Viviana Santoro

PhD Student

King’s College London

Viviana is a PhD student at King’s College London, under the supervision of Prof. Peter J. Goadsby and Prof. Mark Richardson.

After obtaining the MSc in neuroscience and neuropsychological rehabilitation at the University of Padua (Padua, Italy) she joined the Richardson Lab for a one-year internship. Viviana’s internship program focused on learning how to deliver the non-invasive brain stimulation technique of TMS and register responses with electromyography (TMS-EMG) and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG). Under the supervision of Doctor Isabella Premoli and Andrea Biondi, she contributed to TMS-EEG data acquisition and analysis in several experimental protocols active in our lab, testing patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls taking part in Phase I clinical trials.

During this placement, Viviana set the basis for a position as a research assistant working with Prof. Mark Richardson and Dr. Isabella Premoli on a Phase I Clinical Trial.

Her PhD project is focused on the use of TMS-EEG in order to deepen the understanding of the pathophysiology of Visual Snow Syndrome and identify possible biomarkers for future targeted therapeutic approaches.

Qualifications:

  • MSc in Neuroscience and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, University of Padua
  • BSc in Psychological Sciences, University of Catania

Core expertise:

  • Data Analysis (SPSS, FieldTrip)
  • EEG
  • TMS-EEG
  • Neuropsychological/Psychological Assessment

Publications and Posters:

  • Di Hou, M., Santoro, V., Biondi, A., Shergill, S. S., & Premoli, I. (2021). A systematic review of TMS and neurophysiological biometrics in patients with schizophrenia. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 46(6), E675-E701.
  • Biondi, A., Santoro, V., Viana, P. F., Laiou, P., Pal, D. K., Bruno, E., & Richardson, M. P. (2022). Noninvasive mobile EEG as a tool for seizure monitoring and management: A systematic review. Epilepsia 
  • Biondi, A., Rocchi, L., Santoro, V., Rossini, P. G., Beatch, G. N., Richardson, M. P., & Premoli, I. (2022). Spontaneous and TMS-related EEG changes as new biomarkers to measure anti-epileptic drug effects. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-11.
  • Carobin, A., Brashford, J., Premoli, I., Santoro, V., Large, C., Richardson, M. P., & Shaw, C., (2020) Feasibility and future role of high-density transcranial magnetic stimulation in ALS: A pilot study in healthy volunteers. 31st International Symposium on ALS/MND.
  • Biondi, A., Santoro, V., Rocchi, L., Rossini, P.G., Beatch, G. N., Premoli, I., & Richardson, M. P., (2020). Cortical oscillations to measure anti-epileptic drug activity in clinical trials. American Epilepsy Society’s new virtual event AES20.
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