Munro Lab
Meet the Team
Cynthia A. Munro, Ph.D., ABPP-CN
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Munro is board-certified in clinical neuropsychology and an associate professor in the Johns Hopkins Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology. Her work focuses on determining how to reduce the impact of stress on cognitive disorders, and in particular on neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Because virtually every major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease is associated with an abnormal response to stressful events, she believes that targeting individual differences in the stress response will be key in reducing the risk of developing this illness. Accordingly, her work focuses on factors (genetic, behavioral, personality, etc.) that influence the physiological response to stress, and importantly, how these factors may differ in men compared to women.
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She and her colleagues are currently pursuing several lines of inquiry related to this overarching goal through the Stress and Brain Health Research Collaborative (SBHRC), a collaboration between pre-clinical and human researchers that she co-founded with colleague Kellie Tamashiro. Findings from these preclinical studies are used as a basis for the human work done in Dr. Munro’s lab.
410-550-6271
Nicholas Bienko, M.S.
Senior Research Coordinator
Nick was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Rising Sun, MD. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2012, and his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Loyola University Maryland in 2015. Nick first worked with Dr. Munro in 2013 as a student extern and part-time research assistant. More recently he has served as the lead coordinator on the Stress-AD and CORT-X studies.
410-550-2036
Isabella Faasuamalie, B.S.
Research Program Coordinator
Isabella Faasuamalie was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania and recently graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience. As an undergraduate student, she worked in a lab to develop a drug treatment for traumatic brain injuries, which shaped her passion for studying the brain. At Lehigh, she also worked as a peer writing tutor, served as a mentor for pre-health students, and ran the Minority Association of Premedical Students on campus. Every experience and opportunity deepened her dedication to pursuing a career in medicine. Bella’s ultimate goal is to one day be able to provide equitable patient-centered care to all individuals and plans to attend medical school in the future. Outside of being a coordinator, Bella loves to write, take trips to Philly, and visit her friends, family, and puppies back home. She is new to Baltimore but is eager to explore the city!
410-550-7380
Bari Pinkett, B.S.
Research Program Coordinator
Bari Pinkett is a Research Program Coordinator for the Stress-AD and CORT-X study at Johns Hopkins. Although being born and raised in Baltimore, she decided to move to Memphis, Tennessee to attend Rhodes College for undergraduate education. She recently graduated in May of 2025 from Rhodes with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Psychology. At Rhodes, Bari was involved in several different activities including being captain for the varsity women’s lacrosse team, president of Morgan’s Message, and a member of Tri Delta sorority. She also was a Research Assistant at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, where she looked at the neurocognitive impacts of patients with Sickle Cell Disease with a focus on low- and low-middle income countries. After moving back home to Baltimore, Bari was excited to learn about the opportunity in Dr. Munro’s lab and expand on her knowledge of memory disorders and stress. Outside of work, some of Bari’s hobbies include running (as she trains for her first marathon), trying new cuisine, spending time with her dog, Sunny, and relaxing on the beach with family and friends. In the future, she hopes to pursue her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with interest in how cancer and brain lesions can affect behavior.
410-550-7380
Past Team Members
Julia Zambo
Julia was a Research Program Coordinator for the Stress-AD study at Johns Hopkins. She grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania and graduated from The Johns Hopkins University in May of 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Natural Sciences, and Political Science. While at Hopkins, she was involved in many different things, such as the varsity track and field team, Jaywalk dance team, and Phi Mu Fraternity. During her time in her undergraduate education, she began exploring her passion for psychology by working as a Research Assistant for the Social Psychological Analysis of Relationship Cognition Lab where she studied the psychosocial factors in relationships, including mental representation in long-distance relationships, measurement of relational attributes, and self-control and relationship maintenance. Upon graduating, she knew that she wanted to continue doing research in the psychological field and she was excited for the opportunity to work with Dr. Munro and the rest of the research team studying memory disorders. She wants to continue to grow her knowledge in this field and do what she can to help people who have memory impairment. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and plans to go on to work as a Forensic Psychologist.
Katie Shoemaker
Katie Shoemaker was a research program coordinator for both the Stress-AD and CORT-X study here at Johns Hopkins. While she is originally from outside of Philly (Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania), she moved to Maryland in 2017 for college and has stayed and enjoyed living in Baltimore ever since. Katie graduated in 2021 from Loyola University Maryland, with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Biology. At Loyola, Katie's passion for psychology led her to pursue externships at various hospitals in the Baltimore area, including Sinai Hospital and Kennedy Krieger Institute. These experiences influenced her to apply to graduate school. Katie moved to Atlanta, Georgia in the summer of 2024 to begin her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Georgia State University. Katie's primary interest lies in neuropsychology, specifically researching the influence of various biopsychosocial factors on neurological disorders. Outside of work, some of Katie’s favorite hobbies include taking walks around the Inner Harbor, exploring different restaurants in Baltimore, and remaining loyal to her Pennsylvania roots by cheering for her beloved Philly sports teams
Marcus Inscore
Marcus grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and currently attends the University of Georgia. He majors in biology and psychology and is working towards in a career in psychological research. His interests include psychopharmacology as well as therapies and treatments for clinical depression among other mood disorders. Outside of the classroom, Marcus is involved in the Sigma Pi fraternity, and he enjoys reading, exercise, volunteering, and listening to music in his free time.
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Cynthia Melton
​Cynthia Melton grew up in Orange County, California and is currently a student at the Johns Hopkins University as a neuroscience major. She is interested in pediatric neurology and pediatric oncology and is an intern at Hopkins Community Connection, which helps her address the social determinants of health and work closely with members of the Baltimore community to access public resources. During her free time, Cynthia enjoys playing video games, drawing or painting, and trying new recipes.
410-550-5450