Monse Orozco

Monserrat (Monse) Orozco is passionate about advocating for incarcerated individuals and eliminating the stigma associated with substance abuse. In 2020, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and minor in Criminal Justice from California State University, Los Angeles. She is currently a graduate student at the University of New Mexico pursuing a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in neuroscience. Her research focuses on understanding the role and importance of genes and genetic background specifically in substance use disorders. Additionally, Monse is actively participating in the Society for Neuroscience Early Career Policy Ambassador program to promote the importance of advocacy and federal/state support for neuroscience research.

Monse Orozco is developing a proposal to address poor access to therapy and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders (OUDs) for incarcerated individuals, specifically underrepresented minorities by mobilizing the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Justice to facilitate accessibility to OUDs and train professionals to prescribe MOUDs.