Elena is currently based at the Centre for Affective Disorders at the IoPPN, working under Dr Calum Moulton. She first joined King's College London in 2020 as a MSc student, completing her MSc in Neuroscience, specialized in Neural Stem Cells & CNS repair with a distinction in 2021. She previously studied design at London College of Fashion, bringing a unique perspective to her role. She has remained with the MSc course as a graduate teaching assistant.

Elena has worked across various research disciplines since, including neurosurgery and major trauma, neuro-oncology, affective disorders, public health and vascular/stem cell biology. Her previous employers include Imperial College London Healthcare and Guy's Cancer Centre at GSTT. She has a special interest in healthcare innovation and has received funding to pursue projects alongside her collaborator since winning the Francis Crick Innovation challenge in 2021. 

Research Interests

• Clinical Neuroscience
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Gut
• Brain Axis
• Depression 

Teaching

MSc Neuroscience (Small Group Workshops): Foundations of Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, Thesis Module/Support.

Expertise and Public Engagement

Prev. Executive Lead at Brainbook Charity (2021-2025), Co-Founder at BrainTea Community.