Dr. Justin Piro graduated from Dartmouth's Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) program in 2011. Following his work studying prion biology and protein misfolding in the Biochemistry department, Justin joined Pfizer's Neuroscience Research Unit as a postdoctoral fellow. His postdoctoral work was focused on understanding endocannabinoid metabolism and its impact on driving inflammation in the context of neurodegeneration and neurological injury. This work led to the development of novel inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism that were advanced into Ph1 clinical trials.
Justin continued to expand his passion for drug discovery as a group leader in the neuroinflammation team at AbbVie where he was developing large and small molecule therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease. Justin is currently leading a neuroimmunology group at Alkermes, that is leveraging the brains immune system to combat neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases.
Justin's interest in biology started in high school and continued to expand during his time as a biochemistry student at Eastern Connecticut State University. At Eastern he participated in several summer research opportunities which solidified his decision to pursue a Ph.D. Dartmouth's MCB program provided a unique mixture of high-quality research and training in an ideal setting for individuals who appreciate spending time in the outdoors. Justin routinely publishes his work in top journals and presents at international conferences. He currently resides just outside of Boston with his wife and two children while continuing to enjoy outdoor activities such as skiing and hiking.