Héctor Barajas-Martínez

About

• 2020–present: Research Professor, Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
• 2021–present: Associate Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
• 2019–2020: Research Associate Professor, Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
• 2018–2019: Research Scientist, Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
• 2013–2017: Laboratory Director/Clinical Laboratory Consultant. Molecular Genetics, Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, NY

Research descriptions

1. Identifying genetic markers to help in the implication of treatment and diagnosis by using the translational genomics in our cardiovascular program through cellular, molecular and biophysics experiments. These experiments are designed to determine the ion channels and genomics implication of functional identification of the potential culprit in ion channels in the heart to better understand new treatments.

2. I use the classical gold standard whole cell voltage/patch clamp and molecular biology techniques to examine the effects of the electrophysiological cardiogenetic arrhythmias human model and the functional correlation association in combination with the expression of wild type and mutant ion channel genes linked to genomics and drug toxicity in the heart rhythm and cardiomyopathies diseases.

3. My focus will be development of novel translational genomics and functional studies in genetic mutations variants as identification biomarkers approaches in ion channels and cardiac proteins genes linked with life-threatening cardiac syndromes in patients associated with electrical arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies diseases that may lead to ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death syndromes.

Publications

• Characterization of novel arrhythmogenic patterns arising secondary to heterogeneous expression and activation of Nav1.8. Zhang Z-H, Barajas-Martinez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Front Cardiovasc. Med., Sec. Cardiac Rhythmology. 2025 Mar 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2025.1546803
• A De Novo Mutation in ACTC1 and a TTN Variant Linked to a Severe Sporadic Infant Dilated Cardiomyopathy Case. Acuña-Ochoa JG, Balderrábano-Saucedo NA, … Barajas-Martinez, H. Case Reports in Genetics. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1155/crig/9517735
• The potential anti-arrhythmic effect of SGLT2 inhibitors. Duan HY, Barajas-Martinez H, Antzelevitch C, et al. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2024 Jul 15;23(1):252. doi: 10.1186/s12933-024-02312-0
• Gene and stem cell therapy for inherited cardiac arrhythmias. Zhang ZH, Barajas-Martinez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Pharmacol Ther. 2024 Jan 30:108596. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108596.
• Underlying mechanism of atrial fibrillation associated Nppa-I137T mutation and cardiac effect of potential drug therapy. Huang Y, Wang LL, … Antzelevitch C, Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Heart Rhythm. 2023 Nov 2:S1547-5271(23)02891-6. doi: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.10.025/
• Mechanisms underlying the antiarrhythmic effect of ARumenamide-787 in experimental models of the J wave syndromes and hypothermia. Di Diego JM, Barajas-Martinez H, Cox R, Robinson VM, .... Antzelevitch C. PLoS One. 2023 May 9;18(5):e0281977. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281977.
• Advances in basic and translational research in atrial fibrillation. Hu D, Barajas-Martínez H, … Burashnikov A, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2023 Jun 19;378(1879):20220174. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0174
• Functional identification of hot-spot mutations in cardiac calcium channel genes associated with the J wave syndromes. Zeng B, Zhang X, Antzelevitch C, … Barajas- Martínez H. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2023 Jun 19;378(1879):20220286. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0286
• Clinical characteristics and electrophysiologic properties of SCN5A variants in fever-induced Brugada syndrome. Chen GX, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. EBioMedicine. 2022 Dec 12;87:104388. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104388
• Acacetin, a Potent Transient Outward Current Blocker, May Be a Novel Therapeutic for KCND3-Encoded Kv4.3 Gain-of-Function-Associated. Ye D, Zhou W, … Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Circ Genom Precis Med. 2022 Jul 12:101161CIRCGEN120003238. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCGEN.120.003238
• Role of multimodality imaging in a patient with posterior left ventricular aneurysm and non-compaction: Review of the literature. Preciado-Gutiérrez ÓU, Patiño-Bernal CL, ... Barajas-Martínez H, et al. J Nucl Cardiol. 2022 Jun;29(3):1091-1099.
• Expression of Hv1 proton channels in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and its potential role in T cell regulation. Alvear-Arias JJ, Carrillo C, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Apr 12;119(15):e2104453119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2104453119
• European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA)/Heart Rhythm Society (HRS)/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS)/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS) Expert Consensus Statement on the state of genetic testing for cardiac diseases. Wilde AAM, Semsarian C, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Europace. 2022 Sep 1;24(8):1307-1367.
