Susanna Molas

Background

Dr. Molas earned her PhD in Biomedicine in 2012 from Pompeu Fabra University, where she conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. Mara Dierssen at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Spain. Her doctoral work focused on studying drug addiction phenotypes in a mouse model of nicotine dependence. Following her PhD, Dr. Molas worked as a Senior Research Scientist in collaboration with the Prous Institute for Biomedical Research in Barcelona. There, she evaluated the therapeutic potential of drugs designed to enhance cognitive function in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. In 2014, Dr. Molas joined the laboratory of Dr. Andrew R. Tapper at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. During her time at UMass Chan, she established an independent research line to explore the neuronal circuits and mechanisms that regulate novelty responses and habituation learning.

In 2021, Dr. Molas became a faculty member in the Department of Neurobiology at UMass Chan, where her independent research on novelty circuits earned her a NARSAD Young Investigator Grant and an NIH R21 Award (Role: Co-Investigator). Currently, Dr. Molas serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG). Her research focuses on understanding the circuits and mechanisms that drive novelty responses and adaptive processes, particularly in reward- and aversive-related contexts.

Positions

2023 - Assistant Professor,  Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience,  University of Colorado, Boulder, US.

2023 - Faculty Fellow, Institute for Behavioral Genetics,  University of Colorado, Boulder, US.

2023 - Faculty Member,  Center for Neuroscience,  University of Colorado, Boulder, US.

2023 - Faculty Member,  Crnic Institute Boulder Branch,  University of Colorado, Boulder, US.

2021 - 2022  Instructor, Faculty member, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, US.

2014 - 2021 Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Department of Neurobiology, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute , US. (Laboratory of Dr. Andrew R Tapper)

2012 - 2014 Senior Research Scientist, Center for Genomic Regulation and Prous Institute for Biomedical Research.

Education

2012  Ph.D. in Biomedicine, Pompeu Fabra University, Spain (Center for Genomic Regulation, Laboratory of Dr. Mara Dierssen).

2008  M.S. in Biomedical Research, Pompeu Fabra University, Spain.

2007  B.S. in Biotechnology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Fellowships and awards

2025 ACNP Travel Awardee

2024 ACNP Travel Awardee

2021 BBRF Young Investigator Grant 

2008   JAE Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowship awarded by the Spanish National Research Council 

2007   B.S. extraordinary award, Autonomous University of Barcelona.