Celine Riera, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Center for Neural Science and Medicine. Her research focuses on elucidating the neural mechanisms that govern whole-body metabolic processes. Specifically, her work investigates the neurochemical composition of hypothalamic neurons involved in energy regulation, the neural circuits through which these neurons elicit physiological responses, and the upstream signals that modulate their activity. A central aim of her research is to understand how aging and metabolic diseases, such as obesity, contribute to neuronal dysfunction, and how these mechanisms can be targeted for therapeutic intervention.