanza Scuola Lavoro” a week-long formative event for high school students, University of Trento, Italy

2023             Outreach, talk at the town of Arco (Trento, Italy) public library promoting the online training “Allenamente” created by Cerin's groups 

2023             Outreach, talk in the contest of the “CiMeC in Cittá” informative event, University of Trento, Italy

2023             Outreach, activity in the contest of “MUSE out of hours” at the Science Museum of Trento, Italy. 

2022 - now    Library delegate, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC) - University of Trento, Italy

2022 - now    Comité de suivi individual doctoral (CSID), École Doctoral Neuroscience et Cognition (NSCo), Univesité de Lyon, France

2022               Ethic Committee member, COSPECS department, University of Messina, Italy

2021              Judge, 17th Graduate Research Symposium, NIH USA

2019              Judge, Postbac Poster Day, NIH, USA

2018              Judge, Postbac Poster Day, NIH, USA 

2017              Judge, 13th Graduate Research Symposium, NIH, USA

2017              Grant Assessment Reviewer, Rigor and Reproducibility R01, NIH, USA       

2016              Judge, Postbac Poster Day, NIH, USA 

2013 - 2014   Outreach, Semaine du Cervau, Lyon, France

THESIS SUPERVISION

2023 “Is it a matter of size? Manipulating body size with virtual reality to modulate cognition” 

Student: Rebecca Boarini

Supervisor: Dr. Selene Schintu

Co-Supervisor: Prof. Costanza Papagno

Master’s degree - Psychology. DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy

2023 “Asymmetry, attention, and learning – What Parkinson’s disease can teach us”

Student: Nina Ivashchuk

Supervisor: Dr. Selene Schintu

Master’s degree - Psychology. DIPSCO, University of Trento, Italy

2023 “Social processing in heavy drinker”

Student: Maria del Carmen Cortes Molina

Supervisor: Prof. Luca Turella

Co-supervisors: Drs Irene Perini and Selene Schintu

Master’s degree - Cognitive Science. CIMeC, University of Trento, Italy

Visuospatial Attention, Neglect, Feedback-Learning, Parietal Cortex, Inter-hemispheric Interaction, Brain Asymmetry, Connectivity, Prism Adaptation, TMS, fMRI, TMS-EEG  

My research aims at investigating the impact of brain asymmetries on cognitive functions at both  behavioral and neural levels.

I use a multimodal approach (TMS, EEG, fMRI, behavior, and psychophysics)to investigate the consequences of  intact and altered inter-hemispheric balance in both healthy and patient populations.

EDITORIAL ROLE

      Review editor: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

      Guest associated editor: Frontiers in Psychology

AD-HOC JOURNAL REVIEWING

Cerebral Cortex, Journal of Neuroscience, Cortex, Neuropsychologia, PLOS ONE, Experimental Brain Research, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, Journal of Neuropsychology, Perception, Neuroscience, Neuropsychology, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers in Psychology, Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, Neuromodulation: technology at the neural interface, Journal of Experimental Psychology, Journal of Psychopathology, Perception, Attention Perception and Psychophysics, Brain Sciences, Symmetry.

SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP (past and present)

Society for Neuroscience, Vision Sciences Society, Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Società Italiana di Psicofisiologia & Neuroscienze Cognitive

RESEARCH SUPPORT

2023 - 2025      PRIN – PNNR 2023. Role: Local PI. Direct costs: €102,000 (total €209,000)

2018 - 2020      Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA similar to F32). Role: PI. Direct costs: $250,000

AWARDS AND HONORS

2021        Outstanding Poster - to supervised student (Amelia Stapleton), NIH, USA

2019        Outstanding Poster - to supervised student (Catherine A Cunningham), NIH, USA

2018        Exceptional Summer Student Award - to supervised student (Claire Factor), NIH, USA

2017        Outstanding Poster - to supervised student (Zayna Alam), NIH, USA

2016        Travel Award - 30th Symposium: the future of visual attention, USA

2012        SIPF Award for Best Scientific Contribution - Italian Society of Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Italy

2009        Women’s Travel Awards - Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Germany

INVITED TALKS

2022     The neural correlates of prism adaptation – from functional to effective connectivity. Italian Society of Neuropsychology (SINP), Rovereto, Trento, Italy.

2021     Interhemispheric Balance: Dynamic Changes of Spatial Representations. Cognitive and forensic neuropsychology lab, University of Pavia, Italy. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2021     Spatial representation and interhemispheric Balance. Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, COSPECS department, University of Messina, Italy. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2021     The consequences of Spatial Representations’ changes over the interhemispheric balance.Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Lyon, France. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2021     Interhemispheric Balance: Dynamic Changes of Spatial Representations. National Science Foundation (NSF), EPSCoR Attention Consortium's, Early-Stage Investigator Colloquia Series. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2020     Interhemispheric Balance: Dynamic Changes of Spatial Representations.Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Series, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2020     Interhemispheric Balance: Dynamic Changes of Spatial Representations. Early-Stage Investigator Colloquia Series, University of Reno, NV, USA. Virtual due to COVID-19.

2020     Inhibitory rTMS over the right parietal cortex modulates functional connectivity. European Workshop Cognitive neuroscience, Brixen, Italy.

2018     Prismatic adaptation an effective tool for changing functional connectivity, space representation and learning. San Camillo Hospital, IRCCS, Turin, Italy.

2018     Prismatic adaptation modulates inter-hemispheric balance with a subsequent change in visual field coverage. Vision Science Society, St. Pete Beach, FL, USA.

2018     Prismatic adaptation modulates inter-hemispheric balance with a subsequent change in visual field coverage. CAPital area Cognition/Attention/Perception Conference, George Washington University, Washington DC, DC, USA.

