ALBERTO SPALICE

Professor Alberto Spalice is a full Professor of Pediatrics at Sapienza University of Rome, affiliated with the Department of Maternal-Infantile and Urological Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. With over three decades of experience in pediatric neurology, he serves as Director of the Pediatric Neurology Unit at Policlinico Umberto I Hospital and leads the Presidio Lissencefalie (Lissencephaly Center) at Sapienza University. His clinical practice encompasses comprehensive neurological consultations, EEG monitoring, and specialized care for rare neurological conditions including Neurofibromatosis and PANDAS syndrome.

Dr. Spalice completed his medical degree in 1991 at Sapienza University of Rome with a thesis on 'Headache and Epilepsy,' followed by a PhD in Pediatric Sciences in 1996 focusing on 'Neuronal Migration Disorders: Clinical and Neuroradiological Correlations.' He specialized in Pediatrics with a Neurology focus in 2000 and completed a Master's in Pediatric Neurology and Neurophysiology in 2004. His research interests span pediatric epilepsy, neurogenetics, autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (particularly PANDAS), neuronal migration disorders, and neuroimaging techniques including diffusion tensor imaging.

His extensive publication record includes 278 publications with 120 international journal articles, demonstrating consistent scholarly output across neurology, genetics, and pediatrics. His recent work focuses on PANS/PANDAS immunological mechanisms, genetic epileptic encephalopathies (particularly STXBP1 and CDKL5-related disorders), oxidative stress in neurological conditions, and innovative therapeutic approaches for drug-resistant epilepsies. His research bridges basic science with clinical applications, often incorporating advanced neuroimaging and genetic analysis techniques.

Professor Spalice holds significant editorial responsibilities as Lead Guest Editor for Neurology Research International and Current Pediatric Review, and serves as Associate Editor for Molecular & Cellular Epilepsy and American Journal of Pediatrics. He is a sought-after reviewer for prestigious journals including The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of Pediatrics. His leadership extends to national and international societies including the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP), Italian Society of Pediatric Neurology (SINP), and International Child Neurology Association (ICNA), where he previously served as SINP Treasurer from 2011-2014.

In addition to his research, Professor Spalice maintains an active clinical practice with approximately 800 patient consultations and 1,300 outpatient neurological visits annually. He oversees EEG monitoring for over 2,000 procedures yearly and provides specialized consultations for multiple hospital departments. His teaching responsibilities include directing neurophysiology courses for pediatric residents, teaching pediatric neurology to nursing students, and lecturing on child neurology for the Tor Vergata University's Child Neurology Master's program. He also supervises medical theses and participates in national and international conference organization, particularly for PANDAS-related events.