Neuroimaging of CNS white matter
Maria Assunta Rocca
Email: rocca.mara@hsr.it
Location: DIBIT2 A4, Floor 4
Group leader, Neuroimaging of CNS white matter Unit
Maria A. Rocca is Group Leader of the Neuroimaging of CNS White Matter Unit at IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Research Coordinator of the Phase I Unit, part of Neurology Unit, at the same institution, and Associate Professor at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. Her research activity has focused on the use of structural and functional MRI to improve our understanding of CNS function in healthy subjects and the progressive accumulation of irreversible disability in neurological diseases, mainly MS, neuromyelitis spectrum disorder, vasculitis and migraine.
Professor Rocca is member of various Scientific Societies and in some of them she covered or is covering institutional roles (European Community Network for the application of MRI in MS [MAGNIMS], EAN Neuroimaging Subcommittee; Neuroimaging Study Group of the Italian Neurological Society).
She is coordinating and supervising the MRI acquisition and analysis of several large-scale international MRI-monitored trials of MS.
She is author or co-author of over 630 scientific papers (Scopus H-index: 90) member of the editorial board and reviewer on a regular basis for several international journals. She has been recently recognized as one of the key women who have contributed to paradigm shifts in the study of multiple sclerosis (Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16: 1087745).
Due to her scientific activity, she participated to more than 450 international congresses or scientific symposia as invited speaker or chairman.
2002: Board Certification (specialization) in Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
1996: MD Italian Board, University of Milan
1996: Master Degree in Medicine and Surgery. Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
1990: High school, Liceo Scientifico A. Volta, Lecco, Italy
2022-present: Responsabile di Unità Funzionale, Neurology Unit, OSR, Milan, Italy (field: Inflammatory, immunomediated diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromyelitis Optic Spectrum Disorder, MOGAD, vasculitides, headaches and other white matter diseases)
2020-present: Associate Professor of Neurology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan
2020-present: Head, Neuroimaging of CNS White Matter Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
2020-present: Research Coordinator, Phase I Unit, Neurology Unit, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
2008-2020: Group Leader, Neuroimaging of CNS White Matter, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
2006-2008: Senior Research Assistant in Neurology, Neuroimaging Research Unit and Department of Neurology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
2003-2005: Research Assistant in Neurology, Neuroimaging Research Unit and Department of Neurology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
1999-2000: Visiting research fellowship, Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum Grosshadern, Munich (Germany)
1997-2002: Resident Student, at the University of Milan
1997-1998: Research fellow, Neuroimaging Research Unit and Department of Neurology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
1994-1996: Fellow, IV Clinica Neurologica, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Università degli Studi di Milano
1994-2008: Research activity at Neuroimaging Research Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, with special focus on the application of MRI to the study of multiple sclerosis and other white matter diseases (supervisor: Prof. M. Filippi).
Clinical activity (in-patient neurology clinic; outpatient visits; emergency department) at Neurology Department, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele.
2023: Award “Milano Cultura 2023” “Ada Burrone” alla solidarietà
2023: recognized as one of the key women who have contributed to paradigm shifts in the study of multiple sclerosis (Front Mol Neurosci 16: 1087745)
2023: Neuroscience Leader Award for 2023. Ranked #431 worldwide, and #11 nationwide in the Best Neuroscience Scientists ranking by Research.com
2023-present: Member, ECTRIMS Fellowship Committee
2023-present: Member, Scientific Committee D3 4 Health Foundation
2023-present: Era-Net Neuron’s ambassador
2022: Member, Local Organizing Committee of the 2023 ECTRIMS Congress (Milan)
2022-present: Member, Local Steeering Committee Innovative Discoveries in Neuroscience - collaborations in partnership (INTONATE)
2022: Member, Organising Committee of the ECTRIMS Winter School 2022
2022-present: Member, Executive Committee, Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Hospital San Raffaele
2022-present: Member, International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS (National MS Society (USA) and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS))
2022-present: Co-Chair, European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Scientific Panel Neuroimaging
2021-2022: Member, Organising Committee SIN Congress 2022
2021-present: Member, Managing Board, Istituto Virtuale Malattie Rare
2021-present: Fellow, European Academy of Neurology (FEAN)
2020-present: Member, EAN Scientific Committee
2020-present: Member, Independent Review of Eligibility Committee (IREC), Operetta-2 clinical trial
2020: Investigator award, virtual congress of the European Academy of Neurology
2020: Top Italian Woman Scientist 2020
2019: Award for the best poster at 50th Congress of the Italian Neurological Society, Bologna, Italy
2019: Top 1% peer reviewer in Publons' global Peer Review Awards
2019-present: Member, UK MS Society's Grant Review Panel
2019: Member, Local Organizing Committee of the 1st National Congress of the IRCCS Network of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation (RIN)
2019-present: Member, Organizing Committee, San Raffaele Hospital Scientific Retreat
2018-present: Co-Chair, Steering Committee MAGNIMS (European Network for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis)
2018-present: Member, EAN Multiple Sclerosis Panel, EAN Child Neurology Panel, EAN Headache Panel, EAN Neurorehabilitation Panel
2018: Top reviewer in Publons' global Peer Review Awards
2018: Investigator award, 4th congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Lisbon, Portugal
2017: Award for the best poster at 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS meeting, Paris, France
2016: Investigator award, 2nd congress of the European Academy of Neurology, Copenhagen
2016: Corrado Pedroni grant, Varenna, Italy
2016-2021: Member, Social & Behavioural Science Research Scientific Committee FISM (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation)
2015-2020: Coordinator, Neuroimaging Study Group SIN
2013-present: Member, Steering Committee INNI (Italian Neuroimaging Network Initiative)
2010-2013: Member, Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC) ISMRM
2013: Rita Levi Montalcini Award, AISM/FISM Rome, Italy
2010-present: Member, Multiple Sclerosis Study Group SIN
2010-present: Member, International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group (IPMSSG)
2008-present: Member, Steering Committee MAGNIMS
2008-2014: Member, Neuroimaging Subcommittee of the European Neurological Society (ENS)
2008: Ricercatissimi Regione Lombardia award, Italy
2005-present: Member, Neuroimaging Study Group SIN
1998: Gianfranco Battaglia Grant, University of Milan, Italy
1997: De Visart Grant for research on Multiple Sclerosis, University of Milan, Italy
1997-present: Member, MAGNIMS