Santoro Lab

We are part of the Section of Developmental Biology within the Department of Pediatrics on the Anschutz Medical Campus in beautiful Colorado.

We are interested in how the neuronal composition and connectivity of the mammalian nervous system are organized during early development and change based on experience. 

Our current studies focus on the olfactory epithelium, which is elegantly organized during development and exhibits an extraordinary degree of plasticity throughout life. 

Objectives of our research are to understand how the mammalian olfactory epithelium develops, changes, and can lose function with age and certain disorders. A long-term goal of our research is to enable the effective treatment of olfactory dysfunction, which adversely affects human health and quality of life.

To achieve these objectives, we use the mouse model, whose olfactory system is highly similar in organization and function to that of humans.