Carlos Castro, M.D., D.M.D.

Faculty Research Instructor
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
Faculty Member, Pittsburgh Development Center

M.D., Rosario University Medical School, Bogota, Colombia, 1982.

D.M.D. Javeriana University Dental School, Bogota, Colombia, 1988.

Research Interests

Dr. Castro’s research focuses on understanding post-implantation embryo development using mouse, rat and primate models. State-of-the-art imaging techniques, including ultrasound and non-invasive MRI and PET imaging, as well as anatomical 3D reconstruction techniques are being used to characterize normal and abnormal development of cloned, chimeric and diseased embryos. Some of Dr. Castro’s research studies include:

Embryology: Carnegie staging of normal, abnormal, growth disorganized, chimeric, cloned and genetically modified embryos; classification of embryonic and fetal abnormalities; comparative studies of mouse, rat, primate and human development; maternal-fetal interactions during development; placental-fetal interactions during development; epiblast, hypoblast, germ cell, germinal ridge and embryonic microdissections.
Surgical Pathology: Teratoma formation and characterization, germ line tumors, neoplasias, uterine pathology, aginal pathology, general pathology.

Perinatal Pathology:congenital malformations, deformations and variations of normal anatomy, embryonic and fetal anomalies, placental pathology, utero-placental anomalies, maternal-fetal pathology, teratogens.

Selected Publications

Castro C, Mason NS, Mills P, Lopeta B, Jacoby E., Hewitson L, Simhan H, Ozolek J, Navara CS, Simerly C, Capuano S, Ahrens E, Schatten G. Prenatal Development Imaged Non-Invasively by Consecutive Magnetic Resonance Microscopy [MRM] and Micro-Positron Emission Tomography [mPET] Throughout Non-Human Primate Pregnancies. Development, in press (2007).

Navara CS, Ben-Yehuda A, Castro C, Redinger CJ, Jacoby, E, McFarland, D, Mich-Basso J, Qidwai H, Kovkarova-Naumovski E, Kaminski N, Simerly CR, Schatten G. Pedigreed Primate Embryonic Stem Cells [nhpESC] Express Homogeneous Familial Gene Profiles. Stem Cells, in press (2007).

Toppings M, Castro C, Mills PH, Reinhart B, Schatten G, Ahrens ET, Chaillet JR and Trasler JM. Profound Phenotypic Variation Among Mice Deficient in the Maintenance of Genomic Imprints. Molecular Human Genetics, pending (2007).

Certifications

Oral Surgery: Fellowship in Maxillofacial Surgery, Rosario University Medical School, Bogota, Colombia, 1989
Oral Surgery: Military University School of Medicine, Bogota, Colombia, 1986
Oral Surgery: Colombain Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1986
Orthognatic Surgery: Javeriana University Dental School, Bogota, Colombia, 1986
Gnatology: Javeriana University Dental School, Bogota, Colombia, 1986
Cranio-orbito-maxillo facial malformation rehabilitation: Rosario University Medical School, Bogota, Colombia, 1987

Professional Affiliations