![Eirini Messaritaki BSc MSc PhD](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3028?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Eirini Messaritaki
(she/her)
BSc MSc PhD
Teams and roles for Eirini Messaritaki
Honorary Research Fellow
Honorary Research Fellow
Overview
I am a Research Fellow at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).
I have a strong background in statistics, data analysis and computational methods. The aim of my work is to develop methods that quantify the relationship between the human brain's functional performance and its structure, and to reveal the mechanisms of communication between brain areas. I use these methods on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) data, as well as genetic and cognitive data.
I also work on a £1M MRC-funded study that aims to improve interventions on patients that suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy. I use statistical and artificial intelligence algorithms to identify inconspicuous pathological regions in the cortex of epilepsy patients, and to non-invasively characterise the pathology that is present there. I work in close collaboration with epileptologists, neurosurgeons and histology experts.
Publication
2025
- McNabb, C. B. et al. 2025. WAND: A multi-modal dataset integrating advanced MRI, MEG, and TMS for multi-scale brain analysis. Scientific Data 12, article number: 220. (10.1038/s41597-024-04154-7)
2023
- Messaritaki, E., Foley, S., Barawi, K., Ettinger, U. and Jones, D. K. 2023. Increased structural connectivity in high schizotypy. Network Neuroscience 7(1), pp. 213-233. (10.1162/netn_a_00279)
2022
- Mirza-Davies, A. et al. 2022. The impact of genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease on the structural brain networks of young adults. Frontiers in Neuroscience 16, article number: 987677. (10.3389/fnins.2022.987677)
- Clarke, H., Messaritaki, E., Dimitriadis, S. and Metzler-Baddeley, C. 2022. Dementia risk factors modify hubs but leave other connectivity measures unchanged in asymptomatic individuals: a graph theoretical analysis. Brain Connectivity 12(1), pp. 26-40. (10.1089/brain.2020.0935)
2021
- Dimitriadis, S. I., Messaritaki, E. and Jones, D. K. 2021. The impact of graph construction scheme and community detection algorithm on the reliability of community and hub identification in structural brain networks. Human Brain Mapping 42(13), pp. 4261-4280. (10.1002/hbm.25545)
- Messaritaki, E., Foley, S., Schiavi, S., Magazzini, L., Routley, B., Jones, D. K. and Singh, K. D. 2021. Predicting MEG resting-state functional connectivity using microstructural information. Network Neuroscience 5(2), pp. 477-504. (10.1162/netn_a_00187)
2019
- Messaritaki, E., Dimitriadis, S. I. and Jones, D. K. 2019. Optimization of graph construction can significantly increase the power of structural brain network studies. NeuroImage 199, pp. 495-511. (10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.052)
2018
- Messaritaki, E., Umesh, R. S., Parker, G., Gray, W. and Jones, D. 2018. Improving the predictions of computational models of convection-enhanced drug delivery by accounting for diffusion non-Gaussianity. Frontiers in Neurology 9, article number: 1092. (10.3389/fneur.2018.01092)
- Dima, D. C., Perry, G., Messaritaki, E., Zhang, J. and Singh, K. D. 2018. Spatiotemporal dynamics in human visual cortex rapidly encode the emotional content of faces. Human Brain Mapping 39(10), pp. 3993-4006. (10.1002/hbm.24226)
2017
- Messaritaki, E., Koelewijn, L., Dima, D., Williams, G., Perry, G. and Singh, K. 2017. Assessment and elimination of the effects of head movement on MEG resting-state measures of oscillatory brain activity. NeuroImage 159, pp. 302-324. (10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.038)
2008
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search of S3 LIGO data for gravitational wave signals from spinning black hole and neutron star binary inspirals. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 78(4), article number: 42002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.78.042002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search for gravitational waves associated with 39 gamma-ray bursts using data from the second, third, and fourth LIGO runs. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 77(6), article number: 62004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.77.062004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search for gravitational waves from binary inspirals in S3 and S4 LIGO data. Physical Review D 77(6), article number: 62002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.77.062002)
2007
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Searches for periodic gravitational waves from unknown isolated sources and Scorpius X-1: Results from the second LIGO science run. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(8), article number: 82001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.082001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Search for gravitational wave radiation associated with the pulsating tail of the SGR 1806-20 hyperflare of 27 December 2004 using LIGO. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(6), article number: 62003. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.062003)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Searching for a stochastic background of gravitational waves with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. Astrophysical Journal 659(2), pp. 918-930. (10.1086/511329)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Upper limit map of a background of gravitational waves. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(8), article number: 82003. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.082003)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Upper limits on gravitational wave emission from 78 radio pulsars. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(4), article number: 42001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.042001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. First cross-correlation analysis of interferometric and resonant-bar gravitational-wave data for stochastic backgrounds. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(2), article number: 22001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.022001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Search for gravitational-wave bursts in LIGO data from the fourth science run. Classical and Quantum Gravity 24(22), pp. 5343-5369. (10.1088/0264-9381/24/22/002)
