Susan A. Masino, PhD

Presenter

Susan Masino, PhD, is the Vernon Roosa Professor of Applied Science at Trinity College and was recently a Charles Bullard Fellow in Forest Research at Harvard University. Her biomedical research focuses primarily on brain health. Mechanistically she has investigated the relationship among metabolism, neuronal function, and behavior with a particular interest in adenosine, a molecule that links metabolism and brain activity. For nearly 100 years a metabolic therapy called a “ketogenic diet” has been used to treat seizures, and recent insights - including the role of adenosine – hold translational implications for brain health and diverse disorders. In addition to her laboratory research, Dr. Masino is focused on forest ecosystems and public polices that can support and improve brain health, and coauthored the seminal paper on proforestation as a strategy to mitigate climate change and protect all species. She is currently a County Coordinator for the Old Growth Forest Network, Chair of the Peru, MA Historical Commission, President of the Connecticut State Grange Foundation, and a member of the Science and Technology Working Group of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change (called the GC3) in Connecticut.