Francisco Altamirano

Francisco Altamirano, PhD

Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences, Academic Institute
Houston Methodist
Weill Cornell Medical College


Biography

Dr. Altamirano received his Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Chile. He has extensive experience studying the molecular mechanisms that drive striated muscle pathology. His research focuses on understanding how mutations in the gene PKD1 affect cardiac function. PKD1 encodes for Polycystin-1 and is mutated in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) Recently, Dr. Altamirano received a Career Development Award from the American Heart Association to continue his independent research. In 2020, as a new assistant professor, he started his own lab at Houston Methodist Research Institute in Houston, aiming to uncover the role of Polycystin-1 in cardiovascular function and electrical remodeling.

Publications

Polycystin-1 loss of function increases susceptibility to atrial fibrillation through impaired DNA damage response
Hendrickson, T, Abigail Giese, A, Fiedler, M, Perez, W, Reyes-Sanchez, E, Reyes-Lozano, M, Wang, S, Venegas-Zamora, L, Provasek, V, El-Essawi, A, Breitenbach, I, Fakuade, FE, Kutschka, I, Schiattarella, GG, Voigt, N, Valderrabano, M & Altamirano, F 2024, , bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.08.602618

Folate as a potential treatment for lethal ventricular arrhythmias in TANGO2-deficiency disorder
Xu, W, Cao, Y, Stephens, SB, Arredondo, MJ, Chen, Y, Perez, W, Sun, L, Yu, AC, Kim, JJ, Lalani, SR, Li, N, Horrigan, FT, Altamirano, F, Wehrens, XH, Miyake, CY & Zhang, L 2024, , JCI insight, vol. 9, no. 11, e171005. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.171005

IRE1a Mediates the Hypertrophic Growth of Cardiomyocytes Through Facilitating the Formation of Initiation Complex to Promote the Translation of TOP-Motif Transcripts
Li, C, Li, S, Zhang, G, Li, Q, Song, W, Wang, X, Cook, JA, van der Stoel, M, Wright, BW, Altamirano, F, Niewold, EL, Han, J, Kimble, G, Zhang, P, Luo, X, Urra, H, May, HI, Ferdous, A, Sun, X-N, Deng, Y, Ikonen, E, Hetz, C, Kaufman, RJ, Zhang, K, Gillette, TG, Scherer, PE, Hill, JA, Chen, J & Wang, ZV 2024, , Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.067606

Histone demethylase KDM5 regulates cardiomyocyte maturation by promoting fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and myofibrillar organization
Deogharia, M, Venegas-Zamora, L, Agrawal, A, Shi, M, Jain, AK, McHugh, KJ, Altamirano, F, Marian, AJ & Gurha, P 2024, , Cardiovascular Research, vol. 120, no. 6, pp. 630-643. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvae014

Histone demethylase KDM5 regulates cardiomyocyte maturation by promoting fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and myofibrillar organization
Deogharia, M, Venegas-Zamora, L, Agrawal, A, Shi, M, Jain, AK, McHugh, KJ, Altamirano, F, Marian, AJ & Gurha, P 2024, , Cardiovascular Research, vol. 120, no. 6, pp. 630-643. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvae014

Histone demethylase KDM5 regulates cardiomyocyte maturation by promoting fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and myofibrillar organization
Deogharia, M, Agrawal, A, Shi, M, Jain, AK, McHugh, KJ, Altamirano, F, Marian, AJ & Gurha, P 2023, , bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.11.535169

Bridging the Translational Gap in Heart Failure Research: Using Human iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes to Accelerate Therapeutic Insights
Venegas-Zamora, L, Fiedler, M, Perez, W & Altamirano, F 2023, , Methodist DeBakey cardiovascular journal, vol. 19, no. 5, pp. 5-15. https://doi.org/10.14797/mdcvj.1295

Abstract P1090: Polycystin-1 Regulates Calcium Handling And Contractility In Human IPSC-derived Ventricular Cardiomyocytes: Circulation Research. 2022;131:AP1090
Altamirano, F 2022, , Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2023 Scientific Sessions, Chicago, United States, 7/31/22 - 8/3/22. <https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/res.131.suppl_1.P1090>

Abstract P1088: Polycystin-1 Protects Against Experimental Atrial Fibrillation
Altamirano, F 2022, , Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2023 Scientific Sessions, Chicago, United States, 7/31/22 - 8/3/22. <https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/res.131.suppl_1.P1088>

Polycystin-1 regulates DNA damage response in atrial cardiomyocytes and protects against atrial fibrillation. To be submitted - Dec 22/Jan 23. Working on final details. Troy Hendrickson, William Perez, Abigail Giese, Sufen Wang, Vincent Provasek, Aschraf El-Essawi, Ingo Breitenbach, Funsho Fakuade, Ingo Kutschka, Gabriele Schiattarella, Niels Voigt, Miguel Valderrábano, Francisco Altamirano
Altamirano, F 2022 .

IRE1a Tethers Translation Initiation Complex to Promote the Translation of TOP-motif Transcripts. Submitted to Nature Cell Biology. Waiting for resubmission: Chao Li, Shiqian Li, Guangyu Zhang, Qinfeng Li, Weidan Song, Xiaoding Wang, Miesje van der Stoel, Bradley Wright, Francisco Altamirano, Erica Niewold, Jungsoo Han, Xiang Luo, Hery Urra, Herman May, Anwarul Ferdous, Xue-Nan Sun, Michael Buszczak, Yingfeng Deng, Elina Ikonen, Claudio Hetz, Randal Kaufman, Kezhong Zhang, Thomas G Gillette, Philipp Scherer, Joseph Hill, Jin Chen, and Zhao Wang.
Altamirano, F 2022 .

Abstract P464: Cardiac Dysfunction In A Mouse Model For Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Altamirano, F 2021, , Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2021 Scientific Sessions. American Heart Association, United States, 8/23/21 - 8/25/21.

Abstract P498: Polycystin-1 Regulates Excitation-contraction Coupling In Atrial Cardiomyocytes
Altamirano, F 2021, , Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2021 Scientific Sessions. American Heart Association, United States, 8/23/21 - 8/25/21.

Polycystin-1 regulates cardiomyocyte mitophagy
Ramírez-Sagredo, A, Quiroga, C, Garrido-Moreno, V, López-Crisosto, C, Leiva-Navarrete, S, Norambuena-Soto, I, Ortiz-Quintero, J, Díaz-Vesga, MC, Perez, W, Hendrickson, T, Parra, V, Pedrozo, Z, Altamirano, F, Chiong, M & Lavandero, S 2021, , FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, vol. 35, no. 8, pp. e21796. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202002598R

Polycystin-1 is required for insulin-like growth factor 1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy
Fernández, C, Torrealba, N, Altamirano, F, Garrido- Moreno, V, Vásquez-Trincado, C, Flores-Vergara, R, López-Crisosto, C, Ocaranza, MP, Chiong, M, Pedrozo, Z & Lavandero, S 2021, , PLoS ONE, vol. 16, no. 8 August, e0255452. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255452

Polycystin-1 regulates cardiomyocyte mitophagy
Ramírez-Sagredo, A, Quiroga, C, Garrido-Moreno, V, López-Crisosto, C, Leiva-Navarrete, S, Norambuena-Soto, I, Ortiz-Quintero, J, Díaz-Vesga, MC, Perez, W, Hendrickson, T, Parra, V, Pedrozo, Z, Altamirano, F, Chiong, M & Lavandero, S 2021, , FASEB Journal, vol. 35, no. 8, e21796. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202002598R

NAD+ Repletion Reverses Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Tong, D, Schiattarella, GG, Jiang, N, Altamirano, F, Szweda, PA, Elnwasany, A, Lee, DI, Yoo, H, Kass, DA, Szweda, LI, Lavandero, S, Verdin, E, Gillette, TG & Hill, JA 2021, , Circulation Research. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.317046

Xbp1s-FoxO1 axis governs lipid accumulation and contractile performance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Schiattarella, GG, Altamirano, F, Kim, SY, Tong, D, Ferdous, A, Piristine, H, Dasgupta, S, Wang, X, French, KM, Villalobos, E, Spurgin, SB, Waldman, M, Jiang, N, May, HI, Hill, TM, Luo, Y, Yoo, H, Zaha, VG, Lavandero, S, Gillette, TG & Hill, JA 2021, , Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 1684. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21931-9

Activation of Autophagic Flux Blunts Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Xie, M, Cho, GW, Kong, Y, Li, DL, Altamirano, F, Luo, X, Morales, CR, Jiang, N, Schiattarella, GG, May, HI, Medina, J, Shelton, JM, Ferdous, A, Gillette, TG & Hill, JA 2021, , Circulation Research, vol. 129, no. 3, pp. 435-450. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.318601, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.318601

Activation of Autophagic Flux Blunts Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Xie, M, Cho, GW, Kong, Y, Li, DL, Altamirano, F, Luo, X, Morales, CR, Jiang, N, Schiattarella, GG, May, HI, Medina, J, Shelton, JM, Ferdous, A, Gillette, TG & Hill, JA 2021, , Circulation Research, vol. 129, no. 3, pp. 435-450. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.318601

VIEW FULL PUBLICATIONS