2006
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Search for gravitational waves from binary black hole inspirals in LIGO data. Physical Review D 73(6), article number: 62001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.73.062001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Search for gravitational-wave bursts in LIGO's third science run. Classical and Quantum Gravity 23(8), pp. S29. (10.1088/0264-9381/23/8/S05)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Joint LIGO and TAMA300 search for gravitational waves from inspiralling neutron star binaries. Physical Review D Particles and Fields 73(10), article number: 102002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.73.102002)
2005
- Balasubramanian, R. et al. 2005. Upper Limits on a Stochastic Background of Gravitational Waves. Physical Review Letters 95(22), article number: 221101. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.221101)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for Gravitational Waves from Galactic and Extra-Galactic Binary Neutron Stars. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 72(8), article number: 82001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.082001)
- Messaritaki, E. and Collaboration, t. L. S. 2005. Report on the first binary black hole inspiral search in LIGO data. Classical and Quantum Gravity 22(18), pp. S1119-S1127. (10.1088/0264-9381/22/18/S26)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Upper limits from the LIGO and TAMA detectors on the rate of gravitational-wave bursts. Physical Review D Particles and Fields 72(12), article number: 122004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.122004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. First all-sky upper limits from LIGO on the strength of periodic gravitational waves using the Hough transform. Physical Review D 72(10), article number: 102004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.102004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Upper limits on gravitational wave bursts in LIGO's second science run. Physical Review D 72(6), article number: 62001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.062001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for gravitational waves from primordial black hole binary coalescences in the galactic halo. Physical Review D 72(8), article number: 82002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.082002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for gravitational waves associated with the gamma ray burst GRB030329 using the LIGO detectors. Physical Review D 72(4), article number: 42002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.042002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Limits on gravitational-wave emission from selected pulsars using LIGO data. Physical Review Letters 94(18), article number: 181103. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.181103)
2004
- Diaz-Rivera, L., Messaritaki, E., Whiting, B. and Detweiler, S. 2004. Scalar field self-force effects on orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review D 70(12), article number: 124018. (10.1103/PhysRevD.70.124018)
- Brown, D. A. et al. 2004. Searching for gravitational waves from binary inspirals with LIGO. Classical and Quantum Gravity 21(20), pp. S1625. (10.1088/0264-9381/21/20/005)
2003
- Detweiler, S., Messaritaki, E. and Whiting, B. F. 2003. Self-force of a scalar field for circular orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review -Series D- 67(10), article number: 104016. (10.1103/PhysRevD.67.104016)
Articles
- McNabb, C. B. et al. 2025. WAND: A multi-modal dataset integrating advanced MRI, MEG, and TMS for multi-scale brain analysis. Scientific Data 12, article number: 220. (10.1038/s41597-024-04154-7)
- Messaritaki, E., Foley, S., Barawi, K., Ettinger, U. and Jones, D. K. 2023. Increased structural connectivity in high schizotypy. Network Neuroscience 7(1), pp. 213-233. (10.1162/netn_a_00279)
- Mirza-Davies, A. et al. 2022. The impact of genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease on the structural brain networks of young adults. Frontiers in Neuroscience 16, article number: 987677. (10.3389/fnins.2022.987677)
- Clarke, H., Messaritaki, E., Dimitriadis, S. and Metzler-Baddeley, C. 2022. Dementia risk factors modify hubs but leave other connectivity measures unchanged in asymptomatic individuals: a graph theoretical analysis. Brain Connectivity 12(1), pp. 26-40. (10.1089/brain.2020.0935)
- Dimitriadis, S. I., Messaritaki, E. and Jones, D. K. 2021. The impact of graph construction scheme and community detection algorithm on the reliability of community and hub identification in structural brain networks. Human Brain Mapping 42(13), pp. 4261-4280. (10.1002/hbm.25545)
- Messaritaki, E., Foley, S., Schiavi, S., Magazzini, L., Routley, B., Jones, D. K. and Singh, K. D. 2021. Predicting MEG resting-state functional connectivity using microstructural information. Network Neuroscience 5(2), pp. 477-504. (10.1162/netn_a_00187)
- Messaritaki, E., Dimitriadis, S. I. and Jones, D. K. 2019. Optimization of graph construction can significantly increase the power of structural brain network studies. NeuroImage 199, pp. 495-511. (10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.052)
