Constantina theofanopoulou

INVITED LECTURES 

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Theofanopoulou, C. (upcoming). TBA. McMaster University (Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior), ON, Canada.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (upcoming). Tapping into the neurobiology of speech and dance. University of Pennsylvania (Computational Neuroscience Initiative), PA, USA.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2025). Arts for collective and community health. Summer for the City Festival, Orchestra of Lincoln Center, New York, NY, USA, August 1.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2025). Oxytocin’s pathway to the origins of speech and dance. CARTA Symposium (Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny), San Diego, CA, USA, February 14.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2025). Tapping into the neurobiology of speech and dance. RU Neuroscience Symposium, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA, February 6.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2025). Speech, dance, and the brain. Neurohumanities Network (supported by Harvard University), January 28.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Neurobiology of speech and dance. Pace University, New York, NY, USA, November 19.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Tapping into the neurobiology of speech and dance production. Yale University (The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities), CT, USA, October 23.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). The neuroscience of the arts and social connection. Art and Science of Social Connection Symposium, UNGA Healing Arts Week, New York University (Steinhardt), New York, NY, USA, September 18.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Dance, movement, and the brain. Dana Foundation, New York, NY, USA, July 24.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Tapping into the neurobiology of speech and dance production. Science and Art of Movement Festival, Virginia Tech, VA, USA, June 20.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). My experience as a mentor to the World Science Scholars. World Science Festival, New York, NY, USA, May 30.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Neurobiology of human sensory-motor communication: From speech to dance. Gordon Research Conference (Neural Mechanisms of Acoustic Communication), MA, USA, May 20.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Tapping into the neurobiology of speech and dance production. Dance and Dialogues (Social Bridges Series), Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany, April 9.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2024). Hardwired for speech and dance. New York University, Center for Ballet and the Arts, New York, NY, USA, February 5.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Art and the brain. Dana Foundation Neuroscience & Society Talk Series, Secret Science Club, New York, NY, USA, December 5.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Neurobiology of social communication: From speech to dance. City College of New York, New York, NY, USA, November 27.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Insights into the neurobiology of sensory-motor communication. Yale University, CT, USA, November 1.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Testing a dance intervention to alleviate speech deficits in mental health disorders. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Nostos Conference, Athens, Greece, June 22.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Dissecting the neurobiology of speech and dance in humans. World Science Festival, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA, June 2.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Hardwired for song and dance: The neurobiology of language and movement. Rockefeller University Council and Committee on Trust and Estate Gift Plans Lecture, New York, NY, USA, April 27.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). Insights into the neurobiology of sensory-motor communication. Dance Science Symposium, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA, April 22. [Keynote]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). Neurobiology of social communication: From speech to dance. Allen Institute Showcase Symposium, WA, USA, December 14.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). The oxytocin–vasotocin system: From speech to nomenclature. Clinical Scholars Lecture, Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA, October 19.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). Human self-domestication and speech evolution through the lens of the oxytocin and vasotocin gene family. Cultural Evolution Society Meeting, Aarhus, Denmark, September 22.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). Champions under 40: Paving the way forward. Regional Growth Conference, University of Patras, Patras, Greece, June 11.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). The role of oxytocin in language. Ioannina Science Festival, Ioannina, Greece, June 5. [Keynote]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Genomic evolution of the oxytocin–vasotocin system and its implication in socially motivated behaviors. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, October 20.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Finishing your PhD. Yale School of Medicine & Yale Ciencia Academy, CT, USA, August 10. [Keynote]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Universal nomenclature for oxytocin–vasotocin ligands and receptors: Insights on whole genome duplication scenarios. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Crete, Greece, July 13.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Eudaemonia: Interdisciplinary. TEDxAUTH, June 27.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). From social motivation of vocal learning to domestication: Insights from the oxytocin–vasotocin system. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, June 25.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Neurobiology of vocal learning. Barnard College (Columbia University), New York, NY, USA, March 30.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2020). Comparative genomics reveal the evolutionary history of oxytocin and vasotocin ligands and receptors. University of Toledo, OH, USA, May 4.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2019). A universal vertebrate gene nomenclature: A case study of the oxytocin/vasotocin ligand and receptor family. Rockefeller University (Vertebrate Genomes Project / Earth Biogenome Project Meeting), New York, NY, USA, August 28.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2018). ¿Somos los humanos auto-domesticados? BCNspiracy, CosmoCaixa (Museum of Science), Barcelona, Spain, October 27. [Keynote]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2017). The role of oxytocin in language. Marie Curie Alumni Association Conference and General Assembly, Salamanca, Spain, March 24.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). Self-domestication of Homo sapiens and the case of oxytocin. Dognition Laboratory, Duke University, NC, USA, November 30.

