Maria Kousi

Maria Kousi is a geneticist and neuroscientist specializing in translational research and human disease modeling, with a specific emphasis on neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. She earned her doctorate in childhood-onset epilepsy genetics from the University of Helsinki before pursuing extensive postgraduate training across three continents. Kousi subsequently completed advanced training in stem cell biology and disease modeling at Harvard University, alongside specialized functional genomics research at MIT. Her academic career also includes an extensive tenure conducting postdoctoral work in human medical genetics and molecular neuroscience at Duke University. Throughout her scientific career, she has utilized in vitro stem cell-derived systems and functional genomics approaches to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical applications. Kousi currently focuses on advancing the understanding of complex neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions through the development of sophisticated human stem cell-derived disease models.