Dr. Roberta Marongiu is assistant professor of genetics and neuroscience in the dtp of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Over the years, Dr. Marongiu collaborated with world renowned, leading experts in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, including Nobel Laureate Dr. P. Greengard (Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2000), Dr. E.M. Valente (who discovered one of the genes responsible for Parkinson’s), Dr. M.G. Kaplitt (pioneer in developing the first gene therapy for Parkinson’s), and Dr. Li Gan, world distinguished scientist in the Alzheimer’s field.

Dr. Marongiu is currently one the leading experts in the research on the role that biological sex differences and levels of reproductive hormones (specifically changes during the menopause process) play in the development of extremely debilitating neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. These studies have been funded by prestigious research grants awarded by both government and private agencies, such as the National Institute of Health, the American Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, the Michael J. Fox Foundation/Aligning Science Across Parkinson's disease.

In 2024, she partnered with the Women’s Brain Foundation as their mission perfectly aligns with her research interests, passion and expertise in studying women’s brain health. Dr. Marongiu joined the Women’s Brain Foundation as a Scientific board member and as the Scientific Lead in US to lead their USA chapter.

Dr. Marongiu has always felt the need to bridge the gap between research and patients’ quality of life.  After having participated in the 2013 World Parkinson’s Conference, where she had the opportunity to interact with Parkinson’s sufferers and learn about their challenges, she co-founded stoPD (Support and Training to Overcome Parkinson's disease; www.stop-pd.org) a Bi-Coastal 501c3 Non-Profit organization devoted to bettering the quality of life for people living with Parkinson's disease and their families.

stoPD provides support, intense exercise and arts programs to encourage proactivity and a positive shift in perspective toward the future. StoPD strategic intervention is integrated and personalized to improve self-confidence and social interactions.  Dr. Marongiu’s interview on CBS Sunday Morning in 2016 was instrumental in bringing intense exercise and boxing for PD into the mainstream.