Biography:

Dr. LaRocca’s research focuses on different forms of programmed cell death in eukaryotic cells. Programmed cell death is the controlled death of eukaryotic cells in response to specific, external stimuli or internal cellular damage. This type of cell death is not random or accidental but rather depends on defined cell signaling, occurring in an orchestrated manner. Several different programmed cell death pathways exist but apoptosis and the more recently discovered necroptosis are the major pathways with each serving as backups to one another.