B.S. 1983, St. John's University
M.D. 1988, University of Minnesota
Pediatrics 1992, University of Minnesota
Pediatric Cardiology 1996, University of Minnesota

My laboratory is interested in the structural basis of K+ channel function and the cellular mechansims that underlie suscetibility to arrhythmia. Specifically, the lab is focused on understanding how voltage-gated K+ channels “sense” the surrounding membrane potential and the mechanism(s) whereby voltage-sensing is coupled to channel opening and inactivation. A second major area of interest centers upon inherited arrhythmia syndromes and characterizing the cellular mechanisms that predispose affected individuals to lethal arrhythmias.

Pellizzon OA, Kalaizich L, Ptacek LJ, Tristani-Firouzi M, Gonzalez MD. Flecainide suppresses bidirectional ventricular tachycardia and reverses tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in Andersen-Tawil syndrome. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2008;19(1):95-97

Piper DR, Rupp J, Sachse FB, Sanguinetti MC, Tristani-Firouzi M. Cooperative interactions between R531 and acidic residues in the voltage sensing module of hERG1 channels. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2008;21(1-3):37-46

Rodriguez-Menchaca AA, Navarro-Polanco RA, Ferrer-Villada T, Rupp J, Sachse FB, Tristani-Firouzi M, Sanchez-Chapula JA. The molecular basis of chloroquine block of the inward rectifier Kir2.1 channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008;105(4):1364-1368

Arnaout R, Ferrer T, Huisken J, Spitzer KW, Stainier DY, Tristani-Firouzi M. Zebrafish model for human long QT syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007;104(27):11316-11321    online

Peters S, Schulze-Bahr E, Etheridge SP, Tristani-Firouzi M. Sudden cardiac death in Andersen-Tawil syndrome. Europace. 2007;9(3):162-166

Seemann G, Sachse FB, Weiss DL, Ptacek LJ, Tristani-Firouzi M. Modeling of IK1 mutations in human left ventricular myocytes and tissue. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007;292(1):H549-559

Ferrer T, Rupp J, Piper DR, Tristani-Firouzi M. The S4-S5 linker directly couples voltage sensor movement to the activation gate in the human ether-a'-go-go-related gene (hERG) K+ channel. J Biol Chem. 2006;281(18):12858-12864    online

Sanguinetti M, Tristani-Firouzi M. hERG potassium channels and cardiac arrhythmia. Nature. 2006;440(7083):463-469    online

Tristani-Firouzi M, . Andersen-Tawil Syndrome: An ever-expanding phenotype?. Heart Rhythm. 2006;3(11):1351-1352    online

Piper DR, Hinz WA, Tallurri CK, Sanguinetti M, Tristani-Firouzi M. Regional specificity of human ether-a'-go-go-related gene channel activation and inactivation gating. J Biol Chem. 2005;280(8):7206-7217    online