BHRI Newsletter (Fall 2025)

anovulatory infertility worldwide. Although prevalent, there is no cure for PCOS, and the condition is linked to other serious health issues such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and mood disorders. Clinical studies with PCOS patients suggest that the syndrome originates from changes within brain circuits that control fertility; however, pinpointing the exact circuits affected is not possible in patients. Therefore, our lab combines the use of preclinical models of PCOS with advanced anatomical,  functional, and genetic techniques that allow us to study complex, deep-brain circuits at a resolution unattainable in clinical settings. Our lab hopes that this research will lay the foundation for developing new therapies to advance the prevention and treatment of PCOS and other conditions. 

We always welcome collaboration with other interested investigators, and we are happy to chat or share our research directions and findings with anyone who is interested!

Brains On Tap

Hormone-Brain Connections for Women’s Health

At the end of July, Drs. Kathleen Casto and Aleisha Moore shared their research on hormones and the brain at the latest Brains on Tap event.  With the room jam-packed, they led a powerful discussion on neuroendocrinology, the detrimental effects of PCOS and what researchers continue investigating to better our understanding of women’s hormone health.  Taylor Wizner, Ideastream health reporter, emceed the event.  

The event was aired on WKSU’s Sound of Ideas on August 27 and can be found here. 

Jennifer Ackerman

BHRI Executive Committee Student Rep

I am a third-year doctoral candidate in the Neuroscience program at Kent State University. I will serve as the Graduate Student Representative for the Brain Health Research Institute (BHRI) for the upcoming academic year. My research within the Woo-Yang Kim lab focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms and behavioral changes of extracellular components in a rodent model of autism, specifically examining how sex hormones affect the presentation of autism across ages. Outside of the BHRI, I have served as outreach coordinator for the Biology Graduate Student Council, primarily organizing both the Sci-Pals program and the annual Brain Day 5K, and will continue to serve as the treasurer for the upcoming year.  I have been highly passionate about outreach and community support, both on and off campus, throughout my time in higher education, and I am excited to continue supporting my fellow graduate students.  

Sophia Pinti

BHRI Events Committee Student Rep

I’m entering my fourth year as a graduate student in the Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology BSCI program. I work in the Piet lab where we study the neuroendocrine control of female reproduction, specifically mapping the circuits from the brain’s central circadian clock to the reproductive hub in the hypothalamus. As a wife, daughter, and mother of two, I’ve experienced lots of life in the first three years of my PhD and it’s allowed me to gain experience as the “master juggler of all tasks”, often in the same day coordinating research experiments with 12U softball games, daycare closures and plans to host family holidays. During this experience, I’ve realized that while I still love being immersed in the nuances of neuroscience research, the excitement of practicing new experimental techniques has become more mundane and what I really look forward to are chances to share my knowledge with people of all

BHRI UG Fellows

Capstone Research Presented

The BHRI Undergraduate Fellows program aims to provide students with an enriching learning experience combined with hands-on research mentorship. The program takes place during the same weeks as the SURE research experience, and students participate in both programs. The culmination of the BHRI Fellows’ program is a capstone presentation of their research.

Eleven BHRI Fellows from seven different majors completed their undergraduate research experiences at BHRI this summer. The Fellows met in-person throughout the summer for weekly career development seminars on the use of human and animal subjects in research, research funding, careers in neuroscience, authorship and peer

review, rigor and reproducibility, and communicating about their research.

The BHRI Fellows program concluded with BHRI Capstone presentations on August 6, 2025, in the BHRI lower-level lobby. The goal of BHRI Capstone presentations was to celebrate Fellows and their accomplishments.