Karen Sterling Santa Cruz, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Research Interests

Dr. SantaCruz’s research is focused on better understanding the relationship between Beta-amyloid deposition, neurofibrillary tangle formation, and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.  She is one of the investigators participating in the Nun Study.

Educational Background

• University of Arizona (1985), B.S. (Biology)
• University of Arizona (1993), M.D.
• University of California, Irvine (1996), Residency (Anatomic Pathology)
• University of California, Irvine (1998), Residency (Neuropathology)

Professional Background

• Research Technician, University of Arizona Health Science Center, Department of Pathology (Virology Laboratory) and Cancer Center, 1985 - 1986
• Research Assistant, University of Arizona, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 1986 - 1988
• Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, Departments of Pathology and Neurology, 1998 - 2002
• Neuropathologist for Alzheimer's Disease Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, Neurology, 1998 - 2002
• Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, 2002 - present

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Neuropathologists, 1997 - present

Publications

• Santacruz K, Lewis J, Spires T, Paulson J, Kotilinek L, Ingelsson M, Guimaraes A, DeTure M, Ramsden M, McGowan E, Forster C, Yue M, Orne J, Janus C, Mariash A, Kuskowski M, Hyman B, Hutton M, Ashe KH.  Tau suppression in a neurodegenerative mouse model improves memory function.  Science. 2005 Jul 15;309(5733):476-81. 
• Cossaart N, SantaCruz KS, Preston D, Johnson P, Skikne BS: Fatal chemotherapy-induced encephalopathy following high-dose therapy for metastatic breast cancer: a case report and review of the literature. Bone Marrow Transplantation, 31;57-60, 2003.
• Mathis D, Stovall JM, SantaCruz K: Multiple glioblastomas. Applied Radiology, 31;11:54-58, 2002.
• Meredith GE, Totterdell S, Petroske E, SantaCruz K, Callison RC, Lau YS: Lysosomal malfunction accompanies alpha-synuclein aggregation in a progressive mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Brain Res, 2002 Nov 22;956(1):156-65.
• Festoff BW, SantaCruz K, Arnold PM, Sebastian CT, Davies PJ, Citron BA: Injury-induced "switch" from GTP-regulated to novel GTP-independent isoform of tissue transglutaminase in the rat spinal cord. J Neurochem, 81(4):708-18, 2002.
• SantaCruz KS, Tasaki CS, Kim RC, Cotman CW: Brainstem and Cortical Lewy bodies in Patients Presenting Clinically with Alzheimer's Disease, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 4(1);11-17, 2002.
• SantaCruz KS, Walker Z, Swagerty D, Piggott MA, Ryo-Yang M, McKeith IG, Raghavan R, Jaros E, Perry RH: Clinical Presentations in Monozygotic Twins with Dementia with Lewy Bodies Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 3:175-179, 2002.
• Citron BA, Suo Z, SantaCruz K, Davies PJ, Qin F, Festoff BW. Protein crosslinking, tissue transglutaminase, alternative splicing and neurodegeneration. Neurochem Int, 40(1):69-78, 2002.
• SantaCruz KS, McKinley ET, Powell R, Hermreck AS, Sonnino RE: Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Gastro-esophageal Junction in Childhood. Pediatric Pathology and Molecular Medicine, 21:49-56, 2002.
• Stephan CL, Kepes JJ, SantaCruz KS, Wilkinson SB, Fegley B, Osorio I: Spectrum of Responses to Intracranial Electrodes: From multi-focal aseptic meningitis to multi-focal hypersensitivity-type meningo-vasculitis. Epilepsia, 42(7):895-901, 2001.
• SantaCruz, KS, Swagerty, D: Early diagnosis of dementia, American Family Physician 63:703-13,717-8, 2001.
• Citron BA, SantaCruz KS, Davies PJA, Festoff BW: Intron-exon swapping of transglutaminase mRNA and neuronal tau aggregation in Alzheimer's disease. J Biol Chem, 276:3295-3301, 2001.
• Wang Y, SantaCruz K, DeCarli C and Johnson JA: NAD(P)H:Quinone oxidoreductase activity is increased in hippocampal pyramidal neurons of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of Aging, 21:525-531, 2000.