Dr. Matilde Balbi is a neuroscientist within the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland. After receiving her bachelor and master’s degree in Medical Biotechnology from the University of Naples,Italy, she spent a year working on traumatic brain injury at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland as a research assistant. Dr. Balbi earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, working on the regulation of cerebral blood flow in health (ageing) and disease (small vessel disease and subarachnoid haemorrhage). She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she received support and fellowships from the Leducq Foundation, CPSR, MSFHR. She now leads her laboratory which aims to make an impact on the field of stroke recovery and other pathological conditions by combining imaging techniques, brain stimulation and individually tailored recovery paradigms in behaving rodents.
Journal Article: Protocol to measure monosynaptic connections between different cortical regions in mice using cell-pair cross correlogram of spike events
Wang, Cong, Samantzis, Montana and Balbi, Matilde (2024). Protocol to measure monosynaptic connections between different cortical regions in mice using cell-pair cross correlogram of spike events. STAR Protocols, 5 (2) 103035, 103035. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103035
Journal Article: Gamma oscillations and their role in orchestrating balance and communication following stroke
Samantzis, Montana, Wang, Cong and Balbi, Matilde (2024). Gamma oscillations and their role in orchestrating balance and communication following stroke. Neural Regeneration Research. doi: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00127
Journal Article: 40-Hz optogenetic stimulation rescues functional synaptic plasticity after stroke
Wang, Cong, Lin, Caixia, Zhao, Yue, Samantzis, Montana, Sedlak, Petra, Sah, Pankaj and Balbi, Matilde (2023). 40-Hz optogenetic stimulation rescues functional synaptic plasticity after stroke. Cell Reports, 42 (12) 113475, 1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113475
Assessment and modulation of cortical sensorimotor control for recovery after stroke
(2023–2027) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
(2023–2025) University of Tasmania
A novel molecular pathway that mediates constriction after aneurysms rupture
(2023–2024) Brain Foundation Research Grant
Understanding the role of stress in modulating functional outcomes following stroke.
Doctor Philosophy
Using AI to investigate how neuronal connectivity encodes behaviour
Doctor Philosophy
Spatiotemporal dynamics of dendritic spine compensation following optogenetic loss
Doctor Philosophy
Wang, Cong, Samantzis, Montana and Balbi, Matilde (2024). Protocol to measure monosynaptic connections between different cortical regions in mice using cell-pair cross correlogram of spike events. STAR Protocols, 5 (2) 103035, 103035. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103035
Gamma oscillations and their role in orchestrating balance and communication following stroke
Samantzis, Montana, Wang, Cong and Balbi, Matilde (2024). Gamma oscillations and their role in orchestrating balance and communication following stroke. Neural Regeneration Research. doi: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-24-00127
40-Hz optogenetic stimulation rescues functional synaptic plasticity after stroke
Wang, Cong, Lin, Caixia, Zhao, Yue, Samantzis, Montana, Sedlak, Petra, Sah, Pankaj and Balbi, Matilde (2023). 40-Hz optogenetic stimulation rescues functional synaptic plasticity after stroke. Cell Reports, 42 (12) 113475, 1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113475
Meso-py: Dual brain cortical calcium imaging in mice during head-fixed social stimulus presentation
Michelson, Nicholas J., Bolaños, Federico, Bolaños, Luis A., Balbi, Matilde, LeDue, Jeffrey M. and Murphy, Timothy H. (2023). Meso-py: Dual brain cortical calcium imaging in mice during head-fixed social stimulus presentation. eneuro, 10 (12) ENEURO.0096-23.2023, ENEURO.0096-23.2023. doi: 10.1523/eneuro.0096-23.2023