• Genome-wide association analyses identify new Brugada syndrome risk loci and highlight a new mechanism of sodium channel regulation in disease susceptibility. Barc J, Tadros R, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Nat Genet. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1038/s41588-021-01007-6
• MYH7 p.Glu903Gln Is a Pathogenic Variant Associated With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Dias GM, Lamounier Júnior A, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Circ Genom Precis Med. 2021 Oct;14(5):e003476. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGEN.121.003476
• A Carvedilol Analogue, VK-II-86, Prevents Hypokalaemia-induced Ventricular Arrhythmia through Novel multi-Channel Effects. Robinson VM, Alsalahat I, … Antzelevitch C, Barajas-Martinez H, et al. Br J Pharmacol. 2021 Dec 7. doi: 10.1111/bph.15775.
• Abrogation of CC Chemokine Receptor 9 Ameliorates Ventricular Electrical Remodeling in Mice After Myocardial Infarction.Hua ng Y, Ding HS, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 Oct 12;8:716219.
• Distinct Features of Probands With Early Repolarization and Brugada Syndromes Carrying SCN5A Pathogenic Variants. Zhang ZH, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021 Oct 19;78(16):1603-1617.
• Novel polygenetic variants evidenced in a patient with Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome. Cepeda-Nieto AC, Zamora-Alemán CR, … Barajas-Martínez H. Cardiol J. 2021;28(5):786-789.
• Intracellular uptake of agents that block the hERG channel can confound the assessment of QT interval prolongation and arrhythmic risk. Burashnikov A, Barajas-Martínez H, Cox R, … Kowey P, Antzelevitch C. Heart Rhythm. 2021 Dec;18(12):2177-2186.
• Common variants in SCN10A gene associated with Brugada syndrome. Huang Y, Chen XM, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, Hu D. Hum Mol Genet. 2021 Dec 27;31(2):157-165.
• MYH7 p.Glu903Gln Is a Pathogenic Variant Associated With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Dias GM, Lamounier Júnior A, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Circ Genom Precis Med. 2021 Sep 24:CIRCGEN121003476. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGEN.121.003476.
• Frequency of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Patients with Brugada Syndrome and Drug-Induced Type 1 Brugada Pattern. Sarica AS, Bor S, … Barajas-Martínez H, Juang JJ, Antzelevitch C. Am J Cardiol. 2021 Jul 15;151:51-56.
• Clinical Characteristics and Electrophysiologic Properties of SCN5A Variants in Fever-Induced Brugada Syndrome. Chen G, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevich C, et al. Lancet. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3768547
• Overlap Arrhythmia Syndromes Resulting from Multiple Genetic Variations Studied in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Treat JA, Pfeiffer R, Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 1;22(13):7108.
• Clinical characteristics, risk factors and cardiac manifestations of cancer patients with COVID-19. Huang Y, Hu Z, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. CJ Appl Physiol (1985). 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00325.2021.
• Clinical and Functional Genetic Characterization of the Role of Cardiac Calcium Channel Variants in the Early Repolarization Syndrome. Chen X, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 Jun 18;8:680819. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.680819
• Hypertension as a sequela in patients of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chen G, Li X, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. PLoS One. 2021 Apr 28;16(4):e0250815. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250815.
• Acacetin suppresses the electrocardiographic and arrhythmic manifestations of the J wave syndromes. Di Diego JM, Patocskai B, Barajas-Martínez H, … Burashnikov A, … Antzelevitch C.PLoS One. 2020 Nov 24;15(11):e0242747.
• Susceptibility to Ventricular Arrhythmias Resulting from Mutations in FKBP1B, PXDNL, and SCN9A Evaluated in hiPSC Cardiomyocytes. Barajas-Martínez H, Smith M, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Stem Cells Int. 2020 Sep 1;2020:8842398. doi: 10.1155/2020/8842398.
• Enhancing rare variant interpretation in inherited arrhythmias through quantitative analysis of consortium disease cohorts and population controls. Walsh R, Lahrouchi N, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Genet Med. 2021 Jan;23(1):47-58.
• The Small Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel Inhibitors NS8593 and UCL1684 Prevent the Development of Atrial Fibrillation Through Atrial-Selective Inhibition of Sodium Channel Activity. Burashnikov A, Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2020 Aug;76(2):164-172.
• Identification, clinical manifestation and structural mechanisms of mutations in AMPK associated cardiac glycogen storage disease. Hu D, Hu D, … Antzelevitch C, … Barajas-Martínez H. EBioMedicine. 2020 Apr;54:102723. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102723
• Association of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Polymorphism +936 C/T with Diabetic Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Arredondo-García VK, Cepeda-Nieto AC, … Barajas-Martínez H. Arch Med Res. 2019 May;50(4):181-186.
• Acquired short QT syndrome in a cancer patient treated with Toad. Huang Y, Xu Y, Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2019 Sep;42(9):1273-1275. doi: 10.1111/pace.13708.
• Meta-Analysis of Risk Stratification of SCN5A With Brugada Syndrome: Is SCN5A Always a Marker of Low Risk? Yang Y, Hu D, … Barajas-Martínez H, et al. Front Physiol. 2019 Feb 19;10:103.
• Pooled Analysis of Risk Stratification of Spontaneous Type 1 Brugada ECG: Focus on the Influence of Gender and EPS. Li X, Sacher F, … Barajas-Martínez H, … Antzelevitch C, et al. Front Physiol. 2019 Jan 31;9:1951.