Group leader
Dr Matilde Balbi
Senior Research Fellow
Affiliate of the Centre for Cardiovascular Health and Research
Our research
The Balbi lab investigates how the brain maintains its function and how these mechanisms can be harnessed to enhance recovery after stroke.
Their resesarch focuses on inhibitory interneurons as key regulators of post-stroke recovery. These neurons modulate neural excitability and plasticity, supporting adaptive rewiring in perilesional and remote brain regions. By targeting inhibitory circuits, the team aim to better understand and guide intrinsic recovery processes.
They have recently demonstrated that gamma-frequency entrainment provides neuroprotection after stroke. This work identifies a promising mechanism through which rhythmic brain stimulation can help stabilise neural networks and support functional recovery following injury.
Our approach
The lab employs a multi-level, integrative approach to investigate neuroprotective mechanisms in stroke and other neurological conditions, including:
- In vivo imaging to monitor brain activity and network dynamics
- Advanced brain stimulation techniques, including optogenetics
- AI-driven, individualised recovery paradigms
- Behavioural analysis in rodent models
By combining these methods, the lab aims to uncover how neural circuits respond to pathological conditions and to develop targeted strategies that enhance recovery.
The Balbi lab contributes to the development of next-generation neuroprotective and stroke rehabilitation strategies.
Latest news
- Researchers from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute have shown how microscopic structures in the brain’s retrosplenial cortex (RSC) help the retrieval of memories.
- UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) PhD candidate Chantelle Jackson has received a 2026 Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship to advance effective, accessible stroke-recovery treatments to benefit Australians in regional and remote communities.
- Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) researchers will propel scientific discovery into DNA mutations, treating human movement disorders and improving stroke outcomes after securing funding from the Australian Government.