Ilary Allodi

Ilary Allodi is a Lecturer in Systems Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews, School of Psychology and Neuroscience. Their research focuses on neurodegenerative disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), investigating inhibitory/excitatory neural circuit changes to identify potential treatments and pre-diagnostic indicators. Key methods include mouse models, spatial transcriptomics, and machine learning-based behavioral analysis.

Dr Allodi holds a PhD from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2013), Master of Science from University of Turin (2008), and Bachelor of Science in Psychology (2006). They lead a research group at the Integrative Neuroscience Unit, University of Copenhagen since 2021.

Current research emphasizes early ALS/FTD pathophysiology, particularly spinal interneuron degeneration and synaptic connectivity disruptions. Their team uses advanced multiplexing techniques and gene therapy approaches to explore disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Notable contributions include discoveries about excitotoxicity in ALS/FTD and the role of V1 interneurons in motor deficits.

Dr Allodi has secured grants from the Medical Research Council and Royal Society for projects targeting ALS circuit-based therapies. Their work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Awards include the 2014 Honour Award for Best PhD Thesis and 2022 LFIN Fellowship.

Active collaborations span neuroscience, physiology, and computational biology. Supervised PhD students include Jui-Yi Chen, Alexander Rodon, and Anna Stuckert. Research outputs include over 25 peer-reviewed articles, 8 datasets/software tools, and contributions to international conferences.