Dr. Socorro is a Research Assistant Professor in Dr. Almarza's lab. She earned her DDS and PhD degrees in Venezuela. She joined the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 2018, where she gained postdoctoral research experience working on determining the role of mineralization-regulating transcription factors in susceptibility to dental caries and on defining novel protein-protein interactions between transcription factors, crucial for skeletal and dental tissue mineralization. Her research interests involve advancing our understanding of the fundamental molecular mechanisms involved in formation of skeletal and dental tissues as well as understanding the development of temporomandibular joint disorders.
Dr. Socorro’s scientific interest is to determine how genetic factors, specifically those regulating formation of dental tissues, contribute to individual susceptibility and a higher dental caries incidence. A fundamental understanding of the transcriptional regulation of the mineralization process will result in opportunities to develop better options for effective prevention of dental caries and for the identification of high-risk groups, by providing possible targets for dental and oral diseases caused by developmental defects in mineralization.