Autumn Massiello is from Bethany, Connecticut.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Social Relations from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1998 and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine in 2005.   

While in the PhD. program, Autumn studied the role of ceramide in the regulation of the alternative splicing of apoptotic factors Bcl-x and Caspase-9.  She was awarded the Avanti Polar Lipids Founder’s Award for an oral presentation at the 38^th Annual Southeastern Regional Lipid Conference and was presented with a Student Fellowship Award for an oral presentation at the 3^rd International Charleston Ceramide Conference.  Autumn has also received recognition for her work at annual graduate student honor colloquiums sponsored by VCU.   

A former collegiate swimmer, Autumn is a member of the Richmond Triathlon Club and volunteers by offering swimming lessons to underprivileged children in the Richmond area.