- Messaritaki, E., Umesh, R. S., Parker, G., Gray, W. and Jones, D. 2018. Improving the predictions of computational models of convection-enhanced drug delivery by accounting for diffusion non-Gaussianity. Frontiers in Neurology 9, article number: 1092. (10.3389/fneur.2018.01092)
- Dima, D. C., Perry, G., Messaritaki, E., Zhang, J. and Singh, K. D. 2018. Spatiotemporal dynamics in human visual cortex rapidly encode the emotional content of faces. Human Brain Mapping 39(10), pp. 3993-4006. (10.1002/hbm.24226)
- Messaritaki, E., Koelewijn, L., Dima, D., Williams, G., Perry, G. and Singh, K. 2017. Assessment and elimination of the effects of head movement on MEG resting-state measures of oscillatory brain activity. NeuroImage 159, pp. 302-324. (10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.038)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search of S3 LIGO data for gravitational wave signals from spinning black hole and neutron star binary inspirals. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 78(4), article number: 42002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.78.042002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search for gravitational waves associated with 39 gamma-ray bursts using data from the second, third, and fourth LIGO runs. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 77(6), article number: 62004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.77.062004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search for gravitational waves from binary inspirals in S3 and S4 LIGO data. Physical Review D 77(6), article number: 62002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.77.062002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Searches for periodic gravitational waves from unknown isolated sources and Scorpius X-1: Results from the second LIGO science run. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(8), article number: 82001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.082001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Search for gravitational wave radiation associated with the pulsating tail of the SGR 1806-20 hyperflare of 27 December 2004 using LIGO. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(6), article number: 62003. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.062003)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Searching for a stochastic background of gravitational waves with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. Astrophysical Journal 659(2), pp. 918-930. (10.1086/511329)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Upper limit map of a background of gravitational waves. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(8), article number: 82003. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.082003)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Upper limits on gravitational wave emission from 78 radio pulsars. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(4), article number: 42001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.042001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. First cross-correlation analysis of interferometric and resonant-bar gravitational-wave data for stochastic backgrounds. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 76(2), article number: 22001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.76.022001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Search for gravitational-wave bursts in LIGO data from the fourth science run. Classical and Quantum Gravity 24(22), pp. 5343-5369. (10.1088/0264-9381/24/22/002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Search for gravitational waves from binary black hole inspirals in LIGO data. Physical Review D 73(6), article number: 62001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.73.062001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Search for gravitational-wave bursts in LIGO's third science run. Classical and Quantum Gravity 23(8), pp. S29. (10.1088/0264-9381/23/8/S05)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Joint LIGO and TAMA300 search for gravitational waves from inspiralling neutron star binaries. Physical Review D Particles and Fields 73(10), article number: 102002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.73.102002)
- Balasubramanian, R. et al. 2005. Upper Limits on a Stochastic Background of Gravitational Waves. Physical Review Letters 95(22), article number: 221101. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.221101)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for Gravitational Waves from Galactic and Extra-Galactic Binary Neutron Stars. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 72(8), article number: 82001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.082001)
- Messaritaki, E. and Collaboration, t. L. S. 2005. Report on the first binary black hole inspiral search in LIGO data. Classical and Quantum Gravity 22(18), pp. S1119-S1127. (10.1088/0264-9381/22/18/S26)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Upper limits from the LIGO and TAMA detectors on the rate of gravitational-wave bursts. Physical Review D Particles and Fields 72(12), article number: 122004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.122004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. First all-sky upper limits from LIGO on the strength of periodic gravitational waves using the Hough transform. Physical Review D 72(10), article number: 102004. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.102004)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Upper limits on gravitational wave bursts in LIGO's second science run. Physical Review D 72(6), article number: 62001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.062001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for gravitational waves from primordial black hole binary coalescences in the galactic halo. Physical Review D 72(8), article number: 82002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.082002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for gravitational waves associated with the gamma ray burst GRB030329 using the LIGO detectors. Physical Review D 72(4), article number: 42002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.042002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Limits on gravitational-wave emission from selected pulsars using LIGO data. Physical Review Letters 94(18), article number: 181103. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.181103)
