Dr. Alessandra Martinelli, MD, Ph.D., is a psychiatrist and clinical researcher at IRCCS Fatebenefratelli – St John of God Clinical Research Centre in Brescia, Italy. She specializes in community-based mental health care, psychiatric rehabilitation, and the integration of digital health technologies into clinical practice.

Dr. Martinelli holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Psychology, Psychiatry, and Movement Science, jointly awarded by the University of Verona and University College London (UCL). Her career includes leadership roles within mental health institutions in Italy and collaborative research fellowships in the UK, France, Mexico, and India. She has published various peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has experience teaching and translating mental health assessments (i.e. Mental Health Recovery Star, FACT Manual, QuIRC-SA, My Mind Star).

As President of Young EAOF and a Board Member of EUCOMS, she has a role in shaping mental health policy across Europe, contributing to the advancement of recovery-oriented and personalized psychiatric interventions within community care. She leads major research projects such as EMPOWER-RES, focusing on the role of physical activity, biological markers, and real-time experience tracking in personal recovery in supported accommodations.

Her work has earned her prestigious honors including the selection for the Best Researcher Award by the International Phenomenological Research Awards, the fellowship award from World Psychiatry Association (WPA), Honourable mention at ANNA KULISCIOFF Prize, and 4 grants for outgoing mobility affirming her place as a leading figure in modern psychiatry.

• Community-based mental health care and quality of care
• Psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery models
• Digital health innovations in psychiatry
• Mobile health applications & experience sampling methods
• Real-time patient data integration
• Personalization of psychiatric care
• Digital Biomarkers in severe mental disorders
• Deinstitutionalization and global mental health policies
• Physical activity and mental health

