L Michel M Espinoza-Fonseca

 L Michel M Espinoza-Fonseca
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Medical School
[email protected]
Available to mentor
L Michel M Espinoza-Fonseca
L Michel M Espinoza-Fonseca
Associate Professor
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  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications

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    • About

    The goal of the Espinoza-Fonseca group is to understand the fundamental molecular motions and interactions that are responsible for regulating calcium transport in muscle cells, and to design effective molecular therapies to treat human diseases associated with dysregulation of calcium transport in heart failure. We approach these multidisciplinary problems with a combination of computational methods and experimental techniques.

    Center Memberships
    • Center Member
      Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center
    • Center Member
      Frankel Institute for Heart and Brain Health

    Research Overview

    - Mechanisms and therapeutic modulation of calcium transport proteins
    - SERCA regulation in cardiovascular and metabolic disease
    - Structure-guided discovery of heart failure therapeutics
    - Structural dynamics and allosteric regulation of membrane proteins
    - Multi-scale cardiovascular biophysics: molecules to cells and disease models

    Recent Publications

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    • Preprint
      Supercharging the calcium pump: Identification of an activation hotspot on SERCA by cryo-EM.
      Nguyen VH, Cruz-Cortés C, Primeau JO, Lemieux MJ, Espinoza-Fonseca LM, Young HS. 2026 Feb 6; DOI:10.64898/2026.02.05.703879
      PMID: 41676622
    • Journal Article
      Dual Modulation of Cardiac Ion Pumps: A Small-Molecule SERCA2a SUMOylation Enhancer Also Inhibits the Na+/K+-ATPase
      Cruz-Cortés C, Šeflová J, Espinoza-Fonseca LM. Biomedicines, 2025 Dec 12; 13 (12): 3036 DOI:10.3390/biomedicines13123036
    • Journal Article
      Correction to “SAR-Guided Development of Small-Molecule SERCA2a Activators: Discovery of Potent Indoline, Benzofuran, and Benzodioxole Analogs for Cardiovascular Applications”
      Ard A, Cruz-Cortés C, Gan X, Guerrero-Serna G, White AD, Clasby MC, Espinoza-Fonseca LM. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2025 Oct 9; DOI:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c02878
    • Journal Article
      SAR-Guided Development of Small-Molecule SERCA2a Activators: Discovery of Potent Indoline, Benzofuran, and Benzodioxole Analogs for Cardiovascular Applications.
      Ard A, Cruz-Cortés C, Gan X, Guerrero-Serna G, White AD, Clasby MC, Espinoza-Fonseca LM. J Med Chem, 2025 Jul 24; DOI:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5c01192
      PMID: 40702921
    • Journal Article
      Machine Learning-Driven Discovery of Structurally Related Natural Products as Activators of the Cardiac Calcium Pump SERCA2a
      Cruz-Cortés C, Fernández-de Gortari E, Aguayo-Ortiz R, Šeflová J, Ard A, Clasby M, Anumonwo J, Michel Espinoza-Fonseca L. Chemmedchem, 2025 May 5; 20 (9): DOI:10.1002/cmdc.202400913
      PMID: 39853697
    • Journal Article
      Transmembrane Parkinson's disease mutation of PINK1 leads to altered mitochondrial anchoring
      Brassard R, Arutyunova E, Takyi E, Espinoza-Fonseca LM, Young HS, Touret N, Lemieux MJ. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2025 Mar 1; 301 (3): DOI:10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108253
      PMID: 39909370
    • Journal Article
      Transmembrane Parkinson's disease mutation of PINK1 leads to altered mitochondrial anchoring
      Brassard R, Arutyunova E, Takyi E, Espinoza-Fonseca LM, Young HS, Touret N, Lemieux MJ. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2025 Mar 1; 301 (3): DOI:10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108253
      PMID: 39909370
    • Journal Article
      The endoplasmic reticulum luminal Ca<sup>2+</sup> regulates cardiac Ca<sup>2+</sup> pump function
      Bovo E, Nikolaienko R, Kahn D, Espinoza-Fonseca LM, Zima AV. PNAS Nexus, 2025 Feb 1; 4 (2): DOI:10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf045