Pediatric movement disorders, dystonia, deep brain stimulation for dystonia

Valentina Gallo is a Rosalind Franklin Fellow and Associate Professor in Epidemiology and Sustainable Health at Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen where she leads the Sustainable Health flagship. She trained in Medicine and Surgery first and Clinical Neurology after, at University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy). Immediately after graduating she gained some fieldwork experience working with Medicines Sans Frontiers in Sicily with a team managing the health needs of migrants landing by boat on Sicilian coasts after crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Valentina gained an MSc in Demography and Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in 2004, and a PhD in Clinical and Experimental Neurology at the University of Rome La Sapienza in 2010. Valentina moved in 2006 to London (United Kingdom) to start her academic career. She has firstly worked as Research Assistant of Prof Paolo Vineis at the department of Epidemiology and Public Health of Imperial College London (ICL). The she was then appointed Clinical Lecturer in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine working on the C8 Health project with Dr Tony Fletcher. Finally she was appointed Lecturer first and Senior Lecturer then at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). During her academic career Valentina gained considerable experience in both teaching and research. She was awarded by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine the Introductory Certificate in Learning and Teaching (PGCILT – Module 1) in 2012. At QMUL, she participated in setting up the innovative BSc programme in Global Health where she designed and taught Introduction to Epidemiology and Statistics, Advanced Epidemiology and Statistics, Non-Communicable diseases, Contemporary Issues in Global Health. Valentina was awarded the Teacher of the Year of QMUL in March 2019. During this time, she started interdisciplinary teaching and research approach with her colleague Dr Doreen Montag. At the same time, Valentina was awarded several research grants, including the HEalth and Ageing Data IN the Game of football (HEADING) Study and the BRain health and health AgeINg in retired rugby players (BRAIN) study by the Drake Foundation as a co-Principal Investigator. In total, she obtained the equivalent of £1.3M research funds. Valentina’s research is focused on the epidemiology of neurological disease, molecular and environmental epidemiology. She has worked with large cohort consortia such as the European Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, and she has set up new studies such the BRAIN and HEADING studies. In 2015 and 2018, Valentina was appointed as Visiting Professor at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli in Naples (Italy) by Prof Paolo Chiodini. In April 2020 Valentina moved to Groningen and started as Associate Professor and leader of the Sustainable Health Flagship at Campus Fryslân.

Pediatric Neurology, Movement Disorders (Ataxia and Dystonia), Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Developmental Coordination Disorder), Neurogenetics

- Functional neuroimaging (PET, fMRI),
- Organization of the nervous system and manifestation of dysfunction in clinical neurology.
- Neurological intensive care consultation

Functional movement disorders

Health Technology Assessment, simulation modeling in acute care pathways.
Clinical neurology, organizational models in acute stroke treatment.
E-health and decision support systems for chronic diseases.

traumatic brain injury - imaging (f)MRI - outcome prediction - behaviour and cognition

Movement Disorders
Spina Bifida
Developmental Neurology