• Martinelli A. The key pillars of psychosocial disability: a European perspective on challenges and solutions, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Apr 2025 Vol. 16 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1574301
• Martinelli A, Pozzan T, Procura E, D'Astore C, Cristofalo D, Bonetto C, Ruggeri M. Feasibility, Acceptability, and Impact of Recovery-Oriented Practices in an Italian Community Mental Health Service: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med. 2025 Mar 27;14(7):2280. doi: 10.3390/jcm14072280. PMID: 40217730; PMCID: PMC11990030.
• de Girolamo G, Leone S, D'Addazio M, Toffol E, Martinelli A, Archetti D, Bellini S, Calza S, Carnevale M, Cattane N, Cattaneo A, De Francesco S, Ghidoni R, Longobardi A, Maffezzoni D, Martella D, Meloni S, Mombelli E, Pogliaghi S, Redolfi A, Saraceno C, Tura GB, Rossi R. Attività fisica in giovani donne con disturbo borderline di personalità in trattamento ambulatoriale: protocollo di studio per un trial randomizzato controllato [Physical activity in people with borderline personality disorder: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.]. Riv Psichiatr. 2025 Jan-Feb;60(1):10-21. Italian. doi: 10.1708/4437.44264. PMID: 39912360.
• Squitti R, Fiorenza A, Martinelli A, Brembati V, Crescenti D, Rongioletti M, Ghidoni R. Neurofilament Light Protein as a Biomarker in Severe Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Dec 25;26(1):61. doi: 10.3390/ijms26010061. PMID: 39795920; PMCID: PMC11719531.
• Martinelli A., Leone S., Zamparini M., Carnevale M, Caterson I.D., Fuller N.R., Calza S., de Girolamo G. Association of Weight Status and Waist Circumference with Physical Activity in people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and healthy controls Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2025, 123, pp. 1–10 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.09.007
• Caselani E, Martinelli A, Grigis C, Zamparini M, Toffol E, Harvey PD, Malvezzi MC, de Girolamo G; DIAPASON consortium. Emotional experiences in male and female participants with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and healthy controls: an experience sampling method study. Cogn Neuropsychiatry. 2025 Apr 2:1-20. doi: 10.1080/13546805.2025.2482539. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40172496.
• Martinelli A, Leone S, Baronio CM, Archetti D, Redolfi A, Adorni A, Caselani E, D'Addazio M, Di Forti M, Laffranchini L, Maffezzoni D, Magno M, Martella D, Murray RM, Toffol E, Tura GB, de Girolamo G; DIAPASON consortium. Sex differences in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: insights from the DiAPAson study using a data-driven approach. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2025 Mar 18. doi: 10.1007/s00127-025-02855-x. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40100359.
• de Girolamo G., Leone S., D’Addazio M., Toffol E., Martinelli A., Bellini S., Calza S., Carnevale M., Cattane N., Cattaneo A., Ghidoni R., Longobardi A., Mafezzoni D., Martella D., Meloni S., Mombelli E., Pogliaghi S., Saraceno C., Tura G.B., Rossi R. Physical Activity in young female outpatients with BORderline personality Disorder (PABORD): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) Trials (2024) 25:685 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08525-8
• Squitti R., Rongioletti M., Fostinelli S., Severino A., Bonvicini C., Geviti A., Martinelli A., Tura G.B., Ghidoni R. Copper excess in psychiatric disorders: a focus on mood spectrum disorders and sex Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, Volume 86, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2024.127532
• de Girolamo G, Andreassen OA, Bauer M, Brambilla P, Calza S, Citerà N, Corcoy R, Fagiolini A, Garcia-Argibay M, Godin O, Klingler F, Kobayashi NF, Larsson H, Leboyer M, Matura S, Martinelli A, De la Peña-Arteaga V, Poli R, Reif A, Ritter P, Rødevand LN, Magno M, Caselani E; BIPCOM consortium. Medical comorbidities in bipolar disorder (BIPCOM): clinical validation of risk factors and biomarkers to improve prevention and treatment. Study protocol. Int J Bipolar Disord. 2024 May 4;12(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s40345-024-00337-8. PMID: 38703295; PMCID: PMC11069492.
• Martinelli A., Pozzan T., Mulder C.L., Ruggeri M. Implementing the flexible ACT model in an Italian residential facilities multidisciplinary team International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2024 https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241255586
• Martinelli, A., Dal Corso, E. and Pozzan, T. 2024. Monitoring of the pathway of rehabilitation (MPR) . Journal of Psychopathology. 30, 3 (Oct. 2024). DOI:https://doi.org/10.36148/2284-0249-N537.
• Martinelli A. Addressing challenges in functional and clinical recovery outcomes: The critical role of personal recovery Psychiatry Research, 2024, 339, 116029 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116029
• Martinelli A., Moncalieri G., Zamparini M., Alessandri G., Vittorio Caprara G., Castelnuovo G., Rocchetti M., Starace F., Zarbo C., de Girolamo G. Positivity, daily time use, mood, and functioning in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Results from the diapason multicentric study (2024) International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 70 (2), pp. 319 - 329. DOI: 10.1177/00207640231212868
• Martinelli A., Dal Corso E., Pozzan T., Cristofalo D., Bonetto C., Ruggeri M. Addressing Challenges in Residential Facilities: Promoting Human Rights and Recovery While Pursuing Functional Autonomy (2024) Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice, 6 (1), pp. 12 - 22. DOI: 10.1176/appi.prcp.20230034
• Martinelli A. The cascade effect: embrace or combat psychiatric disability? J Ment Health. 2024 Dec;33(6):691-693. doi: 10.1080/09638237.2024.2426980. Epub 2024 Dec 4. PMID: 39629769.
• Martinelli A., Bonetto C., Pozzan T., Procura E., Cristofalo D., Ruggeri M., Killaspy H. Exploring gender impact on collaborative care planning: insights from a community mental health service study in Italy (2023) BMC Psychiatry, 23 (1), art. no. 834. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05307-5
• D’Anna G., Zarbo C., Cardamone G., Zamparini M., Calza S., Rota M., Correll C.U., Rocchetti M., Starace F., de Girolamo G., Barlati S., Baroncelli A., Besana F., Boero M.E., Clerici M., Di Michele V., Durbano F., Foia M.G., Impicci S., Jacoponi F.M., Leuci E., Malagamba D., Marina M., Martinelli A., Monzani E., Nappi G., Piccicacchi B., Placenti R., Rippa A., Tura G., Zizolfi S. Interplay between negative symptoms, time spent doing nothing, and negative emotions in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: results from a 37-site study (2023) Schizophrenia, 9 (1), art. no. 63. DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00372-x
