J. Cesar Cardenas
Ph.D. In Biomedical Science, Universidad de Chile.
J. Cesar Cardenas earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chile, where he studied the mechanism that regulated nuclear Ca2+ under Dr. Enrique Jaimovich’s mentoring. Then he moved to the University of Pennsylvania Medical School where he explored the nuclear localization 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) Ca2+channel by using high resolution electron microscopy and cryofracture as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Clara Franzini-Armstrong. Motivate in gain a better understanding of the physiological role of the InsP3R he joined Dr. Kevin Foskett’s lab also at UPENN, where he developed a strong interest in the regulation of cellular metabolism and bioenergetics by Ca2+. He was the first to show that basal constitutive low-level Ca2+ signaling by the InsP3R, is essential to maintain the sufficient mitochondrial NADH production to support oxidative phosphorylation in resting cells. In the absence of this calcium signaling, cells become metabolically compromised and a pro-survival AMPK-dependent mTOR-independent autophagy is turned on.
He joined the Department of Anatomy and Cell Developmental Biology Program at the Institute of Biomedical Science of the University of Chile School of Medicine in March of 2012.
Alenka Lovy
PhD in Plant Biology, University of Massachusetts Master in Plant Physiology, Washington State University BS in Biology, University of Massachusetts
Dr. Lovy received her Master’s in Plant Physiology studying Taxol biosynthesis with Dr. Rodney Croteau at Washington State University, Pullman, USA. USA In 1999. In 2006, she received his PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. Under the guidance of Dr. Peter Hepler, who inspired an important use of microscopy to study cellular ultrastructure using TEM and confocal microscopy to study the dynamics of actin and ions during the growth of pollen tubes. The she joined Tufts School of Medicine, Boston, USA, where in addition to managing the Tufts Imaging facility, she works with Dr. Orian Shirihai studying mitochondrial dynamics. This led to a collaboration with Dr. César Cárdenas, with whom he has been exploring mitochondrial dynamics as well as calcium signaling in the context of cancer. At present she is exploring mitochondrial dynamics, which is an essential factor of mitochondrial performance in aging. Mitochondrial abnormalities, characterized by a decline in mitochondrial function and the accumulation of damaged mitochondria, have been observed in various cell types and tissues from aged organisms. Alteration of mitochondrial dynamics in aging could explain the accumulation of mitochondrial damage and be viewed as a mechanism linking a loss of mitochondrial fitness with unhealthy aging. In fact, recent publications show that induction of mitochondrial fragmentation extends life span. Therefore, to know how mitochondrial dynamics are regulated in normal young mitochondria is fundamental to understand what happens in aged mitochondria. Current work is focused on understanding how commensal bacteria modify mitochondrial function in senescent cells. In vitro and in vivo experiments are underway and we expect that the results will shed light on the role of the microbiome and mitochondrial performance in the protection against aging, allowing the design of interventions.
Eduardo Silva
Postdoctoral Fellow
Biochemist of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and Ph.D. in Pharmacology of the University of Chile. I study mechanisms of cell death in cancer and their relation with the metabolic state of the cell and the role of mitochondrial dynamics in tumor progression.
Ulises Ahumada Castro
Postdoctoral Fellow
Medical Technologist and Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from the University of Chile. My research focus in the cellular biology and metabolism of cancer and senescence cells, with particular emphasis in endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria organelle interactions. When I´m not discovering the aging or the cancer cure, I enjoy playing the guitar, music, beers, and knowledge in general.
Sandra Espinoza
Research Assistant
Biotechnologist from Universidad Austral with a rich training in neuroscience is working in understand the effect of a ketogenic diet in the muscle perform of a mice model of disferlinophaty
Andrea Puebla
Undergraduate student
Biochemistry student from Universidad de Chile, working in determine the role of mitochondrial calcium uptake (MCU) complex in cellular senescence
Past members
Elizabeth Mendoza,
Felix Urra, Current position, Assistant Professor at University of Chile, Chile.
Felix Urra, Current position, Assistant Professor at University of Chile, Chile.
Carla Basualto-Alarcon, Current position, Assistant Professor at Aysen University, Chile.
Fabian Jana, Current position, Assistant Professor at Aysen University, Chile.
Camila Lizana
Felipe Munoz
Pablo Cruz
Melany Rios
Natalia Smith
Carlos Valdez
Daniela Gonzalez