Susan Travers

Susan Travers is a Professor in the Division of Biosciences and holds an Associate Professorship in the Department of Oral Biology at The Ohio State University. She is also affiliated with the Behavioral Neurosciences area. Her research focuses on understanding how the central nervous system processes sensory signals from the oral cavity, particularly taste, tactile, and thermal sensations. Travers earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming and completed postdoctoral training at Rockefeller University.

Her research interests include the neural mechanisms underlying taste perception, the integration of sensory inputs into flavor experiences, and the impact of diseases like COVID-19 on chemosensory functions. She has developed novel tools for screening chemosensory deficits in at-risk populations.

Recent work highlights her investigations into GABAergic neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) and their role in modulating taste behaviors. Her findings contribute to understanding neural circuits in sensory processing and their disruption in pathological conditions.

Travers' lab is located at Postle Hall, Columbus, OH. She is actively involved in symposium organization and mentoring in systems neuroscience.