• Mayeli A., LaGoy A.D., Smagula S.F., Wilson J.D., Zarbo C., Rocchetti M., Starace F., Zamparini M., Casiraghi L., Calza S., Rota M., D’Agostino A., de Girolamo G., Martinelli A., Nibbio G., Pelizza L., Pessina R., Placenti R., Silva A., Ferrarelli F. Shared and distinct abnormalities in sleep-wake patterns and their relationship with the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder patients (2023) Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (5), pp. 2049 - 2057. DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02050-x
• Martinelli A., D'Addazio M., Zamparini M., Thornicroft G., Torino G., Zarbo C., Rocchetti M., Starace F., Casiraghi L., Ruggeri M., De Girolamo G., Boero M.E., Cardamone G., Clerici M., Dal Corso E., Durbano F., Foia M.G., Latorre V., Impicci S., Malagamba D., Marina M., Monzani E., Necchini N., Orticola J., Paolone F., Paulillo G., Piccicacchi B., Placenti R., Politi P., Rippa A., Tranquilli L., Zizolfi S. Needs for care of residents with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and association with daily activities and mood monitored with experience sampling method: the DIAPASON study (2023) Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 32, art. no. e18. DOI: 10.1017/S2045796023000124
• Oliva V., Fanelli G., Zamparini M., Zarbo C., Rocchetti M., Casiraghi L., Starace F., Martinelli A., Serretti A., De Girolamo G., Alessandro N., Peressutti P., Di Cosimo D., Miranda M.C., D'Anna C., Fussi L., Di Gregorio A., De Santis M., Cibra C., Pionetti E., Necchini N., Regina V., Calini C., Auxilia A., Maurizi A., Bellotta A., Brega A., Di Prisco P., Ferretti R., D'Anna G., Tatini L., Tosato M., Abbiati V., Bottura S., Gallino G., Myska A., Paulillo G., Leuci E., Rippa A., Placenti R., Di Michele V., Foia M.G., Durbano F., Poliseno T.A., Cerveri G., Facchi M., Pessina R., Jacoponi F.M., De Marchi R., Giosuè P., Baroncelli A., Ghio L., Besana F., Facchini F., Pelizza L., Latorre V. Patterns of antipsychotic prescription and accelerometer-based physical activity levels in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A multicenter, prospective study (2023) International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 38 (1), pp. 28 - 39. DOI: 10.1097/YIC.0000000000000433
• Martinelli A., Killaspy H., Zarbo C., Agosta S., Casiraghi L., Zamparini M., Starace F., Rocchetti M., de Girolamo G., Ruggeri M., Barlati S., Boero M.E., Cerveri G., Clerici M., D’Anna G., De Novellis A., Di Michele V., Di Prisco P., Durbano F., Facchini F., Ghio L., Giosuè P., Greco C., Latorre V., Leuci E., Malagamba D., Maone A., Marina M., Maurizi A., Monzani E., Placenti R., Rancati L., Rippa A., Rovera C., Silva A., Tura G., Zanolini S. Quality of residential facilities in Italy: satisfaction and quality of life of residents with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (2022) BMC Psychiatry, 22 (1), art. no. 717. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04344-w
• Martinelli A., Bonetto C., Bonora F., Cristofalo D., Killaspy H., Ruggeri M. Supported employment for people with severe mental illness: a pilot study of an Italian social enterprise with a special ingredient (2022) BMC Psychiatry, 22 (1), art. no. 296. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-03881-8
• Martinelli A., Pozzan T., Dal Corso E., Procura E., D’Astore C., Cristofalo D., Ruggeri M., Bonetto C. Psychometric properties of the Monitoring of the Path of Rehabilitation (MPR) Form [Proprietà psicometriche della Scheda di Monitoraggio del Percorso Riabilitativo (MPR)] (2022) Rivista di Psichiatria, 57 (5), pp. 224 - 237. DOI: 10.1708/3893.38745
• Martinelli A., Iozzino L., Pozzan T., Cristofalo D., Bonetto C., Ruggeri M. Performance and effectiveness of step progressive care pathways within mental health supported accommodation services in Italy (2022) Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 57 (5), pp. 939 - 952. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-021-02128-3
• Martinelli A., Ruggeri M. The impact of COVID-19 on patients of Italian mental health supported accommodation services (2020) Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 55 (10), pp. 1395 - 1396. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-020-01897-7
• Martinelli A., Ruggeri M. The impact on psychiatric rehabilitation of personal recovery-oriented approach (2020) Journal of Psychopathology, 2020 (3), pp. 189 - 195. DOI: 10.36148/2284-0249-355
• Martinelli A., Ruggeri M. An overview of mental health recovery-oriented practices: potentiality, challenges, prejudices, and misunderstandings (2020) Journal of Psychopathology, 26 (2), pp. 147 - 154. DOI: 10.36148/2284-0249-353
• Martinelli A., Iozzino L., Ruggeri M., Marston L., Killaspy H. Mental health supported accommodation services in England and in Italy: a comparison (2019) Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54 (11), pp. 1419 - 1427. DOI: 10.1007/s00127-019-01723-9
• Andrews JA, Craven MP, Guo B, Weyer J, Lees S, Zormpas SI, Thorpe SE, Devonshire J, San Antonio-Arce V, Whitehouse WP, Julie J, Malins S, Hammers A, Reif A, Ruhe HG, Durbano F, Barlati S, Sen A, Frederiksen JL, Martinelli A, Callen A, Torras-Borrell J, Berrocal-Izquierdo N, Zabalza A, Morriss R, Hollis C, The RADAR-CNS Consortium Clinical Perspectives on Using Remote Measurement Technology in Assessing Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and Depression: Delphi Study (2023) JMIR Neurotech; 2:e41439 doi: 10.2196/41439.

• Martinelli A. Sustainable Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Mental Health Disorders Across the World, Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024 N. Rezaei (ed.), Integrated Science for Sustainable Development Goal 3, Integrated Science 25, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-64288-3_1
• Ruggeri M. and Martinelli A. Challenges to Mental Health in Europe, Oxford Textbook of Social Psychiatry, August 2022.
• Ruggeri M. and Martinelli A. L’integrazione in Politica Sanitaria e Psichiatria, Psichiatria territoriale. Strumenti clinici e modelli organizzativi, February 2021.

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4430-0713
• https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57208651820
• https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/GOK-0021-2022