Dr. Vittorio Gallese is a distinguished neuroscientist and leading authority in cognitive neuroscience, renowned for his pioneering contributions to understanding the neural mechanisms underlying social cognition and intersubjectivity. Born in Parma on May 17, 1959, he earned his Medical Degree and completed his specialization in Neurology at the University of Parma, establishing the foundation for his illustrious academic career. Currently, he serves as Full Professor of Psychobiology in the Department of Medicine and Surgery, Unit of Neuroscience at the University of Parma, where he also coordinates the PhD Program in Neuroscience and directs the PhD School of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. His research trajectory has included significant appointments at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, Nihon University in Tokyo, and the University of California at Berkeley, where he served as George Miller Visiting Professor in 2001.
Dr. Gallese is internationally recognized as one of the original discoverers of mirror neurons, a groundbreaking finding that revolutionized our understanding of how the brain processes and comprehends the actions of others. His seminal research has provided fundamental insights into the neural mechanisms underlying social cognition, empathy, language processing, and aesthetic experience, with his scholarly work accumulating over 115,000 citations and an impressive h-index of 114. His theoretical contributions, particularly the development of the embodied simulation framework, have bridged neuroscience with philosophy and psychology, offering a novel perspective on how we understand others' mental states through our own sensorimotor systems. This integrative approach has catalyzed a paradigm shift in cognitive science, moving the field toward a more embodied understanding of higher cognitive functions and social interactions.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Gallese has played a pivotal role in fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between neuroscience, philosophy, and the arts through his position as Professor of Experimental Aesthetics at the Institute of Philosophy of the School of Advanced Study of the University of London from 2016-2018 and as Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Department of Art History and Archaeology. He serves as Associate Editor for Psychopathology and sits on the editorial boards of multiple prestigious journals including Social and Affective Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences. His leadership extends to his membership in the Scientific Committee of the Fondation Fyssen in Paris and active participation in numerous international scientific societies such as the European Brain and Behavior Society. Currently, Professor Gallese continues to advance the frontiers of social neuroscience through his ongoing research at the University of Parma, exploring the neural basis of human intersubjectivity and aesthetic experience while mentoring the next generation of neuroscientists.
