# Bertarelli Research Awards ## expand\_more Through the generosity of the [Bertarelli Foundation](https://www.fondation-bertarelli.org/) in Switzerland, the [École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)](https://www.epfl.ch/) annually selects five students to perform their master's research in [Harvard Medical School (HMS)](https://hms.harvard.edu/) or HMS-affiliated labs over a twelve-month period. The students are funded throughout their stay and bring an additional $10,000 research allowance to the lab. The Bertarelli Fellows master's research program was conceived with neuro-engineering and translational neuroscience in mind (such as neural prosthetics), but can be construed to include broad areas of molecular, cellular, systems and computational neuroscience. The students will be engaged in in-person lab research for at least 75% of their time while at [Harvard Medical School](https://hms.harvard.edu/), with the remaining time dedicated to other educational opportunities. EPFL will arrange an annual call for applications and convene a selection committee to choose five students per year. EPFL students will participate for a maximum of twelve months in the HMS-based research program. EPFL students may be in the fields of Life Sciences & Technology, Bioengineering, Engineering or Basic and Computer Sciences. In any given year, if fewer than five EPFL students matriculate, HMS will add the relevant number of students in subsequent years. HMS will pay each selected fellow a stipend to support living and travel costs while in the U.S. The stipend of up to $42,000 USD will be pro-rated bi-weekly beginning at the appointment start date through the duration of his or her research appointment. The Bertarelli Fellows Program does permit flexible dates of departure, namely in fall or spring. Candidates interested in the delayed option must notify the EPFL selection committee at the time of application. EPFL will communicate the names and research interests of selected fellows to the HMS Program administration at least six months prior to the fellows’ participation in the program. Once fellows are selected, they will be responsible for identifying their HMS or HMS-affiliated PIs and labs (under the guidance of the [HMS Education Director](mailto:john_assad@hms.harvard.edu)), and for securing their own housing while in the United States. Bertarelli Fellows will present their preliminary research at the beginning of their appointment and share their final presentation toward the end of their research. Each fellow must return to EPFL, the home institution, immediately following his or her research appointment. [### Gregor Dederichs ](/people/gregor-dederichs)Paola Arlotta, Ph.D, Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, HMS Project Title: Network Dynamics in Human Cortical Organoid Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders Project Summary: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is prevalent and complex neurological disorder, characterised by a spectrum of cognitive, social, and communicative challenges first manifested in early childhood. Unique to every patient, ASD has a strong... ![Gregor Dederichs](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-09/photo_Dederichs.JPG?h=e4c98757&itok=Ce8XanY0) [### Gabriele Dall'Aglio ](/people/gabriele-dallaglio)Evan Macosko, Ph.D., Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT Project Title: Spatial Resolution of Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Striatal Vulnerability in XD Project Summary: X-linked dystonia–parkinsonism (XDP) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder found almost exclusively in the Philippines, caused by a mutation in the TAF1 gene. The disease devastates the striatum (particularly medium spiny neurons) leading... ![Gabrielle Dall'Aglio](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-01/photo_DallAglio.jpeg?itok=9OF4PjrU) [### Alexis Cogne ](/people/alexis-cogne)Conor J. Walsh, Ph.D., Biodesign Lab, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Project Title: Breaking the Cycle of Learned Non-Use: Wearable Digital Interventions for Upper-Limb Recovery After Stroke Project Summary: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, with upper-limb motor impairments affecting a large proportion of survivors. As populations age and the prevalence of risk factors increases, the incidence of stroke is expected... ![Alexis Cogne](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-10/Photo_Cogne.jpg?itok=qJk8yofs) [### Riccardo Carpineto ](/people/riccardo-carpineto)John Assad, Ph.D., Department of Neurobiology, HMS Project Title: Dynamics of Inititation of Voluntary Movement in the Superior Colliculus in the Mouse Model Project Summary: Voluntary movements, which are actions initiated without direct external stimuli, remain a central question in motor neuroscience. Unlike reactive movements, the timing of self-initiated actions must emerge from internal neural dynamics... ![Riccardo Carpineto](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-01/photo_Carpineto.jpg?itok=XuLVoUXF) ## Former Exchange Fellows [### Léonie Asboth ](/people/l%C3%A9onie-asboth)Faculty Mentor: Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) Department of Neurology ![asboth2.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/asboth2.jpg?itok=P6p6Uqls) [### Lionel Renaud ](/people/lionel-renaud)Faculty Mentor: Edwin M. Robertson, B.M., D.Phil. Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ![renaud.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/renaud.jpg?itok=SHXpzOVZ) [### Efe Karabeyli ](/people/efe-karabeyli)Faculty Mentor: Carl-Fredrik Westin, Ph.D. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Department of Radiology ![thumbnail-1.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/thumbnail-1.jpg?itok=4lBvDgFw) [### Charles-Henri Vila ](/people/charles-henri-vila)Faculty Mentor: Daniel B. Polley, Ph.D. Department of Otology and Laryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear ![vila.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/vila.jpg?itok=Jige__ZY) [### Isabelle Dalle Fusine ](/people/isabelle-dalle-fusine)Faculty Mentor: Bernardo L. Sabatini, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School ![dalle_fusine.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/dalle_fusine.jpg?itok=_Of_kQKv) [### Ari Carlo Sarfatis ](/people/ari-carlo-sarfatis)Faculty Mentor: Jeffrey D. Macklis, M.D. Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and Center for Brain Science Project Title: Targeted manipulation of growth cone molecular networks implicated in cerebral cortex circuit (re)generation ![Ari Carlo Sarfatis](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/image_arisarfatis2017.jpg?itok=DHlMXfOk) [### Norbert Majubu ](/people/norbert-majubu)Faculty Mentor: Daniel B. Polley, Ph.D. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Eaton-Peabody Laboratory ![thumbnail-3.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum5331/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/bertarelli/files/thumbnail-3.jpg?itok=h5_An7C_) arrow\_back arrow\_forward [ More arrow\_circle\_right ](/people)