Schwarting, Julian, Nehrkorn, Katrin, Harapan, Biyan N., Balbi, Matilde, Terpolilli, Nicole A. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2023). Pericytes are not associated with reduced capillary perfusion after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke, 54 (8), 2172-2177. doi: 10.1161/strokeaha.123.042936
Ultrasound-mediated bioeffects in senescent mice and Alzheimer’s mouse models
Balbi, Matilde, Blackmore, Daniel G., Padmanabhan, Pranesh and Götz, Jürgen (2022). Ultrasound-mediated bioeffects in senescent mice and Alzheimer’s mouse models. Brain Sciences, 12 (6) 775, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12060775
Driving Oscillatory Dynamics: Neuromodulation for Recovery After Stroke
Storch, Sven, Samantzis, Montana and Balbi, Matilde (2021). Driving Oscillatory Dynamics: Neuromodulation for Recovery After Stroke. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 15 712664, 712664. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.712664
Location Matters: Navigating Regional Heterogeneity of the Neurovascular Unit
Bernier, Louis-Philippe, Brunner, Clément, Cottarelli, Azzurra and Balbi, Matilde (2021). Location Matters: Navigating Regional Heterogeneity of the Neurovascular Unit. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 15 696540, 696540. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2021.696540
Balbi, Matilde, Xiao, Dongsheng, Jativa Vega, Max, Hu, Hao, Vanni, Matthieu P., Bernier, Louis-Philippe, LeDue, Jeffrey, MacVicar, Brian and Murphy, Timothy H. (2021). Gamma frequency activation of inhibitory neurons in the acute phase after stroke attenuates vascular and behavioral dysfunction. Cell Reports, 34 (5) 108696, 108696. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108696
Lynch, Cillian E, Eisenbaum, Maxwell, Algamal, Moustafa, Balbi, Matilde, Ferguson, Scott, Mouzon, Benoit, Saltiel, Nicole, Ojo, Joseph, Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon, Mullan, Mike, Crawford, Fiona and Bachmeier, Corbin (2020). Impairment of cerebrovascular reactivity in response to hypercapnic challenge in a mouse model of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 41 (6), 0271678X2095401-1378. doi: 10.1177/0271678x20954015
Murphy, Timothy H., Michelson, Nicholas J., Boyd, Jamie D., Fong, Tony, Bolanos, Luis A., Bierbrauer, David, Siu, Teri, Balbi, Matilde, Bolanos, Federico, Vanni, Matthieu and LeDue, Jeff M. (2020). Automated task training and longitudinal monitoring of mouse mesoscale cortical circuits using home cages. eLife, 9 e55964, 1-91. doi: 10.7554/elife.55964
Balbi, Matilde, Vanni, Matthieu P., Vega, Max J., Silasi, Gergely, Sekino, Yuki, Boyd, Jamie D., LeDue, Jeffrey M. and Murphy, Timothy H. (2019). Longitudinal monitoring of mesoscopic cortical activity in a mouse model of microinfarcts reveals dissociations with behavioral and motor function. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 39 (8), 1486-1500. doi: 10.1177/0271678x18763428
Long-term impairment of neurovascular coupling following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage
Balbil, Matilde, Vega, Max Jativa, Lourbopoulos, Athanasios, Terpolilli, Nicole A. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2019). Long-term impairment of neurovascular coupling following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 40 (6), 1193-1202. doi: 10.1177/0271678x19863021
Automated touch sensing in the mouse tapered beam test using Raspberry Pi
Ardesch, Dirk Jan, Balbi, Matilde and Murphy, Timothy H. (2017). Automated touch sensing in the mouse tapered beam test using Raspberry Pi. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 291, 221-226. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.08.030
Inversion of neurovascular coupling after subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo
Balbi, Matilde, Koide, Masayo, Wellman, George C. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2017). Inversion of neurovascular coupling after subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 37 (11), 3625-3634. doi: 10.1177/0271678x16686595
Vanni, Matthieu P., Chan, Allen W., Balbi, Matilde, Silasi, Gergely and Murphy, Timothy H. (2017). Mesoscale mapping of mouse cortex reveals frequency-dependent cycling between distinct macroscale functional modules. Journal of Neuroscience, 37 (31), 7513-7533. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.3560-16.2017
