BANAKOU Domna

Dr. Domna Banakou completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology at the University of Barcelona in 2017. She also holds a Master’s degree in Computer Graphics, Vision and Imaging from University College London (UCL), UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Ionian University, Greece. She combines technical expertise and experience in research methodologies to understand and promote the use of virtual reality in the fields of psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Her research focuses on body representation in immersive virtual reality, exploring the perceptual, behavioral, and higher-level cognitive correlates of body ownership illusions that occur as a function of the type of body in which embodiment occurs.

Domna's pioneering research has garnered significant international attention, with her findings featured in global media outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, and WIRED. A recognized voice in the field of Virtual Reality Embodiment, she has been invited as a keynote speaker at prestigious venues such as Peace, Human Security and Dignity Week at the Expo 2025 Osaka (UAE Pavilion) and has presented at prestigious institutions and events including The London School of Economics (LSE), the World Congress of Biological Psychiatry in Berlin, and SXSW. To date, her publications have earned over 3900 citations, demonstrating a profound and lasting impact on the global academic community.