Cristina Paz

Cristina Paz is a graduate student in the cancer biology training program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Paz is pursuing thesis research in the lab of Dr. Randall Kimple and is highly motivated to pursue an academic research career at the intersection of oral health and cancer biology. As a trainee, Paz plans to learn how to independently design experiments to tackle important scientific questions, refine and expand technical skills in the lab, and improve writing and communication skills.

Paz’s project within the Kimple lab focuses on a condition known as Radiation Induced Xerostomia (RIX), a subjective sensation of dry mouth which can be accompanied by salivary gland dysfunction and is one of the most common long-term side effects of head and neck radiation. Head and neck cancers are among the most common cancers in the world, and radiation is used in the treatment of nearly 80% of HNC patients. Due to the anatomy of the head and neck, vital tissues, like salivary glands, are difficult to spare during radiotherapy and lead to permanent damage in many patients. RIX causes issues with speaking, swallowing, oral hygiene and overall decreases the quality of life in affected patients. Current treatments available for RIX are mostly palliative or cause severe side effects. There is a critical need for effective and safe therapies to prevent or alleviate RIX. The main aim of Paz’s project is to evaluate the impact of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy in RIX mouse models. MSCs are known to have reparative properties in damaged tissues and they are believed to be critical in the development of novel therapies for RIX.