# Current Fellows [### 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) [### 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) [### 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) ## Bertarelli Fellowship Program ### [Bertarelli Research Awards](/bertarelli-fellows) 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... [Read more](/bertarelli-fellows) ## 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 Project Summary: When planning a movement towards a visual target, the sensorimotor nervous system is engaged to estimate the spatial location of the target and correspondingly perform the motor output to reach it. Movements can be planned in two major... ![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 Project Summary: The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of the neural principles governing memory interference. Memory interference can provide insights into how different types of memory interact and are organized within the human brain... ![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 Project Summary: This project focused on the development of a new and robust approach to investigate the compressed sensing technologies for brain imaging. Mr. Karabeyli will work with the lab’s algorithmic development team and learn about current... ![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 Project Summary: The adult nervous system can recover limited function following stroke or injury. Here, the plan is to study how the central auditory pathways of an adult mouse gradually recover the ability to encode sound following near-complete... ![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 Project Summary: This study will focus on long-term depression (LTD), an important mechanism of synaptic plasticity that modifies synapses in response to neuronal activity and experience. Long-lasting changes in synapse function such LTD are involved in... ![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 Project Summary: Cortical projection neurons are integral to many of the most important capacities of neural circuitry, including sensation, motion, and higher-order cognition. These glutamatergic neurons cross extremely long distances -- up to 10,000s of... ![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 Project Summary: Mr. Majubu will lead a research study focused on how to improve hearing in profoundly deaf cochlear implant users. He will enroll subjects, collect, analyze date and communicate his findings. ![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)