I completed my PhD studies in the Department of Biochemistry at the Center for Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav-IPN) in Mexico. During my doctoral research, I investigated the regulation of voltage-dependent ion channels by pro-inflammatory cytokines in isolated cardiomyocytes using patch-clamping techniques. After completing my PhD, I pursued postdoctoral training at the Center for Arrhythmia Research (CAR) at the University of Michigan, where I expanded my knowledge of cardiac physiology and the use of invasive procedures to investigate the propensity for pacing-induced arrhythmias in rodents. Additionally, I applied optical mapping techniques to study cardiac conduction properties and waveform propagation in isolated hearts in animal models with various channelopathies.

My research interests are focused on dissecting the autonomic and intrinsic cardiac mechanisms underlying arrhythmias that could contribute to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). To explore this, I use human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hIPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes from patients with various types of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies linked to loss-of-function mutations in sodium channels and their regulatory β-subunits, as well as mouse and rabbit models.

I am also interested in elucidating the mechanisms by which imbalances in oxidative and antioxidative systems lead to cardiac arrhythmias. Using mouse models with mitochondrial overexpression of enzymes that catalyze the production of oxidative stress, we are studying the impact on cardiac excitability, intracellular Ca2+ handling, structural remodeling, and overall heart rhythmicity.