2017     Prismatic adaptation - a tool to ameliorate neglect symptoms and modulate intact cognition. Clinical Grand Rounds, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

2016     Paired-pulse parietal-motor stimulation can act as a neuromodulator when combined with prism adaptation. Society for Neuroscience San Diego, CA, USA.

2015     The action of prism adaptation on intact visuospatial cognition - when time matters to space. George Washington University, Washington DC, DC, USA.

2014     The action of prism adaptation on intact visuospatial cognition - when time matters to space. National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Schintu S, Stapleton A, Shomstein S, Wassermann EM (2022) The Interhemispheric Equilibrium - a Biomarker of Attentional Performance. Cognitive Neuroscience Workshop, CiMEC, University of Trento, Italy

Stapleton A, Schintu S, Wassermann EM (2022) Interhemispheric asymmetry is a biomarker of attentional performance. NIH Postbac Poster Day, Bethesda, MD, USA. Virtual due to COVID-19

Stapleton A, Schintu S, Wassermann EM (2021) Interhemispheric dynamics: from attentional behavior to connectivity. NIH Postbac Poster Day, Bethesda, MD, USA. Virtual due to COVID-19.

Schintu S, Cunningham CA, Freedberg M, Taylor P, Gotts SJ, Shomstein S and Wassermann EM (2020) Callosal anisotropy predicts attentional network changes after parietal inhibitory stimulation. Transcranial Brain Stimulation. Cognitive Neuroscience Workshop, CiMEC, University of Trento, Italy. Virtual due to COVID-19.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Cunningham CA, Gotts SJ, Shomstein S and Wassermann EM (2020) Inhibitory rTMS over the right parietal cortex modulates functional connectivity. Cognitive Neuroscience Society. Virtual due to COVID-19.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Cunningham CA, Gotts SJ, Shomstein S and Wassermann EM (2020) Inhibitory rTMS over the right parietal cortex modulates functional connectivity. European Workshop Cognitive Neuroscience, Brixen, Italy.

Stapleton A, Schintu S, Triggiani IA, Freedberg M, Wassermann EM (2020) Visuospatial Attention and Its Asymmetries: From Behavior to Neurophysiology. NIH Postbac Poster Day, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Schintu S, Cunningham CA, Freedberg M, Gotts SJ, Shomstein S, Wassermann EM (2019) Inhibitory rTMS over the right parietal cortex modulates functional connectivity. Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Gotts SJ, Cunningham CA, Alam ZM, Shomstein S, Wassermann EM (2019) Prism adaptation modulates connectivity of the intraparietal sulcus with multiple brain networks. NINDS/NIH Retreat, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Gotts SJ, Cunningham CA, Alam ZM, Shomstein S, Wassermann EM (2019) Prism Adaptation Differentially Modulates Resting-State Functional Connectivity. Organization Human Brain Mapping, Rome, Italy.

Cunningham CA, Schintu S, and Wassermann EM (2019) White Matter Differences and Visuospatial Cognition: Interparietal tracts explain functional variability after cTBS. NIH Postbac Poster Day, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Gotts SJ, Cunningham CA, Shomstein S and Wassermann EM (2019) Prism adaptation differentially modulates functional connectivity according to the side of visual displacement. Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Silson EH, Gotts S, Kravitz D J, Shomstein S and Wassermann EM (2018) Prismatic Adaptation Modulates Visual Field Coverage and Resting State Functional Connectivity.Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA.

Schintu S, Silson EH, Alam ZM, Wassermann EM, and Shomstein S (2018) Prismatic adaptation modulates inter-hemispheric balance with a subsequent change in visual field coverage. Gordon conference - Neurobiology of Cognition, Sunny River Newry, ME, USA.

Schintu S, Silson EH, Alam ZM, Wassermann EM, and Shomstein S (2018) Prismatic adaptation modulates inter-hemispheric balance with a subsequent change in visual field coverage. Organization Human Brain Mapping, Singapore.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Alam Z, Wassermann EM and Shomstein S (2017) Prismatic adaptation boosts feedback-based learning. Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC, DC, USA.

Schintu S, Freedberg M, Alam Z, Wassermann EM and Shomstein S (2017) Prismatic adaptation boosts feedback-based learning. Vision Science Society, St. Pete Beach, FL, USA.

Alam Z, Schintu S, Wassermann EM (2017) Prismatic adaptation modulates resting-state functional connectivity. NIH Postbac Poster Day, Bethesda, MD, USA.

Wilkinson, L., Koshy, P. J, Ewul, E. L. V., Schintu, S, & Wassermann, EM (2016) Procedural learning with and without feedback are impaired by inhibition of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, USA.

Schintu S, Chaumillon R, Guillaume A, Salemme R, Reilly KT, Pisella L, and Farnè A (2016) The influence of the dominant eye in visuospatial attention. 30th Symposium: the future of visual attention, Rochester, MA, USA.

Schintu S, Pisella L, Vesia M, Farnè A, Reilly KT (2014) Leftward prism adaptation modulates PPC-M1 interactions within both hemispheres: a twin-coil paired-pulse TMS approach. Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC, DC, USA.

Schintu S, Pisella L, Jacobs S, Salemme R, Reilly KT, Farnè A (2013) Prism Adaptation Induces a Long-Lasting Bisection Bias in Healthy Subjects. French Society for Neuroscience, Lyon, France.

Schintu S, Pisella L, Jacobs S, Salemme R, Reilly KT, Farnè A (2012) Prism Adaptation Induces a Long-Lasting Bisection Bias in Healthy Subjects. XX Congresso SIPF, Venice, Italy.