Rosaysela (Rosie) Santos, PhD

Biography

Faculty Director of the Anatomy Resource Center; Associate Professor

Biomedical Science

Dr. Rosaysela Santos specializes in anatomy and embryology/developmental biology. Her expertise centers on enhancing anatomy instruction by seamlessly blending physical examination maneuvers, clinical cases, and surgical procedures. She is particularly passionate about advancing anatomy instruction in undergraduate medical programs. Her research interests encompass leveraging technology in anatomy pedagogy and assessment, evaluating the impact of peer-led interventions, and assessing the benefits of integrating clinical procedures and physical examinations into the anatomy curriculum for novice learners. Dr. Santos also has a rich background in early education, community engagement, and community service, exposing young students to a wide range of health and health-adjacent careers with the goal of impacting social change and investing in tomorrow’s diverse healthcare workforce.

Faculty headshot of Rosaysela Santos, PhD

Education and Training

Degrees
BS, Biology, University of California, Irvine
PhD, Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Irvine
Degrees
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Irvine
Pedagogical Fellow, University of California, Irvine
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Irvine

Professional Positions

Adjunct Faculty, Biology
Santa Ana College
2017-2018
Teaching Postdoctoral Fellow, Anatomy and Neurobiology
University of California, Irvine
2017-2018
Assistant Professor, Pathology, Anatomy, and Laboratory Medicine
West Virginia University
2018-2021
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Science
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
2021-2024
Faculty Director of the Anatomy Resource Center
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
2024-present
Associate Professor, Biomedical Science
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
2024-present

Scholarly Activities

Selected peer-reviewed research manuscripts
  • Kawauchi S, Santos R, Kim J, Hollenbeck PLW, Murray RC, Calof AL. The role of Foxg1 in the development of neural stem cells of the olfactory epithelium. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2009 Jul; 1170:21-7.
  • Kawauchi S, Calof AL, Santos R, Lopez-Burks ME, Young CM, Hoang MP, Chua A, Lao T, Lechner MS, Daniel JA, Kitzes L, Yokomori K, Hallgrimson B, Lander AD. Multiple organ system defects and transcriptional dysregulation in the Nipbl(+/-) mouse, a model of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. PLOS Genetics. 2009 Sep;5(9): e1000650.
  • Chein R, Zeng W, Kawauchi S, Bender MA, Santos R, Gregson HC, Schmiesing JA, Newkirk D, Kong X, Ball AR Jr, Calof AL, Lander AD, Groudine MT, Yokomori K. Cohesin mediates chromatin interactions that regulate mammalian beta-globin expression. J. Biol. Chem. 2011 May 20;286(20):17870-8. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.207365. Epub 2011 Mar 29. PMID: 21454523; PMCID: PMC3093862.
  • Kawauchi S, Santos R, Muto A, Lopez-Burks ME, Schilling TF, Lander AD, Calof AL. Using mouse and zebrafish models to understand the etiology of developmental defects in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 2016 Jun;172(2):138-45. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31484. PMID: 27120001.
  • Lopez-Burks ME, Santos R, Kawauchi S, Calof AL, Lander AD. Genetic enhancement of limb defects in a mouse model of Cornelia de Lange syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 2016 Jun;172(2):146-54. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31491. PMID:27120109
  • Santos R, Kawauchi S, Jacobs RE, Lopez-Burks ME, Choi H, Wikenheiser J, Hallgrimsson B, Jamniczky HA, Fraser SE, Lander AD, Calof AL. Conditional Creation and Rescue of Nipbl-Deficiency in Mice Reveals Multiple Determinants of Risk for Congenital Heart Defects. PLOS Biology. 2016 Sep 8;14(9): e2000197. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2000197. PubMed PMID: 27606604; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5016002.
Book Chapters
  • Hamilton JA, Beites CL, Gokoffski KK, Hollenbeck PLW, Kawauchi S, Santos R, Bonnin A, Wu H, Kim J, Calof AL. Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics. Vol 1, Springer, 2008. Chapter 3, Negative regulation of endogenous stem cells in sensory neuroepithelia: implications for neurotherapeutics; 45pp.
  • Gokoffski KK, Kawauchi S, Wu H, Santos R, Hollenbeck, PLW, Lander AD, Calof AL. The Neurobiology of Olfaction. A. Menini. CRC, 2009. Chapter 10, Feedback Regulation of Neurogenesis in the Mammalian Olfactory Epithelium: New Insights from Genetics and Systems Biology.
  • Beites CL, Kawauchi S, Santos R, Gokoffski KK, Calof AL. Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, Elsevier, 2017, ISBN 978-0-12-809324-5; 2017. Patterning, cell specification and feedback in the olfactory epithelium.
  • Calof AL, Santos R, Groves L, Oliver C, Lander AD. Neural Developmental Disorders: Comprehensive Developmental Neuroscience Series, 2nd Edition, Elsevier, 2020. Chapter 6, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: Insights into Neural Development from Clinical Studies and Animal Models; 129-157p.