Matt Russo, Ph.D.

Matthew Russo received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Loyola University Chicago and his PhD in Integrated Biomedical Sciences from Rush University. As an undergraduate student, Dr. Russo worked in the lab of Dr. M. William Rochlin studying axon guidance in the rodent lingual system, focusing on the role of non-diffusible and diffusible guidance cues in the pathfinding and targeting of neurons that innervate papillae of the tongue. He then went on to obtain his PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel A. Nicholson, a well-respected neuroscientist who specialized in the use of high-resolution microscopy and electrophysiology to study cognitive aging and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Upon graduating, Dr. Russo then went on to a postdoctoral position with Dr. Anita Bhattacharyya, studying neurodevelopment in trisomy 21 using in vitro model systems. Prior to joining Midwestern University, Dr. Russo served as a Senior Scientific Writer at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, helping clinicians and scientists at the hospital effectively communicate their research ideas and findings.