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LECTURES

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Theofanopoulou, C., Elgart, S., Kuznicki, M., Jarvis, E. D. (2023). Dissecting the relationship between speech and dance in humans: From brain pathways to clinical therapy. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, USA, November 12.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2022). How to identify true gene orthologs across species. Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists, CA, USA, November 10.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2021). Universal nomenclature for oxytocin-vasotocin ligands and receptors. Kavli Neural Systems Institute Mini-Symposium Series, New York, NY, USA, June 17.

 

Theofanopoulou, C., Lipkind, D., Tchernichovski, O., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2018). The effect of social reward in vocal learning: Testing an oxytocin-dependent mechanism. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (Nanosymposium: Social Communication and Behavior), San Diego, CA, USA, November 4.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2018). The evolutionary history of oxytocin and vasopressin ligands and receptors and their role in vocal learning. Workshop: Understanding the neuroregulatory actions of oxytocin and its potential clinical applications, Sicily, Italy, May 24.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2018). Are we humans self-domesticated? University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, March 21. [Award winner]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2018). Convergences in (self-)domesticated species. Workshop: Selfdomestication and language evolution (Evolang XII), Toruń, Poland, April 16. [Award winner]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2017). Reward mechanisms of vocal learning: Does oxytocin excite language? Minisymposium: Insights from birdsong into the evolution and development of spoken language (Protolang5), Barcelona, Spain, September 27.

 

Theofanopoulou, C., O’Rourke, T., Gastaldon, S., Messner, A., Samuels, B., Martins, P. T., Alamri, S., Boeckx, C. (2017). Paleogenomic evidence for self-domestication in Homo sapiens. European Human Behavior and Evolution Association Meeting, Paris, France, April 6. [Award winner]

 

Theofanopoulou, C., Gedman, G., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2017). The oxytocin receptor and the vasopressin/vasotocin receptor 1A appear to be paralogous sister genes explaining their common functions. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (Nanosymposium: Hormonal and Neuropeptide Control of Physiology and Behavior), Washington, DC, USA, November 15.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2017). The role of oxytocin in language. Barcelona Science Slam, Barcelona, Spain, March 3. [PEL + winner lecture]

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). The endocrinome of social communication. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (Nanosymposium: Oxytocin and Social Behavior), San Diego, CA, USA, November 12.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). Implications of oxytocin in language. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA, July 25.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). Why oxytocin might affect rhythmicity. EVOLANG 11 (Workshop: Rhythm— Development, Evolution and Cognition), New Orleans, LA, USA, March 21.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2015). Rhythms in the Alzheimer’s disease brain: A treatable endophenotype? IV Clinical Linguistics International Congress, Barcelona, Spain, November 18.

 

Theofanopoulou, C., Boeckx, C. (2015). Can adequate cognitive phylogenies be constructed? Protolang 4, Rome, Italy, September 25.

 

Theofanopoulou, C. (2014). Greek light verbs. 35th Meeting of the Linguistics Department, Thessaloniki, Greece, May 9.

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POSTERS

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​Prates, R. A., Guzzo Júnior, C. C. E., Duarte, M. V. A., Muñoz Sánchez, A., Pauli, P., Martinez, F. G., Passos-Monteiro, E., García, A. M., Haas, A. N., Theofanopoulou, C. (2026). From dance to speech: Amazonian dance improves speech features of people with Parkinson’s disease. 37th Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International, Lyon, France, April 14–16.

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Prates, R. A., Guzzo Júnior, C. C. E., Duarte, M. V. A., Muñoz Sánchez, A., Pauli, P., Martinez, F. G., Passos-Monteiro, E., García, A. M., Haas, A. N., Theofanopoulou, C. (2026). Culturally resonant Amazonian dance and speech performance in Parkinson’s disease: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Congress on Behavior and Emotions, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, June 3–6.

