Kathleen Casto

Dr. Kathleen Casto is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kent State University, specializing in behavioral neuroendocrinology. Her research focuses on hormonal mechanisms influencing social behaviors, particularly related to menstrual cycle fluctuations, hormonal contraceptives, and their effects on competition, stress, and mood. She directs the Casto Lab, which employs methods like hormonal assays, surveys, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Dr. Casto holds a PhD from Emory University and has held academic positions at New College of Florida and postdoctoral roles at the University of Oregon. She has secured grants totaling over $200,000 for neuroimaging and collaborative research projects. Her teaching includes courses like the Psychobiology of Love and War and Biopsychology of Sex/Gender. Students in her lab explore topics ranging from neuroendocrine influences on motivation to the impacts of hormonal contraceptives on competition.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology, Emory University (2016)
• MA in Psychological Science, James Madison University (2012)
• BA in Psychology and Chemistry, University of North Carolina Wilmington (2010)

Research Interests:

• Hormonal transitions and interventions (e.g., contraceptives)
• Neuroendocrine correlates of attention, emotion, and reward
• Social status behaviors and stress responses
• Neuroimaging (fNIRS) applications

Awards/Grants:

• Salimetrics Research-Industry Collaboration Grant ($50k, 2022)
• NSF Grant for Neuroimaging Lab ($80k, 2020)
• National Academy of Science Fellowship ($56k, 2017)

Advising: Mentors graduate and undergraduate students in clinical psychology, neuroscience, and neuropsychology tracks. Current advisees include Sally Farah, Cameron Hicks, and Victor Torres.