Featured researcher: Dr. Efthymios Papatzikis

What is your area of research, and what would you like us to know about you?

Focusing on the interdisciplinary crossroads of Music, Neuroscience and Paediatrics, I am interested to understand how the brain develops in the first 1500 days of life. My objective is to promote well-being right from the outset of life, focusing on prevention rather than treatment. To achieve my goal, I am using neuroimaging (qEEG-ABR-aEEG), behavioral and observational methods. I have been extensively trained and worked in many high-profile institutions, including Harvard University (PostDoc in the Mind, Brain and Education program and the Athinoula Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging), the University of East Anglia (PhD in Music Psychology), the UCL, University of London, as well as the International Brain Research Organisation (PostDoc training in applied neuroscience and neuroimaging). I have experience in industry across Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, while I extensively publish in and review research for major journals in the field. Among other academic and professional duties and engagements, I am an Associate Editor of the Frontiers in Paediatric Psychology Journal, as well as the Norway leader in the management committee for the newly established EU COST Action “A European consortium to determine how complex, real-world environments influence brain development” (2023-2027). Finally, I am a member of the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS), the Fetal Infant and Toddler Neuroimaging Group (FIT'NG), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my groundbreaking efforts in pioneering research projects that bridge the fields of music and infant brain development within clinical settings. I believe that this endeavor is particularly challenging given the lack of pre-existing research design standards and ready-made research infrastructure in this multifaceted research area, which naturally hinders the swift proliferation of research outcomes and results. In my pursuit to overcome these challenges, I have embarked on a path less traveled, venturing into uncharted territories. In order to achieve this, I leveraged my rich academic background, which encompasses a deep understanding of music, neuroscience, and psychology, to conceive, design and run novel research projects in this specific area of interest that are both innovative and unprecedented in scope. My recent publications and my wider engagement in the field stand as a testament to my commitment to advancing this research program. For that matter, I am working tirelessly to establish a solid foundation for the application of music in biomedical imaging research and vice versa, while I am constantly working on optimizing the convergence of the fields of music and neuroscience, proposing research procedure standards to study the infant brain at an ecologically valid environment, and exploring technical enhancements for managing musical stimuli in infant-related neuroimaging protocols in clinical settings. However, I do not see this endeavor to be just about advancing the scientific understanding and knowledge in the sphere of sustainable and resilient brain development and well-being, but also about paving the way for future researchers by creating a structured approach for more precise investigations and studies in this interdisciplinary field of music and neuroscience.

What are your top 5 publications (from your perspective)?

Papatzikis, E., Agapaki, M., Selvan, R., Pandey, V. & Zeba, F. (2022) Quality standards and recommendations for research in music and neuroplasticity. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 00, 1-14. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14944

Agapaki, M., Pinkerton, E., & Papatzikis, E. (2022) Music and neuroscience research for mental health, cognition, and development: ways forward. Frontiers in Psychology – Health Psychology 13: 976883. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.976883

Papatzikis, E., Agapaki, M., Selvan, R., Inocencio, S., ElHalik, M., Dash, S.K., AbouNiaj, A.S., Dsouza, D., Muhammed, F., Haroon, N.A., Sofologi, M., Bezoni, A. (2021) Key Challenges and Future Directions when running Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) research protocols with newborns: A music and language EEG feasibility study. Brain Sciences, 11, 1562, doi: 10.3390/brainsci11121562

Papatzikis, E., Zeba, F., Särkämö, T., Ramirez, R., Grau-Sánchez, J., Tervaniemi, M. & Loewy, J. (2020) Mitigating the Impact of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic on Neuroscience and Music Research Protocols in Clinical Populations. Frontiers in Psychology. 11:2160. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02160

Papatzikis, E. (2017) Neuromyths in Education and Development: A Comprehensive Approach. Special Issue Article in the European Scientific Journal. January Issue, pp. 85-91. ISSN: 1857-7881 (Print)e-ISSN 1857-7431

Papatzikis, E. and Papatziki, S. (2016) Investigating Rhythm and Heart rate Changes in an Infants Music Education Course: A Case Study. Psychology of Music. Vol. 44 (3) 587-606.  doi: 10.1177/0305735615584980

What specific researcher skills do  you think you have honed?

