Susanna is a Principal Investigator at the Altos Labs Bay Area Institute of Science. Prior to joining Altos, Susanna was the Lewis and Ruth Cozen Chair II, Professor in the Departments of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science and Neurological Surgery at UCSF. Susanna studies the mechanisms responsible for the cognitive dysfunctions observed after traumatic brain injury, therapeutic brain irradiation and galactic cosmic ray exposure. Her work provided the mechanistic evidence for the role of microglia in the development of cognitive deficits after brain injury based on sex. She was the first to demonstrate that modulation of the Integrated Stress Response rescues cognitive deficits after brain trauma; rejuvenates old mice by alleviating memory deficits and restoring neuronal and immune dysfunction. Susanna has been the recipient of several NCI, NIA, NINDS awards and she is a NASA investigator. Most recently she received the 2021 J.W. Osborne Award.