- Diaz-Rivera, L., Messaritaki, E., Whiting, B. and Detweiler, S. 2004. Scalar field self-force effects on orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review D 70(12), article number: 124018. (10.1103/PhysRevD.70.124018)
- Brown, D. A. et al. 2004. Searching for gravitational waves from binary inspirals with LIGO. Classical and Quantum Gravity 21(20), pp. S1625. (10.1088/0264-9381/21/20/005)
- Detweiler, S., Messaritaki, E. and Whiting, B. F. 2003. Self-force of a scalar field for circular orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review -Series D- 67(10), article number: 104016. (10.1103/PhysRevD.67.104016)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2008. Search of S3 LIGO data for gravitational wave signals from spinning black hole and neutron star binary inspirals. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 78(4), article number: 42002. (10.1103/PhysRevD.78.042002)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2007. Searching for a stochastic background of gravitational waves with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. Astrophysical Journal 659(2), pp. 918-930. (10.1086/511329)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2006. Search for gravitational waves from binary black hole inspirals in LIGO data. Physical Review D 73(6), article number: 62001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.73.062001)
- Abbott, B. et al. 2005. Search for Gravitational Waves from Galactic and Extra-Galactic Binary Neutron Stars. Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology 72(8), article number: 82001. (10.1103/PhysRevD.72.082001)
- Messaritaki, E. and Collaboration, t. L. S. 2005. Report on the first binary black hole inspiral search in LIGO data. Classical and Quantum Gravity 22(18), pp. S1119-S1127. (10.1088/0264-9381/22/18/S26)
- Diaz-Rivera, L., Messaritaki, E., Whiting, B. and Detweiler, S. 2004. Scalar field self-force effects on orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review D 70(12), article number: 124018. (10.1103/PhysRevD.70.124018)
- Brown, D. A. et al. 2004. Searching for gravitational waves from binary inspirals with LIGO. Classical and Quantum Gravity 21(20), pp. S1625. (10.1088/0264-9381/21/20/005)
- Detweiler, S., Messaritaki, E. and Whiting, B. F. 2003. Self-force of a scalar field for circular orbits about a Schwarzschild black hole. Physical Review -Series D- 67(10), article number: 104016. (10.1103/PhysRevD.67.104016)
Research
My research focuses on using statistical and data analysis techniques to quantify human brain function and its relation to brain structure, in health and disease. I am also very interested in the development of methods that can help treat pathological conditions and improve the lives of patients. I have received over £195,000 of personal research funding as a lead applicant.
Some of the most recent projects I have worked on are the following.
Making the Invisible Visible: a Multi-Scale Approach to Detect and Characterise Cortical Pathology: I work on a £1M MRC-funded project that aims to improve the detection of cortical lesions and to enhance the characterization of the pathology within those lesions (i.e., the presence of balloon cells, dysmorphic neurons, cortical dyslamination or other pathologies). I use advanced statistical methods and artificial intelligence algorithms on data acquired with state-of-the-art MRI protocols at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) to provide a pre-op assessment of lesions present in the cortical tissue of patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy. The results of the statistical analysis are then compared with results from histology of the excised tissue. This work is done in close collaboration with epileptologists and neurosurgeons at Cardiff University, artificial intelligence experts at UCL, histologists at the University of Leeds, and MRI-acquisition experts at Case Western Reserve University in the USA.
Multi-scale and multi-modal assessment of human brain structure and function: I was a Research Fellow for the Welsh Advanced Neuroimaging Database (WAND) study, which finished data collection in June 2023. We acquired data from over 170 healthy participants and psychosis patients. The study included an intervention branch. With the data analysis for the study still in progress, I work on linking cognitive and neuroimaging functional data to data that relate to brain structure (such as myelination, axonal size, etc.)
Teaching
I have supervised 16 undergraduate and post-graduate students in their research projects at Cardiff University, either as lead or second supervisor.
I have delivered lectures and tutorials to MSc and BSc students at the School of Psychology at Cardiff University.
Biography
Employment:
2020-present: Research Fellow, Cardiff University, UK.
2015-2019: Postdoctoral Researcher, Cardiff Univesrity, UK.
2007-2014: IOP Publishing, Bristol, UK.
2006-2007: Senior Research Scholar, California Institute of Technology, USA.
2003-2006: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of WIsconsin-Milwaukee, USA.
Education:
BSc, Physics, University of Crete, Greece, 1997
PhD, Physics, University of Florida, USA, 2003.
MSc, Neuroimaging Methods and Applications, Cardiff University, UK, 2015.
Contact Details
MessaritakiE2@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 74000 Ext 20076
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
+44 29208 74000 Ext 20076
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Specialisms
- Statistics
- Neurosciences
- Neuroimaging
- Genetics
- Cognition