 

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Sunderlage, A., Lima Carmona, Y. E., Das, D., Gale, C., Theofanopoulou+, C., Contreras-Vidal+, J. L. (2025). Shared neural substrates during Butoh meditative dance. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, USA, November 16.

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Vouzina, O., Theofanopoulou+, C., Manousaki+, T. (2025). Tracing dopamine receptor evolution: Phylogenetic insights and a new synteny metric. Mathematical and Statistical Aspects of Molecular Biology (MASAMB) Annual Meeting, London, UK, September 8.

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Kaczmarska, M., McDonagh, M., Theofanopoulou, C., Brown-Istrefi, H., Fallon, G., Galvin, M., Allen, I. (2025). Nurturing community, overcoming anxiety: Mixed-method analysis of an online dance program for people living with dementia. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) Satellite Symposium, Lima, Peru, May 14–15.

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Lima Carmona, Y. E., Theofanopoulou+, C., Contreras-Vidal+, J. L. (2024). Unveiling brain activity during dancing: Insights from mobile EEG hyperscanning of professional Butoh dancers. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, October 8.

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Barceló, L., Contreras-Vidal, J. L., Theofanopoulou, C. (2023). A pipeline to denoise mobile electroencephalography data of dance performance. Barnard College Summer Research Institute Poster Session, New York, NY, USA, August 23.

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Theofanopoulou, C., Gedman, G., Cahill, J. A., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2019). A universal evolutionbased nomenclature for the oxytocin and vasotocin ligand and receptor families. 13th World Congress on Neurohypophysial Hormones (WCNH2019), Ein Gedi, Israel, April 9. [Award winner]

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Theofanopoulou, C., Gedman, G., Cahill, J. A., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2019). A universal evolutionbased nomenclature for the oxytocin and vasotocin ligand and receptor families. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, October 19. [International Fellows poster session; IBRO award]

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Theofanopoulou, C., Lipkind, D., Tchernichovski, O., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2018). The effect of social reward in vocal learning: Testing an oxytocin-dependent mechanism. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (Nanosymposium: Social Communication and Behavior), San Diego, CA, USA, November 3. [Trainee Professional Development Award poster session]

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Theofanopoulou, C., Gedman, G., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2017). A proposed universal nomenclature for the oxytocin and vasotocin ligand and receptor families. 18th International Congress of Comparative Endocrinology, Lake Louise, AB, Canada, June 4–9. [Award winner]

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​Theofanopoulou, C., Gedman, G., Boeckx, C., Jarvis, E. D. (2017). A proposed universal nomenclature for the oxytocin and vasotocin ligand and receptor families. Human Genome Meeting (HUGO-HGM), Barcelona, Spain, February 5.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). How social-reward hormones modulate language learning. Beyond Language Learning Workshop, Barcelona, Spain, September 29.

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Theofanopoulou, C., Boeckx, C. (2016). Oxytocin pathways, language-related genes, and the emergence of modern cognition. 10th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, Copenhagen, Denmark, July 3.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). Oxytocin and brain rhythms. BARCCSYN Meeting (Barcelona Computational, Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience), Barcelona, Spain, June 16.

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Theofanopoulou, C., Boeckx, C. (2016). Sapiens-specific genetic changes affecting oxytocin pathways. European Conference of Human Genetics, Barcelona, Spain, May 21.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2016). A framework for studying self-domestication. 8th Dubrovnik Conference on Cognitive Science, Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 1.

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Theofanopoulou, C., Alamri, S., Boeckx, C. (2016). A brain symphony for natural language syntax. Nijmegen Lectures, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, January 22.

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Theofanopoulou, C., Zhang, E. Q., Alamri, S., Castillo, G., Shi, E. R., Martins, P. T., Martinez Ferreiro, S., Boeckx, C. (2015). Subcortical structures and language disruption. Science of Aphasia Conference, Aveiro, Portugal, September 17.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2015). What cognitive phylogenies got wrong. Tokyo Lectures in Language Evolution, Tokyo, Japan, April 2.

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Theofanopoulou, C. (2015). A cognitive approach to light verb constructions. Formal Semantics Meets Cognitive Semantics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, January 22.