Dr Matteo Figini

Research Associate

BIOGRAPHY

Matteo Figini, PhD, is a Research Associate in the Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science at University College London. His research focuses on MRI acquisition and post-processing, with a special interest in neurological applications of advanced MRI methods. Currently, he is working on image quality transfer of low-field MRI images and on microstructure imaging of brain tumours and neurodegenerative diseases.

 

EDUCATION / QUALIFICATIONS

  • 2010-2014: Ph.D. Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy (Bioengineering)
  • 2007-2010: M.Sc. Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. (Biomedical Engineering)
  • 2004-2007: B.Sc. Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. (Biomedical Engineering)

 

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2018 - present: Research Associate, University College London, Centre for Medical Image Computing, London, UK Image quality transfer for low-field MRI: application of deep learning algorithms to enhance the quality of low-field MRI images acquired on children with epilepsy in Nigeria Microstructure imaging: application of diffusion MRI and biophysical models to characterize brain microstructure in patients with prion disease and brain tumors

2016 - 2018: Research Associate, Northwestern University, Radiology, Chicago, IL, USA Optimization and application of MRI protocols for experimental studies in animal models of body cancer on preclinical and clinical scanners.

2010 - 2016: Researcher, Neurological Institute “Carlo Besta”, Milan, Italy December 2010 – September 2012: CONNECT European project. Diffusion MRI studies on prion disease patients on a clinical 1.5T Siemens scanner and brain tumor patients on a research 3T Philips scanner.

October 2012 – February 2016: optimization of acquisition and post-processing MRI protocols on a Bruker preclinical 7T scanner, with particular interest for diffusion MRI, MRS and 19F MRI/MRS. Application of the optimized protocols in studies on animal models of neurological diseases or surgical specimens

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  1. Mastropietro A, Rizzo G, Fontana L, Figini M, Bernardini B, Straffi L, Marcheselli S, Ghirmai S, Nuzzi NP, Malosio ML, Grimaldi M. Microstructural characterization of corticospinal tract in subacute and chronic stroke patients with distal lesions by means of advanced diffusion MRI. Neuroradiology. 2019 Sep;61(9):1033-1045.
  2. Noè F, Cattalini A, Vila Verde D, Alessi C, Colciaghi F, Figini M, Zucca I, de Curtis M. Epileptiform activity contralateral to unilateral hippocampal sclerosis does not cause the expression of brain damage markers. Epilepsia. 2019 Jun;60(6):1184-1199.
  3. Figini M, Riva M, Graham M, Castelli GM, Fernandes B, Grimaldi M, Baselli G, Pessina F, Bello L, Zhang H, Bizzi A. Prediction of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Genotype in Brain Gliomas with MRI: Single-Shell versus Multishell Diffusion Models. Radiology. 2018 Dec;289(3):788-796.
  4. Figini M, Scotti A, Marcuzzo S, Bonanno S, Padelli F, Moreno-Manzano V, García-Verdugo JM, Bernasconi P, Mantegazza R, Bruzzone MG, Zucca I. Comparison of Diffusion MRI Acquisition Protocols for the In Vivo Characterization of the Mouse Spinal Cord: Variability Analysis and Application to an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Model. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 25;11(8):e0161646.
  5. Zucca I, Milesi G, Medici V, Tassi L, Didato G, Cardinale F, Tringali G, Colombo N, Bramerio M, D'Incerti L, Freri E, Morbin M, Fugnanesi V, Figini M, Spreafico R, Garbelli R. Type II focal cortical dysplasia: Ex vivo 7T magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities and histopathological comparisons. Ann Neurol. 2016 Jan;79(1):42-58.
  6. Figini M, Zucca I, Aquino D, Pennacchio P, Nava S, Di Marzio A, Preti MG, Baselli G, Spreafico R, Frassoni C. In vivo DTI tractography of the rat brain: an atlas of the main tracts in Paxinos space with histological comparison. Magn Reson Imaging. 2015 Apr;33(3):296-303
  7. Figini M, Alexander DC, Redaelli V, Fasano F, Grisoli M, Baselli G, Gambetti P, Tagliavini F, Bizzi A. Mathematical models for the diffusion magnetic resonance signal abnormality in patients with prion diseases. Neuroimage Clin. 2014 Nov 29;7:142-54
  8. Coras R, Milesi G, Zucca I, Mastropietro A, Scotti A, Figini M, Mühlebner A, Hess A, Graf W, Tringali G, Blümcke I, Villani F, Didato G, Frassoni C, Spreafico R, Garbelli R. 7T MRI features in control human hippocampus and hippocampal sclerosis: an ex vivo study with histologic correlations. Epilepsia. 2014 Dec;55(12):2003-16

 

View all publications