Roberta Brinton, PhD
Dr. Brinton leads the Center for Innovation in Brain Science, advancing evidence-based treatments for brain disorders caused by disease, genetics, or trauma. Her work centers on cognitive aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and innovative, multidisciplinary strategies for brain health through research, clinical care, and community engagement.
A former professor at USC, Dr. Brinton held the R. Pete Vanderveen Chair in Therapeutic Discovery, directed neuroscience research and science education outreach, and was a core leader in translational research initiatives. She serves on the NIH Director’s Advisory Council and the Board of Governors for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Recognized as Los Angeles Magazine’s Woman of the Year and a recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, Dr. Brinton is widely published and an internationally invited speaker in neuroscience.
Dr. Brinton earned her Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from the University of Arizona and trained as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Rockefeller University. She co-founded CoCensys, a biotech firm focused on neurological therapeutics.
Education
Selected Publications
- Bacon, E.R., Mishra, A., Wang, Y., Desai, M.K., Yin, F. and Brinton, R.D., 2019. Neuroendocrine aging precedes perimenopause and is regulated by DNA methylation. Neurobiology of aging, 74, pp.213-224.
- Geifman, N., Kennedy, R.E., Schneider, L.S., Buchan, I. and Brinton, R.D., 2018. Data-driven identification of endophenotypes of Alzheimer’s disease progression: implications for clinical trials and therapeutic interventions. Alzheimer's research & therapy, 10(1), p.4.
- Mosconi, L., Berti, V., Quinn, C., McHugh, P., Petrongolo, G., Varsavsky, I., Osorio, R.S., Pupi, A., Vallabhajosula, S., Isaacson, R.S., de Leon, M.J., and Brinton, RD., 2017. Sex differences in Alzheimer risk: Brain imaging of endocrine vs chronologic aging. Neurology, 89(13), pp.1382-1390.
- Rettberg, J.R., Dang, H., Hodis, H.N., Henderson, V.W., John, J.A.S., Mack, W.J. and Brinton, R.D., 2016. Identifying postmenopausal women at risk for cognitive decline within a healthy cohort using a panel of clinical metabolic indicators: potential for detecting an at-Alzheimer's risk metabolic phenotype. Neurobiology of aging, 40, pp.155-163.
- Klosinski, L.P., Yao, J., Yin, F., Fonteh, A.N., Harrington, M.G., Christensen, T.A., Trushina, E. and Brinton, R.D., 2015. White matter lipids as a ketogenic fuel supply in aging female brain: implications for Alzheimer's disease. EBioMedicine, 2(12), pp.1888-1904.
- Brinton, R.D., Yao, J., Yin, F., Mack, W.J. and Cadenas, E., 2015. Perimenopause as a neurological transition state. Nature reviews endocrinology, 11(7), p.393.
- Brinton, R.D., 2013. Neurosteroids as regenerative agents in the brain: therapeutic implications. Nature reviews endocrinology, 9(4), p.241.