Irene Balboni

Research

Hello!

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Brain and Language Lab of Prof. Narly Golestani based at Campus Biotech, Geneva. 

I explore individual differences in language learning and use. I also investigate the interaction between multilingual experience and dyslexia. My research relies on both behavioural and neural data and is inspired by the evolutionary lens of the NCCR Evolving Language.

My research sits at the intersection of neuroscience, linguistics, and early childhood development, using the power of individual differences to understand how human minds learn, adapt, and process language. By mapping neural correlates and behavioural signatures, I explore the dynamic interplay between language aptitude and lived multilingual experience, and examine how language associates with and dissociates from general cognition through an evolutionary lens. 

My work is also focused on neurodiversity, investigating how dyslexia manifests across languages to dismantle persistent myths about bilingualism and learning difficulties. Beyond language processing, I bridge neuroscience and pedagogy, through the collaboration with the multisite project PRIN Di.Co.Each, to evaluate early screen exposure in young children (ages 0–6), looking at interaction quality and socioeconomic context rather than relying on alarmist screen-time limits. Ultimately, whether studying polyglots, dyslexic readers, or young digital natives, my goal is to use individual variation to build a richer, more inclusive, and evidence-based understanding of human cognitive diversity. 

Read all about it on my Research page.