Giacomo Bignardi

Doctoral Candidate (deputy cohort representative)

Giacomo.Bignardi@maxplanckschools.de

Research interests: • aesthetic science • etiology of aesthetic appraisal • quantification of aesthetic experiences • neural correlates of appraisal • genetic architecture of aesthetic experiences • empirical aesthetics • quantitative genetics

Academic education

Scientific awards and scholarships

Publications

Bignardi, G., Admirall, D., Eising, E., & Fisher, S. E. (In press). Genetic underpinnings of chills from art and music. PloS Genetics.

Bignardi, G., Wesseldijk, L. W., Mas-Herrero, E., Zatorre, R. J., Ullén, F., Fisher, S. E., & Mosing, M. A. (2025). Twin modelling reveals distinct genetic pathways to music enjoyment. Nat Commun 16, 2904. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58123-8 

Alagöz, G., Eising, E., Mekki, Y., Bignardi, G., Fontanillas, P., Nivard, M. G., ... & Gordon, R. L. (2025). The shared genetic architecture and evolution of human language and musical rhythm. Nat Hum Behav 9, 376–390. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02051-y 

Bignardi, G., Smit, D., Vessel, A., Trupp, M. D., Ticini, L. F., Fisher, S. E., Polderman, T.J.C. (2024). Shared and distinct genetic sources of variability in visual aesthetic value. Commun Biol 7, 55 (2024).https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05710-4 

Serio, B., Hettwer, M. D., Wiersch, L., Bignardi, G., Sacher, J., Weis, S., ... & Valk, S. L. (2024). Sex differences in functional cortical organization reflect differences in network topology rather than cortical morphometry. Nat Commun, 15(1), 7714. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51942-1 

Wesseldijk, L. W., Henechowicz, T. L., Baker, D. J., Bignardi, G., Karlsson, R., Gordon, R. L., Mosing, M. A., Ullén, F., & Fisher, S. E. (2024). Notes from Beethoven’s genome. Curr Biol, 34(6), R233-R234. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.025.

Trupp, M. D., Bignardi, G., Specker, E., Vessel, A., & Pelowski, M. (2023). Who benefits from online art viewing, and how: The role of pleasure, meaningfulness, and trait aesthetic responsiveness in computer-based art interventions for well-being. Comput Hum Behav. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107764 

Vessel, E. A., Pasqualette, L., Uran, C., Koldehoff, S., Bignardi, G., & Vinck, M. (2023). Self-relevance predicts the aesthetic appeal of real and synthetic artworks generated via neural style transfer. Psychol Sci, 34(9), 1007-1023. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09567976231188107 

Bignardi, G., Chamberlain, R., Kevenaar, S. T., Tamimy, Z., & Boomsma, D. I. (2022). On the etiology of aesthetic chills: A behavioral genetic study. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 3247. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07161-z

Vessel, E. A., Ishizu, T., & Bignardi, G. (2022). Neural correlates of visual aesthetic appeal. In M. Skov, & M. Nadal (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook of neuroaesthetics (pp. 103-133). London & New York: Routledge.

Trupp, M. D., Bignardi, G., Chana, K., Specker, E., & Pelowski, M. (2022). Can a brief interaction with online, digital art improve wellbeing? A comparative study of the impact of online art and culture presentations on mood, state-anxiety, subjective wellbeing, and loneliness. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 782033. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.782033

Bignardi, G., Chamberlain, R., Kevenaar, S. T., Tamimy, Z., & Boomsma, D. I. (2022). On the etiology of aesthetic chills: A behavioral genetic study. Scientific Reports, 12, 3247. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07161-z

Bignardi, G., Ishizu, T., & Zeki, S. (2021). The differential power of extraneous influences to modify aesthetic judgments of biological and artifactual stimuli. PsyCh Journal, 10(2), 190–199. https://doi.org/10.1002/pchj.415

Selected talks and poster presentations

Bignardi, G. & Fisher, S.E. A Brief Guide to Heritability. Talk presented at the Fourth Annual MusicGens Consortium meeting. Invited by the MusicGens Consortium Steering Committee, Barcelona (Sitges), Spain (September 2025) https://www.mcg.uva.nl/musicgens/program-barcelona-2025.html

Bignardi, G., Towards a Genomics of Human Experiences; Session: Integrating genetics with -omics and exposome. Talk presented at the Leena Peltonen School of Human Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK (July 2025). (https://lpshg.com/programme/)

Bignardi, G. Genetics of aesthetic and music reward sensitivity. Talk presented at the Centre for Music and Science seminar series, Cambridge University, Faculty of Music. Invited by Joshua Frank, Cambridge, the UK (February 2025). https://www.mus.cam.ac.uk/events/genetics-aesthetic-and-music-reward-sensitivity-giacomo-bignardi-max-planck-institute

Bignardi, G. Gene-environment interplay in musical reward. scientific retreat. Talk presented at the Fondazione Science & Music, scientific retreat. Invited by Prof. Fredrik Ullèn, Montecastelli, Italy (November 2024). 

Bignardi, G., Eising E., Wesseldijk L.W., Molz B., Mas-Herrero E.,  Zatorre R.J., Mosing M.A., Ullén, F., & Fisher S.E. (2024). Genetic pathways to music-evoked emotions: from twins to genome-wide association studies. Talk presented at the Behavior Genetics Association 2024 (BGA 2024) meeting. London, UK. 

