Pedro E Cruz

Pedro E Cruz has extensive work experience in the field of AAV-based gene therapies. Pedro E is currently serving as the Senior Director of Technology at Lacerta Therapeutics, where they are involved in the discovery and development of AAV-based gene therapies. Previously, they worked at Lacerta Therapeutics as a Program Director for AAV capsid engineering and discovery.

Pedro also has a significant tenure at the University of Florida, where they held various roles. Pedro E worked as an Assistant Scientist and Biological Scientist IV, where they designed and constructed AAV transgene vectors and developed new AAV plasmids for gene expression in mouse microglia and macrophages. Additionally, they engineered new AAV capsids to target these cell types. Pedro E also served as the Coordinator of Research Programs/Services, contributing to the development of scAAV vectors for transgene expression in different brain cell types and constructing AAV cloning plasmids for various AAV strains. Pedro E further contributed to the development of a dual function AAV vector and constructed AAV transgene vectors for specific patents.

Prior to their tenure at the University of Florida, Pedro worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, where they studied the induction of apoptosis by type I interferon. Pedro E also pursued their Ph.D. at Wright State University.

Pedro E Cruz began their education journey in 1987 at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, where they pursued a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Biology, General. After completing their undergraduate studies in 1991, they then enrolled at Wright State University, where they pursued a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Biomedical Sciences, General. Pedro's doctoral studies continued until 1996, when they completed their Ph.D.

Following their Ph.D., Pedro E Cruz joined the University of Florida as a Postdoctoral Fellow from 1996 to 1998. During this period, they focused their research on Interferon tau and apoptosis.

Overall, Pedro E Cruz's education history highlights their academic journey from their undergraduate studies in Biology to their doctoral studies in Biomedical Sciences. Pedro E subsequently undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Florida, specializing in the field of Interferon tau and apoptosis.