Lacruz, Rodrigo S PHD

Mitochondria provide energy for cell function. Environmental insults like fluorosis or genetic diseases like Down syndrome (DS) affect mitochondria but how they affect the mitochondria of ameloblasts causing enamel defects is poorly understood. We will address this in DS mouse models and in newly developed reporter mice segregating enamel developmental stages treated with fluoride.

We will investigate if individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are predisposed to develop Sjogren’s-like disease (SjD) using the DS mouse model Dp16 mice, which will be treated with agonists of toll-like receptors (TLR) and interferon stimulation (e.g. DMXAA) to address if they develop enhanced SjD.