Personal statement

Elena Paci is a Senior Lecturer on the Bsc Biology and Bsc Biomedical Sciences courses.

She teaches physiology, anatomy and pharmacology and has a strong interest in supporting students' skills development to prepare them for a changing world.

Elena is passionate about teaching innovation aimed at creating an authentic learning and assessment experience. 

Academic qualifications

  • BSc Biology, University of Cagliari, 2013
  • MSc Neuropsychobiology, University of Cagliari, 2015
  • PhD Neural Dynamics, University of Bristol, 2021
  • PGCAP, University of Bristol, 2023.

Professional memberships

  • Fellow of the HE Academy
  • Representative of the Physiological Society.

Areas of teaching expertise

  • Physiology
  • Anatomy
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Book chapters or sections

Mapping structure–function relationships within cerebellar circuits
Book chapters or section

Apps, R, Lawrenson, C.L, Paci, E and Cerminara, N.L (2022) 'Mapping structure–function relationships within cerebellar circuits.' In: Sillitoe, R.V, ed. Measuring cerebellar function. Humana, New York, NY, pp. 69-90. ISBN 9781071620250

Articles

Facing the fear: a scaffolding approach to teaching life sciences undergraduates R coding
Article

Paci, E, Swainson, A and Cerminara, N.L (2025) 'Facing the fear: a scaffolding approach to teaching life sciences undergraduates R coding.' Frontiers in Education, 9. e1504877. ISSN 2504-284X

Dynamic causal modeling reveals increased cerebellar- periaqueductal gray communication during fear extinction
Article

Paci, E, Lumb, B.M, Apps, R, Lawrenson, C.L and Moran, R.J (2023) 'Dynamic causal modeling reveals increased cerebellar- periaqueductal gray communication during fear extinction.' Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 17. e1148604. ISSN 1662-5137

Cerebellar modulation of memory encoding in the periaqueductal grey and fear behaviour
Article

Lawrenson, C, Paci, E, Pickford, J, Drake, R.A.R, Lumb, B.M and Apps, R (2022) 'Cerebellar modulation of memory encoding in the periaqueductal grey and fear behaviour.' eLife, 11. e76278. ISSN 2050-084X

In utero exposure to dexamethasone causes a persistent and age-dependent exacerbation of the neurotoxic effects and glia activation induced by MDMA in dopaminergic brain regions of C57BL/6J mice
Article

Costa, G, Spulber, S, Paci, E, Casu, M.A, Ceccatelli, S, Simola, N and Morelli, M (2021) 'In utero exposure to dexamethasone causes a persistent and age-dependent exacerbation of the neurotoxic effects and glia activation induced by MDMA in dopaminergic brain regions of C57BL/6J mice.' NeuroToxicology, 83. pp. 1-13. ISSN 0161-813X

The plastic and functional changes in hippocampal neurons during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum are reversed by offspring deprivation
Article

Mostallino, M.C, Secci, P.P, Paci, E, Mura, M.L, Maciocco, E, Sanna, E and Biggio, G (2021) 'The plastic and functional changes in hippocampal neurons during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum are reversed by offspring deprivation.' Current Psychopharmacology, 10 (1). pp. 73-83. ISSN 2211-5560

Impaired glucocorticoid-mediated HPA axis negative feedback induced by juvenile social isolation in male rats
Article

Boero, G, Pisu, M.G, Biggio, F, Muredda, L, Carta, G, Banni, S, Paci, E, Follesa, P, Concas, A, Porcu, P and Serra, M (2018) 'Impaired glucocorticoid-mediated HPA axis negative feedback induced by juvenile social isolation in male rats.' Neuropharmacology, 133. pp. 242-253. ISSN 0028-3908

Modulation of rat 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations by glucocorticoid signaling: possible relevance to reward and motivation
Article

Simola, N, Paci, E, Serra, M, Costa, G and Morelli, M (2018) 'Modulation of rat 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations by glucocorticoid signaling: possible relevance to reward and motivation.' International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 21 (1). pp. 73-83. ISSN 1461-1457

Sex differences in the outcome of juvenile social isolation on HPA axis function in rats
Article

Pisu, M.G, Garau, A, Boero, G, Biggio, F, Pibiri, V, Dore, R, Locci, V, Paci, E, Porcu, P and Serra, M (2016) 'Sex differences in the outcome of juvenile social isolation on HPA axis function in rats.' Neuroscience, 320. pp. 172-182. ISSN 0306-4522