Assistant Professor
School of Medicine and Public Health | Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology
Hometown: Palermo, Italy
Valentina Lo Sardo’s research focuses on the genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease. Her work primarily aims to understand how small variations in the human genome confer risk for developing cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on variations that are unique to humans and challenging to study in animal models. She employs a unique stem cell–based platform to uncover the biological mechanisms that lead to cardiovascular disease, with the goal of identifying new and unexplored cellular pathways that could be targeted for novel pharmacological treatments.
These talks can also be offered in Italian.
Areas of expertise, continued: genetics of complex disease
Talks:
In our genes: uncovering the risk of heart disease
In this talk, Dr. Lo Sardo will introduce the basic concepts of genetic risk factors for cardiovascular disease and discuss the latest advancements in genetics and genomics related to the leading cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide.
Cell Power: unlocking the secrets of human diseases with stem cells and gene editing
In this talk, Dr. Lo Sardo will present the use of stem cells to model complex human diseases and discuss genome engineering technologies used to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
Navigating academia: a journey into the life of a scientist
In this talk, Dr. Lo Sardo will discuss the journey of a scientist from undergraduate studies to a faculty position in academia, sharing lessons learned, key tips, and possible career trajectories.