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Roberta Bianco

Marie-Curie fellow
Affiliated Researcher
Neuroscience of Perception and Action
Roberta Bianco
Address
Viale Regina Elena 291, Rome, Italy
Research center
CLN²S@Sapienza
Interests
neuroscience
music
auditory memory
action planning
About

I’m an Associate Professor in Neurophysiology at University of Pisa, and former Marie-Curie fellow of the NPA lab at IIT. 

I am interested in music and neuroscience.

I investigate the neurobiological foundation of the remarkable human sensitivity to auditory structures, as those underlying music. Much of my work has focused on how humans learn and memorise structured patterns, and how these may guide and facilitate musicians' actions during music playing. Currently, I am investigating the evolutionary origin of musical patterns sensitivity and the neural mechanisms that support conserved abilities. My research combines behavioural, electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods.

Education

Title: PhD (Cognitive Neuroscience)
Institute: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Location: Leipzig
Country: Germany
From: 2013 To: 2017

Title: BA (Medical Biotechnology)
Institute: Università degli Studi di Milano
Location: Milan
Country: Italy
From: 2005 To: 2008

Title: MSc (Neurobiology)
Institute: Università degli Studi di Pavia
Location: Pavia
Country: Italy
From: 2009 To: 2011

Title: BA (Music)
Institute: Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali F. Vittadini
Location: Pavia
Country: Italy
From: 2009 To: 2011

Experience External

Title: Research Associate
Institute: University College London
Location: London
Country: United Kingdom
From: 2017 To: 2021

Title: Visiting doctoral fellow
Institute: Concordia University
Location: Montreal
Country: Canada
From: 2016 To: 2017

All Publications
2026
Nguyen T., Bigand F., Reisner S., Koul A., Bianco R., Markova G., Hoehl S., Novembre G.
Development of neural and spontaneous movement responses to music over the first year of life
eLife
DOI 10.7554/eLife.107088.2
Article in Press Journal
2026
Bianco R., Magami K., Pearce M., Chait M.
Discovery, Interruption, and Updating of Auditory Regularities in Memory: Evidence from Low-Frequency Brain Dynamics in Human MEG
Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 46, (no. 2)
DOI 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0629-25.2025
Article Journal
2026
Bianco R., Toth B., Bigand F., Nguyen T., Sziller I., Haden G.P., Winkler I., Novembre G.
Human newborns form musical predictions based on rhythmic but not melodic structure
PLoS Biology, vol. 24, (no. 2)
DOI 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003600
Article Journal
2026
Bastug B., Rajendran V.G., Bianco R., Agus T., Chait M., Pressnitzer D.
Memory for repeated auditory textures
Cognition, vol. 268
DOI 10.1016/j.cognition.2025.106350
Article Journal
2026
Abalde S.F., Bigand F., Mecozzi S., Nguyen T., Bianco R., Keller P. E., Novembre G.
On the role of ancillary body movements in interpersonal synchronization during joint music making
8th international conference of the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ESCAN)
Poster Conference
Dissemination
2026
Bianco R.
Are you born with rhythm?
BBC
Media
2026
Bianco R.
Confirmado por la ciencia: los bebés nacen con sentido del ritmo
huffingtonpost
Media
2026
Bianco R.
IL RITMO È INNATO, LA MELODIA S’IMPARA: ECCO IL CERVELLO MUSICALE
Rai 3 - Elisir
Media
2026
Bianco R., Novembre G.
I neonati hanno il senso del ritmo prima ancora di parlare (lo prova Bach)
Corriere della Sera
Media
2026
Bianco R., Novembre G.
Nati per la musica: a due giorni di vita il cervello dei neonati coglie il ritmo
La Repubblica
Media
Scientific Talks
2026
Bianco R.
Developmental and comparative perspectives on melodic tracking
Spectral Percepts: Cognition, Biology and the Origins of Musicality
Workshop/Symposium
2026
Bigand F., Bianco R., Nguyen T., Abalde F. S., Novembre G.
EEG of the dancing brain: Decoding sensory, motor and social processes during dyadic dance
ESCAN 2026
Conference
2026
Abalde S.F., Bigand F., Mecozzi S., Nguyen T., Bianco R., Keller P. E., Novembre G.
On the role of ancillary body movements in interpersonal synchronization during joint music making
Methodological Challenges and Perspectives in Multimodal Music Performance Research
Workshop/Symposium
2026
Nguyen T., Bigand F., Reisner S., Koul A., Bianco R., Markova G., Hoehl S., Novembre G.
Rhythms of early social communication
PhD Academy 2026 of the Vienna Doctoral School Cognition, Behaviour and Neuroscience
School (Summer school, ...)
2025
Bigand F., Bianco R., Nguyen T., Abalde S.F., Novembre G.
EEG of the dancing brain: Decoding sensory, motor and social processes during dyadic dance
10th Joint Action Meeting (JAM X)
Conference
Awards and Achievements
2022
Bianco R., Novembre G.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship: European
2021
Bianco R.
ECR Bridging Grant
2016
Bianco R.
Doctoral research visiting fellowship