I am fascinated by the mechanisms that govern ion channel activity in health and disease. To explore this intricate subject, I employ a range of techniques, including ion channel reconstitution, patch clamp, calcium imaging, and ion channel immunodetection. My research encompasses fundamental properties of channels implicated in intracellular calcium dynamics, such as the BK channel and the ryanodine receptor, as well as ion channel defects associated with lethal cardiac arrhythmias, such as Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia and Brugada Syndrome.
My scientific journey began as a research assistant in my home country, at the Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (CEMIC-CONICET) under the direction of Dr. Jorge A. Colombo, where I gained basic skills in cell culture. Subsequently, I joined the laboratory of Ligia Toro and Enrico Stefani at Baylor College of Medicine (USA), contributing to the characterization of large conductance calcium-activated (BK) channels from human myometrium and discovering hormonal regulation of these channels during pregnancy. I completed my PhD dissertation on BK channel regulation in the myometrium at Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, supported by a fellowship from the Argentine National Research Council.
As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Mark Nelson's lab at the University of Vermont (USA), I investigated the functional coupling between BK channels and ryanodine receptors using advanced imaging techniques and patch clamp recording. My work provided pioneering insights into the quantitative relationship between intracellular Ca2+ sparks and BK channel activation in arterial smooth muscle and identified the beta1 subunit of BK channels as crucial in vascular tone regulation and blood pressure determination.
I subsequently joined the Masonic Medical Research Lab (MMRL) as a scientist, focusing on both BK channels and cardiac arrhythmias. During my tenure, I expanded my research to include sodium channels in canine parasympathetic cardiac neurons. In 2008, I was invited to establish the electrophysiology and imaging unit at the Cardiovascular Genetics Center of the newly created School of Medicine in Girona. Here, in collaboration with Dr. Scornik, we have made significant contributions to cardiovascular genetics and channelopathies research, mentoring a new generation of talented investigators and incorporating patient-specific iPS-CM as a model for studying arrhythmogenic diseases.
In summary, my passion for ion channel research has evolved into a rewarding career marked by numerous scientific achievements and contributions to the field.