Bignardi, G. & Wesseldijk, L. W.,  Genetics of “talent” in the arts, a critical perspective. Talk presented at the Genetic Network Amsterdam online meeting. Invited by Tinca JC Polderman (April 2024; online presentation).

What behaviour genetics tell us about aesthetics. Bignardi. G., Wesseldijk, W.L., Xia, P., Mosing, M., Ullén, F. Presented at the 2024 Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA 2024). Majorca, Spain. Symposiums  Organised by Bignardi. G., co-moderated with Rebecca Chamberlain.  

Bignardi, G. On the etiology of aesthetic value. Talk presented at the Max Planck School of Cognition Evaluation Days, University of Leipzig. Invited by the MPSC admin team, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. (February 2023).

Bignardi, G., Wesseldijk, L. W., Mas-Herrero, E., Zatorre, R. J., Ullén, F., Fisher, S. E., & Mosing, M. A. (2024). Distinct genetic pathways to music enjoyment. Talk presented at the 2024 Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA 2024). Majorca, Spain.

Bignardi G., Schaare H. L., Verhulst B., St Pourcain, B., Fisher, S. E., Eickhoff S. B., & Valk, S. L., (2022). Brain-wide alterations of the principal gradient of human brain functional connectivity relate to aesthetic sensitivity. Poster presented at 2022 Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA 2022), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, September 1.

Bignardi, G., Fisher, S.E., (2022). On the etiology of aesthetics. Conference Symposium at 2022 Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA 2022), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, August 31.

Bignardi G., Schaare H. L., Verhulst B., St Pourcain, B., Fisher, S. E., Eickhoff S. B., & Valk, S. L., (2022). Brain-wide functional alterations of the principal gradients of human brain connectivity relate to aesthetic sensitivity [Conference Presentation]. The Visual Science of Art Conference (VSAC 2022), University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, August 27.

Bignardi G., Schaare H. L., Verhulst B., St Pourcain, B., Fisher, S. E., Eickhoff S. B., & Valk, S. L. (2022). A functional gradient association study of aesthetic sensitivity. Poster presented at OHBM 2022, Glasgow, United Kingdom, June 19–23.

Bignardi G., Schaare H. L., Verhulst B., St Pourcain, B., Fisher, S. E., Eickhoff S. B., & Valk, S. L. (2022). A functional gradient association study of aesthetic sensitivity. Workshop Poster presented at Gradients of Brain Organization, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom, June 18.

Bignardi, G., Smit, D. J. A., Vessel, E. A.,  Trupp, M. D., Ticini, L. F., & Polderman, T. J. (2021).  On the etiology of visual aesthetic evaluation of places, faces, and abstract objects: A twin informative study. Online Conference Presentation at 2020 Biennial Congress of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA 2021), University of London, England , United Kingdom, September 3.

Bignardi, G., Smit, D.J.A, Ticini, L.F., Trupp, M.K.D., & Polderman T.J.C. (2020). On the etiology of the intensity of visual aesthetic appraisal and preferences [Conference Poster presentation on June 25–26, pre-recorded presentation format]. In A. G. Allegrini, T. van Beijsterveldt, D. Boomsma, K. Rimfeld, J. B. Pingault et al. (Eds.), Behavior Genetics Association 50th Annual Meeting Abstracts Studies, 57(5), 585–595 doi:10.1007/s10519-020-10018-8

Bignardi, G., Chamberlain, R., Kevenaar, S. T., Tamimy, Z., & Boomsma, D. I. (2019, August). Putting genetic in aesthetics: Etiological sources of variation of aesthetic chills [Poster]. In Abstracts from the Visual Science of Art Conference (VSAC 2019) Leuven, Belgium, Art & Perception, 7(4), 251–334.

Selected press, media and public outreach

Max Planck Research Science Magazine: Does That Sound Good? (Focus) Issue 3, 2025. https://www.mpg.de/25730432/MPR_2025_3  

Nautilus: We've Got the Beat—in Our Genes, May 19, 2025. https://nautil.us/weve-got-the-beat-in-our-genes-1211821/  

 DW: Science unscripted. Podcast Interview. Featured in You already have a 'moral compass', from minute 18’20’’, April 25th, 2025. https://www.dw.com/en/you-already-have-a-moral-compass-with-or-without-a-pope/audio-72344716  

Rete Due, RSI: Il piacere per la musica? È (anche) nei geni. Radio Interview. April 18th, 2025. https://www.rsi.ch/cultura/musica/speciali/Il-piacere-per-la-musica-%C3%88-anche-nei-geni--2771184.html  

Vice: Your Genes Determine the Type of Music You Like, April 5, 2025. 

MuSe, Museo delle Scienze di Trento: Genoma Musicale Scoperte e promesse ai confini delle scienze biologiche, September 5th, 2024. Public talk. Gordon. R. & Bignardi G. https://www.muse.it/eventi/il-genoma-musicale-2024/

El País: Science tries to reveal the mysteries of chills, June 10, 2024 https://english.elpais.com/health/2024-06-10/science-tries-to-reveal-the-mysteries-of-chills.html  

Psychology Today: In the “I” of the Beholder: How Art Speaks to an Individual, June 2, 2024. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/neuroscience-in-everyday-life/202406/in-the-i-of-the-beholder-how-art-speaks-to-an-individual  

 New Scientist: Your genes may influence how much you enjoy listening to music, April 19, 2024. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427096-your-genes-may-influence-how-much-you-enjoy-listening-to-music/     

Photo: Anja Schneider