Musto, Alberto E.

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overview

  • Dr. Alberto E. Musto, MD, PhD, FAES, is an Associate Professor of Pathology, Anatomy and Neurology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. He integrates an interdisciplinary approach in medical education and mentorship in neuroscience research, specifically in the field of neuroinflammation. Dr. Musto's primary scientific goal is to identify a potential biomarker and preventive therapies for epilepsy, glioblastoma multiforme, and Alzheimer's disease. Currently, Dr. Musto' s educational interest is to integrate the principles of translational research in medical education through mentorship and improve creative thinking, problem solving, and effective communication for future medical decisions.

    Dr. Musto has published in major journals in the field of neuroscience and epilepsy and is a frequent member of National Institute of Health grant review study sections. He has patents in neuroprotection and neuroinflammation and has been invited to speak at national and international scientific meetings.

    Prior to join EVMS, Dr. Musto was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSUHSC), School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA (2007-2015), where he was actively involved in graduate medical education, neuroscience research, and mentoring underrepresented undergraduate students.

    His scholarly activities have been funded, as a principal investigator, mainly by National Institute of Health (NIH), Board of Regents (LSU), EVMS Research Office, National Science Foundation, and Commonwealth Research Board of Virginia.

    Dr. Musto was born in Argentina and received his MD degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, School of Medicine. He obtained board certifications in both neurology and radiology and in addition, he pursued post-graduate studies in medical education and management in health systems. He practiced medicine for more than a decade and has been actively involved in teaching activities for medical students and residents for more than three decades. He served the Argentinian community promoting health education for underserved population. Dr. Musto obtained his Ph.D. degree in neurobiology from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and relocated to the US where he completed a 4 year postdoctoral fellowship in neuroprotection at LSUHSC, New Orleans, LA.

    Dr. Musto is a Fellow of the American Epilepsy Society (FAES) - a lifetime professional honor in recognition of his accomplishments and dedication to excellence in epilepsy.

selected publications

research overview

  • His primary research interest is to understand the immune-inflammatory process in the neural tissue following a brain injury that contribute to aberrant neuronal networks formations which mediate the development of epilepsy and cognitive impairments. Dr. Musto, with his collaborators at EVMS and using in vitro and in vivo experimental models of epilepsy, radiation exposure and brain tumors, investigates: a) single neuron and neuronal circuitry activities from hippocampus using silicon probes, multimcroelectrode arrays, and microsensors for glutamate and glucose; b) biology of synapses using histological and biochemical techniques; and c) role of the chemokines and cytokines molecules in the brain. These approaches will contribute to better understanding of the physiopathology of epileptogenesis, to identify a biomarker to predict onset of epilepsy and to determine a novel therapeutic target to prevent recurrent seizures.

projects

preferred title

  • Principal Investigator, Medical Educator, Director

full name

  • Alberto E. Musto, MD, PhD

visualizations

Recent publications and grants in Researchers@EVMS

research areas