Maria Alessandra Umilta'

Prof. Maria Alessandra Umiltà is an Associate Professor of General Physiology at the University of Parma’s Department of Food and Drug Sciences. She holds adjunct positions at Columbia University’s Department of Art History and Archaeology (since 2010) and has held visiting roles at University College London. Her research focuses on the cortical motor system’s role in cognitive functions, social cognition, and embodied perception. She has contributed to projects like NeuroProbes and NEUROBOTICS, advancing technology for neural recording.

Education:

• BSc in Biological Sciences (University of Bologna, 1996)
• PhD in Neuroscience (University of Parma, 2000)

Research Interests: Prof. Umiltà investigates how motor systems underlie higher cognitive functions, including action understanding, emotional perception, and aesthetic evaluation. Her work bridges neuroscience with art, film, and social interaction, employing EEG, fMRI, and behavioral studies. Recent studies explore trauma’s impact on social cognition and embodiment in cinematic experiences.

Articles Trends: Recent publications emphasize embodied cognition’s role in aesthetic judgment, emotional processing, and motor inhibition in language. Key themes include cross-modal correspondences, trauma’s neurobiological effects, and sensorimotor mechanisms in film perception.

Grants & Projects:

• EU-funded NeuroProbes and NEUROBOTICS projects (neural interface tech)
• PRIN projects on motor cognition and mirror systems

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary groups studying art neuroscience, trauma effects, and embodied interaction. Leads studies on sensorimotor foundations of perception at the University of Parma.