Balbi, Matilde, Vanni, Matthieu P., Silasi, Gergely, Sekino, Yuki, Bolanos, Luis, LeDue, Jeffrey M. and Murphy, Timothy H. (2017). Targeted ischemic stroke induction and mesoscopic imaging assessment of blood flow and ischemic depolarization in awake mice. Neurophotonics, 4 (3), 1. doi: 10.1117/1.nph.4.3.035001
Inadequate food and water intake determine mortality following stroke in mice
Lourbopoulos, Athanasios, Mamrak, Uta, Roth, Stefan, Balbi, Matilde, Shrouder, Joshua, Liesz, Arthur, Hellal, Farida and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2017). Inadequate food and water intake determine mortality following stroke in mice. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 37 (6), 2084-2097. doi: 10.1177/0271678x16660986
Acute changes in neurovascular reactivity after subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo
Balbi, Matilde, Koide, Masayo, Schwarzmaier, Susanne M., Wellman, George C. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2017). Acute changes in neurovascular reactivity after subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 37 (1), 178-187. doi: 10.1177/0271678x15621253
Schwarzmaier, Susanne M., de Chaumont, Ciaran, Balbi, Matilde, Terpolilli, Nicole A., Kleinschnitz, Christoph, Gruber, Andras and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2016). The formation of microthrombi in parenchymal microvessels after traumatic brain injury is independent of coagulation factor XI. Journal of Neurotrauma, 33 (17), 1634-1644. doi: 10.1089/neu.2015.4173
Temporal profile of MicroRNA expression in contused cortex after traumatic brain injury in mice
Meissner, Lilja, Gallozzi, Micaela, Balbi, Matilde, Schwarzmaier, Susanne, Tiedt, Steffen, Terpolilli, Nicole A. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2016). Temporal profile of MicroRNA expression in contused cortex after traumatic brain injury in mice. Journal of Neurotrauma, 33 (8), 713-720. doi: 10.1089/neu.2015.4077
Ghosh, Mitrajit, Balbi, Matilde, Hellal, Farida, Dichgans, Martin, Lindauer, Ute and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2015). Pericytes are involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy. Annals of Neurology, 78 (6), 887-900. doi: 10.1002/ana.24512
Dysfunction of mouse cerebral arteries during early aging
Balbi, Matilde, Ghosh, Mitrajit, Longden, Thomas A., Vega, Max Jativa, Gesierich, Benno, Hellal, Farida, Lourbopoulos, Athanasios, Nelson, Mark T. and Plesnila, Nikolaus (2015). Dysfunction of mouse cerebral arteries during early aging. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 35 (9), 1445-1453. doi: 10.1038/jcbfm.2015.107
Prades, Roger, Oller-Salvia, Benjami, Schwarzmaier, Susanne M., Selva, Javier, Moros, Maria, Balbi, Matilde, Grazu, Valeria, de la Fuente, Jesus M., Egea, Gustavo, Plesnila, Nikolaus, Teixido, Meritxell and Giralt, Ernest (2015). Applying the retro-enantio approach to obtain a peptide capable of overcoming the blood-brain barrier. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 54 (13), 3967-3972. doi: 10.1002/anie.201411408
Assessment and modulation of cortical sensorimotor control for recovery after stroke
(2023–2027) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
(2023–2025) University of Tasmania
A novel molecular pathway that mediates constriction after aneurysms rupture
(2023–2024) Brain Foundation Research Grant
Development of an individualised closed-loop approach for stroke recovery
(2021–2022) Bionics Queensland Challenge
Genomic profiling of neuronal plasticity after induced gamma oscillations in a stroke mouse model
(2021–2022) U21 Health Sciences Group Early Career Research Fund
Understanding the role of stress in modulating functional outcomes following stroke.
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Using AI to investigate how neuronal connectivity encodes behaviour
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Spatiotemporal dynamics of dendritic spine compensation following optogenetic loss
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors: