I lead a dynamic and multidisciplinary research group focused on cardiac regeneration using human pluripotent stem cells. Our goal is to decipher mechanisms that enable human heart regeneration and develop innovative therapeutic strategies.

My current team:

• Doctoral students: Joaquín Smucler, Denisse Saulnier, Julia Halek
• Undergraduate students: Agustín Aguzzi, Theo Fernández Long
• Upcoming doctoral candidate: Joaquín Etcheparreborda

Cardiac Differentiation and Maturation

We study the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into cardiomyocytes, with particular emphasis on maturation processes that transform cardiomyocytes from a fetal to a postnatal phenotype. This transition is key to developing relevant models of the adult human heart.

Mature Cardiomyocyte Proliferation

We investigate strategies to induce proliferation of mature cardiomyocytes through the expression of specific factors using advanced methodologies such as baculovirus transduction. In parallel, we develop specialized tools to accurately quantify proliferation rates, overcoming the technical challenges associated with the polynucleation and polyploidy characteristic of these cells.

Applied Technologies

My laboratory integrates cutting-edge technologies:

• Cardiac differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells
• Advanced image analysis and proprietary computational tools
• CRISPR homologous recombination to generate fluorescent reporter lines
• Photolithography-generated micropatterns for cellular microenvironment control