Filippo Castellani - Personal Portfolio

About me

Hi, I’m Filippo Castellani, a 2nd year PhD Candidate in Neuroengineering @ Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.
I'm a Biomedical Engineer by training with longstanding passion for neuroscience and neural interfaces.
I research novel bioelectronic solutions that advance neural restoration and rehabilitation.

Recent & Ongoing:

Society for Neuroscience 2025

☁ CLICK to download the poster ☁
Title: Swine pudendal nerve intraneural stimulation enables selective neuromodulation of urethral and anal external sphincters.
Authors: Filippo Castellani, Alice Giannotti, Naif Onur Ceylan, Chiara Di Franco, Khatia Gabisonia, Stefania Musco, Giulio Del Popolo, Angela Briganti, Vincenzo Miragliotta, Silvestro Micera.
PhD @ Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

Bioelectronics and Bioengineering Area
Developing neuroprosthetic solutions to restore autonomic functions and improve the quality of life of people with neurological disorders. Working in particular on closed-loop implantable systems for bladder control after spinal cord injury, by combining novel intraneural interfaces, selective neuromodulation of peripheral nerves, neural decoding algorithms, and translational validation in large-animal models.

Fascinated by:

Electronic Design for Prosthetics

Function restoration devices such as Retinal prostheses and Cochlear Implants.
AI & Brain Computer Interfaces

BCIs for enhancement of human capabilities and rehabilitation of impaired function, leveraging on AI.
Neural Coding & Modeling

Neurosensorial information coding and networks emergent behaviours.
Software Development

Implementation of optimized signal processing algorithms and machine learning models.

Resume

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Publications

Accurate spatiotemporal retinal responses require a color intensity balance fine-tuned to natural conditions
[Link] - Year of publication: 2025
T. Quétu*, Louboutin A.*, Castellani F*.; Baroux R.; Ferrari U.; Goldin M.A.
Journal: Vision Research, Volume 240.
Cortico-Muscular Coupling to Control a Hybrid Brain-Computer Interface for Upper Limb Motor Rehabilitation: A Pseudo-Online Study on Stroke Patients.
[Link] - Year of publication: 2022
de Seta, V.; Toppi, J.; Colamarino, E.; Molle, R.; Castellani, F.; Cincotti, F.; Mattia, D.; Pichiorri, F.
Journal: Frontiers Human Neuroscience 2022, 16, 1016862.

Conferences & Partecipations

Society for Neuroscience - (San Diego, California)
Date: November 2025 Conference abstract available here: [Link] Poster available here: [Link]
Title: Swine pudendal nerve intraneural stimulation enables selective neuromodulation of urethral and anal external sphincters.
Castellani F.; Giannotti A.; Ceylan N.; Di Franco C.; Gabisonia K.; Musco S.; Del Popolo G.; Briganti A.; Miragliotta V.; Micera S.
European Retina Meeting - (Pécs, Hungary)
Date: October 2025 Conference abstract available here: [Link] Poster available here: [Link]
Title: Balanced spatiotemporal retinal responses require a color intensity fine-tuned to natural conditions.
T. Quétu, Castellani F., Louboutin A.; Baroux R.; Ferrari U.; Goldin M.A.

Experience

Institut de La Vision, Paris, FR
Research Internship : Oct 2023 - Apr 2024
Visual Information Processing Research Team: Neural Coding and Vision Restoration.
Tasks:
- Research biological neural network behaviours through Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGC) response analysis, during natural movies elicitatation.
- Assist multi-electrode array experiments on ex-vivo mouse retina.
- Analyse and model the electrophysiological response of retinal ganglion neurons, to uncover visual features extracted at this level of the visual pathway, focusing on contrast encoding.

Tools:
Python, Jupyter Notebooks, Linux/Unix System
S.Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, IT
Research Engineer : Sep 2021 - Sep 2023 RECOMMENCER Project: Completed clinical trial, more information here: [Link].
Brain Computer Interface (BCI) implementation. Corticomuscular Coherence-based BCI for rehabilitation of the upper limb on post-stroke subjects.
Tasks:
- Develop real-time computational core for BCI that performed EEG and EMG signal analysis.
- Create feature visualization and rehab session management UI.
- Design and integrate information processing modules in a cohesive data pipeline, from acquisition to sensorial neurofeedback.
- Write documentation and software version managing.

Tools:
Matlab, Python, XML, OpenVibe

Education

Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, IT
PhD Biorobotics [since Oct 2024]:
Thesis: currently under development.
Politecnico di Milano, Milan IT
MSc Biomedical Engineering - Technologies for Electronics [Sep 2021 - Jul 2024]:
Thesis: Retinal Ganglion Cells responses to color natural scenes: a method for visual stimulation during Multi Electrode Array recordings.
Thesis is available at the following link.
Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, IT
BSc Clinical Engineering [Sep 2018 - Oct 2021]:
Thesis: Coherence-Based BCI for Rehabilitation: Feature Extraction and Experimental Assessment.
Tasks:
- Perform research on state of-the-art use of coherence-based BCI.
- Implementing via Python, a feature extraction algorithm executable within the OpenVibe Software framework.
- Conduct laboratory test of features extraction from non-pathological subjects.
Conservatory of Music Santa Cecilia, Rome, IT
Jazz Drum [2011-2015] & Electronic Music [2018-2019] :
Completed coursework in composition, music theory, practical application of signal theory to sound. Proficient in solfége, piano and drum techniques, as well as orchestral performance.