Olga Ciccarelli

Professor Olga Ciccarelli is a distinguished academic neurologist at University College London's UCL Institute of Neurology, where she serves as Professor of Neurology and Head of the Research Department of Neuroinflammation. She holds a prestigious NIHR Research Professorship (awarded January 2019) and leads the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre Translational Neuroscience program. Her academic journey began with medical training at the University of Rome, La Sapienza, followed by specialist neurology training completed in 1999.

Her research program focuses on developing machine learning tools to predict individual treatment responses in multiple sclerosis, integrating demographic, genetic, biomarker, MRI, and lifestyle factors. This work addresses the critical clinical challenge that while numerous MS therapies exist, current practice lacks personalized prediction of treatment efficacy. Her expertise spans neuroinflammation, diffusion MRI, and autoimmune neurological disorders, with particular emphasis on multiple sclerosis and autoimmune encephalitis.

Ciccarelli's publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in high-impact neurology research, with numerous 2025 publications covering diagnostic criteria development, advanced neuroimaging techniques, and treatment optimization in multiple sclerosis. Her work bridges clinical neurology, artificial intelligence, and neuroimmunology, with strong translational focus.

• NIHR Research Professorship (2019)
• Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2023)
• Wellcome Trust Advanced Clinical Fellowship
• Jacqueline Du Pre Award from MSIF

As an educator, she has supervised over 10 PhD students who now lead MS services and research teams, and currently mentors 3 clinical research fellows and 2 post-doctoral students. She actively shapes the field through editorial roles including Deputy Editor of Neurology Journal and membership on the NICE Committee for MS Guidelines, while contributing to international collaborations through the European Network MAGNIMS.