Over the years, I have specialized in conducting exploratory research at the intersection of music and applied neuroscience. This involves a meticulous study, analysis and understanding of the synergies between musical elements and neurobiological processes to uncover unprecedented potentials in human development and health. This skill is grounded in a deep understanding of both music theory and neurobiological mechanisms, enabling a rich and nuanced approach to research in this interdisciplinary space. For that matter, I believe that I have more specifically honed the skill of developing intricate research protocols aimed at exploring the biopsychological implications of music on infant and child development. I would say that this is not an easy task to complete, as it entails crafting well-defined research methodologies that incorporate both psychological and biological/neuroscientific metrics to garner a holistic understanding of the impact of music on the very early developmental stages – stages that are completely different in neurobiological and psychological terms compared to the toddler, adolescent, and adult stages of life all together.

What research activity do you like the most?

For me, doing infant electroencephalography (EEG) in ecologically valid contexts is a fascinating research activity that I find incredibly rewarding. This research activity allows me to delve into the depths of infant brain development with a level of real-world relevance that is hard to match. Unlike controlled laboratory settings, ecologically valid contexts mimic the complexities of real-life situations. This authenticity offers a unique window into how infants process information, learn from their surroundings, and adapt to the world around them. Working, however, with infant EEG in ecologically valid contexts comes with its share of both challenges and rewards. One of the primary difficulties is the practicality of collecting EEG data in real-world settings. The equipment can be delicate, and maintaining a consistent signal quality can be challenging, especially when infants are involved. Having said that, infants, by nature, are not always cooperative study participants. They may become fussy, cry, or simply not follow the desired script during a recording session, making it necessary to repeat experiments multiple times. On the other hand, the greatest joy in all this is the insight gained into how infants' brains function in their natural environments when all this is finally achieved. This authentic perspective can lead to discoveries that wouldn't be possible in controlled settings.

What research activity do you like the least?

The research activity that I find most challenging and emotionally taxing is recruiting infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) settings. This aspect of my work involves approaching parents who are currently facing an incredibly difficult and distressing time in their lives. Recruiting infants in NICU settings demands a high level of sensitivity and empathy. The parents are understandably stressed, worried, and often emotionally drained due to the fragile condition of their newborns. As a researcher, it is heart-wrenching to interact with these families during such trying times. Furthermore, this activity is challenging for me due to its ethical and emotional dilemma it presents. On one hand, our work holds the potential to contribute to a greater understanding of infant development and potentially benefit infants in similar situations in the future. On the other hand, it involves approaching parents who are already coping with immense stress and uncertainty, adding another layer of complexity to an already delicate situation. While I, of course, recognize the importance of our research endeavors and the potential benefits they can bring, this research activity remains the aspect of my work which serves as a reminder of the profound human aspects involved in this line of work, where the scientific pursuit intersects with the raw emotions and vulnerabilities of individuals in difficult circumstances.

What research activity keeps you up at night?

It is not exactly a research activity, but a personal standard connected to the world of my research endeavors. That is, the need to achieve in the end something translatable to practice.

What are you working on now and/or hope to do soon?

Right now, my team and I are working on a study aiming to explore the brain effects of organized sound (music) on premature newborns (having a variable pathological profile); particularly the role of the fundamental frequency of the person (mother, father, male or female music therapist) delivering a musical intervention in the NICU. Based on previous studies showing full-term infants' ability to distinguish musical characteristics, as well as the calming effect of music on premature newborns, the study hypothesizes that a musical intervention delivered from these different profiles will result in differentiated short-term and long-term neural effects (positive brain activation/trajectory) in NICU infants – having as a predominant profile of positive effects that one of the mothers. To test this hypothesis, our study utilizes a structured musical intervention – a synthesis of silences, delivery of tones and a lullaby of 90 secs in duration – using the four aforementioned facilitator profiles and record the infants' brain activity using the EEG technique. The study is currently taking place at the Aglaia-Kyriakou Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece, while I aspire to expand it to other hospitals in other countries in order to include a more refined intercultural perspective, as well as to be able to study in more detail other features of music in the specific clinical environment.

If you are interested in a local or international collaborations,  what are you/who are you looking for?

I am looking for colleagues who are interested in developing projects in the very early years brain development and pediatric care domains, involving premature or full-term infants. Neuroscientists, music therapists, physicians and musical enthusiasts that have direct access to this specific population for research purposes are more than welcome to join our efforts to make more science and contributions in the field.