prof.dr.ir. B.C. Schwab (Bettina)

Professor
EEMCS-EE-BSS
b.c.schwab@utwente.nl
+31534891992
Business card

With a background in physics, I am interested in the dynamics of neural activity related to brain stimulation and central motor control. Using experimental and computational approaches, my lab investigates the basic mechanisms of electric brain stimulation. We also study the application of these methods for the modulation of functional connectivity in health and disease, including Parkinson's disease and stroke.

My current main projects are:

- DECODE (ERC Starting Grant) on mechanisms of deep brain stimulation (computational/experimental/clinical)

- COMO (NWO Domain Science M-1 Grant) on opitmization of dual-site transcranial alternating current stimulation for connectivity modulation (computational/experimental)

- Multi-modal network modulation in Parkinson's disease (DFG Individual Research Grant) on combinations of noninvasive and invasive brain stimulation for Parkinson's (experimental/clinical)

- CFC_Stroke (DFG SFB 936, joint with Fanny Quandt) on neural dynamics of motor skill acquisition after stroke and their modulation with non-invasive brain stimulation.

Find out more about my lab on bettina-schwab.net.

Publications

2026

Variable E-field properties of dual-site tACS with phase lags (2026)Imaging Neuroscience, 4, 1-16. Huertas-Penen, S., Piastra, M. C., Puonti, O. & Schwab, B. C.https://doi.org/10.1162/IMAG.a.1068

2025

Roles of beta synchronisation for motor skill acquisition change after stroke (2025)[Working paper › Preprint]. MedRxiv. Timmsen, L. S., Haverland, B., Wolf, S., Stagg, C. J., Feldheim, J., Luu, T. V., Schulz, R., Schneider, T. R., Quandt, F. & Schwab, B. C.https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.01.25337084Dual-site beta transcranial alternating current stimulation during a bimanual coordination task modulates functional connectivity between motor areas (2025)Brain stimulation, 18(5), 1566-1578. Gann, M. A., Paparella, I., Zich, C., Grigoras, I.-F., Huertas-Penen, S., Rieger, S. W., Thielscher, A., Sharott, A., Stagg, C. J. & Schwab, B. C.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2025.08.011The right model for the right question: Comment on “Entrainment by transcranial alternating current stimulation: Insight from models of cortical oscillations and dynamical systems theory” by M. Madabi Asl and A. Valizadeh (2025)Physics of Life Reviews, 54, 87-88. Schwab, B. C.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2025.06.004Variable E-field properties of dual-site tACS (2025)[Working paper › Preprint]. bioRxiv. Huertas-Penen, S., Piastra, M. C., Puonti, O. & Schwab, B. C.https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.06.668900The Effect of Cue Frequency, Modality and Rhythmicity on Finger Tapping Behaviour and Movement-Related Cortical Activity (2025)European journal of neuroscience, 61(8). Article e70112. Heijs, J. J. A., Huertas Penen, S., Wanrooij, M. M. v., Schwab, B., van Wezel, R. J. A. & Heida, T.https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.70112Computational models for the treatment of refractory epilepsy with deep brain stimulation (2025)Brain stimulation, 18(1), 250-250. Article FS2F.6. Piastra, M. C., Kho, K. H., Chaplinskaia, N., Schwab, B., van Putten, M. J. A. M., Oostenveld, R. & Tjepkema-Cloostermans, M. C.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2024.12.110Phase-lag dependent modulation of primary motor cortices connectivity using dual-site tACS: Simulation and preliminary EEG study (2025)Brain stimulation, 18(1). Huertas Penen, S., Jong, B. Z. d., Piastra, M. C., Puonti, O. & Schwab, B.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2024.12.872Simulation of E-fields for deep brain stimulation in an anatomically accurate whole-head model (2025)Brain stimulation, 18(1), 436-436. Keizers, T., Piastra, M. C. & Schwab, B.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2024.12.654Human cortical high-gamma power scales with movement rate in healthy participants and stroke survivors (2025)The Journal of Physiology, 603(4), 873-893. Haverland, B., Timmsen, L. S., Wolf, S., Stagg, C. J., Frontzkowski, L., Oostenveld, R., Schön, G., Feldheim, J., Higgen, F. L., Gerloff, C., Schulz, R., Schneider, T. R., Schwab, B. C. & Quandt, F.https://doi.org/10.1113/JP286873

Research profiles

Video on my new ERC Project

Lay comic on one of my experimental works

U-Today article on my ERC Starting Grant project 

Talk @ Computational Modeling in Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Workshop 2020

Report on my stay @ Wiko Berlin

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