Concetta Christine DiRusso

Concetta Christine DiRusso
Professor
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Biography

Dr. Concetta DiRusso is The George Holmes University Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she leads a research program focused on advancing our understanding of the impact of nutritional fatty acids on human health in obesity and starvation, and in the bio-production of algal lipids for use as fuels. Her early pioneering research on the transcriptional regulation of fatty acid metabolism in bacteria has been recognized for its innovation, precision and clarity. Dr. DiRusso’s research programs are supported by external grants from federal agencies including the National Institutes of health, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy and from private sectors such as the American Heart Association. She has an excellent record as an outstanding teacher and mentor known for her efforts to broaden participation in science, having received the UNL Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Status of Women and recognition for her efforts with undergraduates by the UNL Parents Association and the UNL Teaching Council. Currently, Dr. DiRusso is serving as a Jefferson Science Fellow at USAID in the Bureau for Global Health, Office of HIV/AIDS as a nutrition technical adviser to PEPFAR.

Research Interest

Advancing our understanding of the impact of nutritional fatty acids on human health in obesity and starvation, and in the bio-production of algal lipids for use as fuels