Personal Statement
I am Consultant Neurologist at the Walton Centre and Associate Professor at University of Liverpool. I qualified in Medicine from University of Bari (Italy) and undertook a neurology training at University of Bari, which included two years as a clinical fellow at University College of London under the supervision of Prof. Kailash Bhatia and Prof Mark Edwards. I then pursued my passion in research and I was awarded a PhD in Neuroscience under the supervision of Prof. Patricia Limousin, Prof. James Kilner and Prof. Mark Edwards at University College of London. During my doctoral research, I investigated the role of vibrotactile stimulation in improving neurophysiological markers, specifically somatosensory evoked potentials, and associated motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease.
My main clinical and academic interest is in movement disorders and related advanced therapies, especially deep brain stimulation and MRI guided focused ultrasound.
I have also developed a clinical and academic expertise in Tourette's syndrome, which has led me to open the first joint neurology-neuropsychiatry clinic in the North West (co-lead: Dr Alfia Arun, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist).
My multidisciplinary research program is focused on neuroimaging and neurophysiological biomarkers for early diagnosis and predictive outcome of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and tremor syndromes. Moreover, I am interested in developing clinical and neuroimaging pathways to improve the selection of patients with essential tremor for MRI guided focus ultrasound. I am currently working on research projects and clinical pathways to improve equality access to functional neurosurgery for patients with movement disorders.
I am the Secretary of the Association British Neurologists Movement Disorders SIG, Research Committee Member of the Association of British Neurologists, Education Committee member of the International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Society (European Section), Steering group member of the Dystonia Study Group and the Neurosurgery SIG of the International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Society.
I was funded by the NIHR North West Coast Research Scholarship (2019-2021) followed by the NIHR North West Coast Advanced Research Scholarship (2023-2024).
Other prestigious awards include the International Scholarship Award of the American Academy of Neurology (2015) and the Investigator Award of the European Academy of Neurology (2016).
Alongside my clinical and scientific work , I am particularly dedicated to Medical Education. Indeed, I was a co-founder of the Residents and Research Fellows Section of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) in 2015. This section provides regular seminars, mentorship activities and exchanges programmes among several neurological centres and has hugely grown over the last 10 years. I have been the junior delegate of the EAN Education Committee (2015-2016), associated Editor of the EAN website/EANpage (2015-2020), Editor-in-Chief of the EANpage (2020-2021) and Editor-in-Chief of the EAN website (2022).
I have an extensive experience in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students.
I am passionate to work with charities dedicated to neurological conditions as they are the voices of the patients; I became trustee of the dystonia UK in 2024 and Visibility and Awareness Steering Group member of the Parkinson's Europe in 2025.
I have been appointed as regional lead (North West) of the Parkinson’s UK Excellence Network in September 2024 and North West specialty lead for neurological Disorders to the NIHR North West Regional Research Delivery Network in January 2025.Social Media
Recent interview: https://touchneurology.com/insight/advancing-neuromodulation-antonella-macerollo-future-leader-2025/

Research Overview
My current research is focused on a) developing neuroimaging biomarkers for early diagnosis and predictive outcome of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and essential tremor; b) developing clinical pathways to improve the selection of patients with essential tremor for MRI guided focus ultrasound c) improving equality access to functional neurosurgery for patients with movement disorders d) neuro-ophthalmology imaging biomarkers for an early diagnosis of dementia syndromes.
I work and collaborate locally, nationally and globally. My clinical research is patient-focused and science-led.
My research career to date covers translational medicine using epidemiological evidences, neuroimaging discoveries and neurophysiological aspects in the field of movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases to improve the clinical management and quality of life of these groups of patients.
I am passionate about building research capacity within undergraduates; indeed, I am covering the role of the undergraduate research coordinator at the Walton Centre. I actively work in involving trainees, NHS senior clinicians and healthcare professionals with different expertise in research.

GRANTS

Principal Investigator

2025-2032: PI of a tier 3 site of the Edmond J Safra, Accelerating Clinical Trials in Parkinson’s Disease (EJS ACT-PD) Multi-arm Multi-stage Platform Trial
2025: Movement Disorders Society Grant to support the MDS-ES School for Advanced Therapies for Movement Disorders at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (the first MDS-ES school in the North West of UK).
2025-2026: Educational grant to support a research fellowship for a junior scientist funded by the Boston Scientific
2025-2026: NIHR North West RRDN Strategic Funding Award
2024-2025: The Walton Centre Trust, Research Capability Fund
2023-2024: The Walton Centre Trust, Research Capability Fund
2023 – 2024: NIHR grant for the Advanced Research Scholars Programme of the NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast
2022: European Academic Grant to support a Regional Teaching Course at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (the first EAN regional teaching course in a Western country)
2021-2022: The Walton Centre Charity
2020-2021: The Walton Centre Trust, Research Capability Fund
2019 – 2021: NIHR grant for the Research Scholars Programme of the NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast
2019-2020: The Walton Centre Trust, Research Capability Fund
2017: Small Acorns Fund Grant-The National Brain Appeal Charity (National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery)

Co-investigator

2025-2029: Developmental pathway funding scheme – MRC Research Grant
Title: AN-EYE-4-DEMENTIA: Development of AN innovative intelligent EYE imaging solution for screening of DEMENTIA
2024-2028: Doctoral Training Network in Technologies for Healthy Ageing
Title: Remote Gait Evaluation for People with Parkinson’s Disease
2023-2027: Experimental Medicine Grant - MRC Research Grant
Title: How does the pedunculopontine nucleus influence treatment responses in Parkinson's disease, and can it be targeted for new treatment strategies
2021-2025: Doctoral Training Network in Technologies for Healthy Ageing
Title: Will AI Identify Retinal Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Central Nervous System Neurodegeneration?
2021-2025: iCASE MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership with Boston Scientific
Title: Predicting motor impairment and neurosurgical treatment success in Parkinson’s disease using advanced neuroimaging techniques
2021-2024: Anatomical Society PhD studentship
Title: In-vivo dissection of white matter pathways in Parkinson’s disease: tracking progressive degeneration and biomarkers of treatment success