Regie Santos-Cortez, MD, PhD
Research Activities
Our goal is to identify genetic and epidemiologic factors that influence risk for otolaryngologic diseases, such as otitis media, hearing loss, vestibular disorders and obstructive sleep apnea/sleep-disordered breathing. Our studies are made possible through close collaboration with scientists and clinicians on campus and in multiple institutions within the US and the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
Lab Members
Tori Bootpetch
Professional Research Assistant
tori.bootpetch@cuanschutz.edu
Tori received her Travel Award from the International Society for Otitis Media after her Podium Presentation. Her first-author paper titled “Multi-omic Studies on Missense PLG Variants in Families with Otitis Media” was recently accepted for publication by the journal Scientific Reports.
Professional Research Assistant
tori.bootpetch@cuanschutz.edu
Tori received her Travel Award from the International Society for Otitis Media after her Podium Presentation. Her first-author paper titled “Multi-omic Studies on Missense PLG Variants in Families with Otitis Media” was recently accepted for publication by the journal Scientific Reports.
Christina Elling
T32 Predoctoral Trainee
PhD Candidate, Human Medical Genetics & Genomics
christina.elling@cuanschutz.edu
Christina has a Poster titled “The FUT2 c.461G>A (p.Trp154*) variant is associated with differential expression of genes involved in host-microbe interactions and changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiota of patients with otitis media” at the virtual 2020 meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
T32 Predoctoral Trainee
PhD Candidate, Human Medical Genetics & Genomics
christina.elling@cuanschutz.edu
Christina has a Poster titled “The FUT2 c.461G>A (p.Trp154*) variant is associated with differential expression of genes involved in host-microbe interactions and changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiota of patients with otitis media” at the virtual 2020 meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
Scott Hirsch, MD
T32 Resident, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
scott.hirsch@cuanschutz.edu
T32 Resident, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
scott.hirsch@cuanschutz.edu
Scott delivered his Podium Presentation entitled “The Role of CDHR3 Variants in Susceptibility to Otitis Media” at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology meeting in San Jose, CA in January 2020.
Angelo Sumalde
MD-PhD Candidate, University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine
angelo.sumalde@cuanschutz.edu
MD-PhD Candidate, University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine
angelo.sumalde@cuanschutz.edu
Angelo received a Travel Award for his Podium Presentation at the 2020 Association for Research in Otolaryngology meeting. His first-author paper titled “Novel Variants in Hearing Loss Genes and Associations with Audiometric Thresholds in a Multi-ethnic Cohort of US Patients with Cochlear Implants” was published in Otology & Neurotology.
Publications
In the News
- BCM News, June 29, 2015, “Rare gene variant associated with middle ear infections”
- Hearing Health Foundation, Oct. 25, 2016, “Can a Mutation Predict Ear Infections?”
- CU Anschutz Today, Oct. 25, 2018, “Researchers find gene that makes some susceptible to ear infections”
- Reuters Health News, Nov. 8, 2018, “Genetic variants may be tied to otitis media risk”
- The Pathologist, Issue 52, page 10, Mar. 22, 2019, “Putting a bug in your ear"
- Blog, Journal of Medical Genetics, July 25, 2020, “Otitis media susceptibility and shifts in the head and neck microbiome due to SPINK5 variants”