Damaris Lorenzo

Damaris Lorenzo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on membrane and cytoskeleton adaptors in disease mechanisms, particularly neurodevelopmental disorders and metabolic syndromes. She holds a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Havana and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell, Developmental Biology, and Genetics from the University of Minnesota.

Her work integrates mouse, fly, and human iPSC models to study protein adaptors in disease pathogenesis. Techniques include microscopy, proteomics, and gene profiling. Key areas include axonal transport, synaptic function, and metabolic regulation in skeletal muscle and adipocytes. The Lorenzo Lab (http://www.lorenzolab.org/) explores genetic variants linked to neurodevelopmental syndromes and diabetes, with implications for therapeutic strategies.

Recent publications highlight mechanisms of insulin secretion, axonal branching regulation, and mitochondrial dynamics in muscle. Her research bridges human genetics with cellular biochemistry to translate genetic findings into diagnostic and therapeutic insights.