Matt Russo, Ph.D.

Down syndrome (DS) is caused by a triplication of chromosome 21, and it is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability. In addition, individuals with DS are at a substantially higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) as they age. Despite the prevalence of DS, occurring in approximately 1 in every 700 live births, relatively little is known about the biological causes of intellectual disability at early stages of life and cognitive decline with age. The Russo Lab aims to understand how triplication of chromosome 21 impacts the synaptic connections and ion channel expression of cortical neurons, aiming to identify cellular pathways and specific proteins that may serve as therapeutic targets for treating cognitive deficits in DS and DS-AD. The lab utilizes human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to generate cortical neurons in culture that can then be characterized. The Russo lab employs a mix of immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, electrophysiology, and electron microscopy to perform high-resolution, comprehensive analysis of these neurons. The long-term objective of the lab is to produce and leverage foundational data on neuron function in DS and DS-AD to provide insights into potential therapeutic approaches that address cognitive impairment, which may potentially be applicable to sporadic AD and other forms of dementia.