Francesca Fortenbaugh

Francesca Fortenbaugh, PhD, is the Director of the Cognitive & Sensory Systems Laboratory (CASSL) at the VA Boston Healthcare System and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Her work focuses on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and sensory systems, particularly in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Dr. Fortenbaugh leads studies investigating neurostimulation therapies for sensory dysfunction, including low-frequency pulse-based stimulation to treat photosensitivity symptoms in Veterans with mild TBI. Her research spans neurobiological mechanisms, hormonal dysregulation, and biomarker discovery, with applications to translational neuroscience and neurorehabilitation.

The CASSL, under her leadership, engages in collaborative projects with the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), integrating expertise in neuroimaging, neuro-ophthalmology, and epidemiology. The lab explores how sensory deficits and brain injury relate to conditions like PTSD and ADHD, aiming to develop targeted interventions for Veterans.