Chrishan Ramachandra
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Asst Prof Chrishan Ramachandra

Asst Prof Chrishan Ramachandra

BSc, PhD

National Heart Centre Singapore

Specialty: Cardiology

Sub-specialties: Cardiomyopathy

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Professor SingHealth Duke-NUS Cardiovascular Sciences Academic Clinical Programme

Profile

Chrishan Ramachandra is Assistant Professor in the SingHealth Duke-NUS Cardiovascular Sciences Academic Clinical (CVS ACP) Programme, and Junior Principal Investigator at National Heart Research Institute Singapore (NHRIS). His research focus is on modelling human cardiac diseases with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to discover personalised therapeutics, and new treatment targets for heart failure. He has modelled cardiac arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies, to elucidate mechanisms underlying disease pathophysiology, and has discovered potential targets for therapeutic intervention. He has been PI on grants, and authored over 40 papers in various cardiovascular disciplines, and serves on editorial boards. His scientific contributions have advanced the field in cardiomyocyte differentiation and maturation, cardiac disease modelling, and drug discovery. He has received several awards for his innovative research. He played a leading role in establishing the iPSC infrastructure at NHRIS, and now oversees the iPSC core, which conducts its own independent research, while extending support to other research groups. 

Education

  • PhD, National Universiry of Singapore, 2012
  • BSc Genetics and Microbiology (First Class Honours), Queen Mary, University Of London, UK, 2006

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

  • SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress 2021 Abstract (Special Category – Students) Review Committee

Awards

  • Best Poster Award (Basic Science & Translational Research), SingHealth Duke-NUS Scientific Congress, 2021
  • Young Investigator Award, IMPACT Biannual Scientific Symposium, 2019
  • The Best Oral Presentation – Winner, 10th DUNES Scientific Symposium, 2018
  • Young Investigator’s Award – 1st Prize, Singapore Cardiac Society 27th Annual Scientific Meeting, 2015
  • Talent Development Fund (SingHealth) 2015
  • Overseas Travel Fellowship (Stem Cell Society Singapore), 2015


Grants

  • SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Research Grant, 2020
  • NHIC Innovation to Develop Grant (I2Start Program), 2019
  • NMRC Open Fund Young Individual Research Grant, 2018
  • SingHealth Foundation Research Grant (Start-Up), 2014

Research Interests

  • Investigating cardiometabolic derangements in cardiomyopathies
  • Discovering new metabolic targets for preventing heart failure
  • Modelling complex cardiovascular diseases

Publications

  • Inhibiting cardiac myeloperoxidase alleviates the relaxation defect in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. Ramachandra CJA, Kp MMJ, Chua J, Hernandez-Resendiz S, Liehn EA, Knöll R, Gan LM, Michaëlsson E, Jonsson MKB, Ryden-Markinhuhta K, Bhat RV, Fritsche-Danielson R, Lin YH, Sadayappan S, Tang HC, Wong P, Shim W, Hausenloy DJ. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Mar 10:cvab077.

  • Mehta A†, Ramachandra CJA†, Singh P, Chitre A, Lua CH, Mura M, Crotti L, Wong P, Schwartz PJ, Gnecchi M, Shim W. Identification of a targeted and testable antiarrhythmic therapy for long-QT syndrome type 2 using a patient-specific cellular model. Eur Heart J. 2018 Apr 21;39(16):1446-1455. (†joint first authors)

  • Fatty acid metabolism driven mitochondrial bioenergetics promotes advanced developmental phenotypes in human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes. Ramachandra CJA, Mehta A, Wong P, Ja KPMM, Fritsche-Danielson R, Bhat RV, Hausenloy DJ, Kovalik JP, Shim W. Int J Cardiol. 2018 Dec 1;272:288-297.

  • Human-induced pluripotent stem cells for modelling metabolic perturbations and impaired bioenergetics underlying cardiomyopathies. Ramachandra CJA, Chua J, Cong S, Kp MMJ, Shim W, Wu JC, Hausenloy DJ. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Feb 22;117(3):694-711.

  • Activated p38γ MAPK isoform mediates early cardiogenesis through NKx2.5 in human pluripotent stem cells. Ramachandra CJ, Mehta A, Wong P, Shim W. ErbB4 Stem Cells. 2016 Feb;34(2):288-98.

  • Using 13C hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify novel metabolic targets for preventing cardiac disease. Cong S, Wang XM, Ramachandra CJ, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2021, 4(5): 234-243.

  • Stem cell therapies for heart and brain: Failed promises or new hope? Ramachandra CJ, Borlongan CV. Cond Med. 2021, 4(2): 69-70. (Editorial)

  • Mending a broken heart: can gene modulation bolster therapeutic performance of adult stem cells? Yap EP, Chan X, Yu F, Cong S, Ramachandra CJ†. Cond Med. 2021, 4(2): 71-87. (†corresponding author)

  • Phosphatidylserine Supplementation as a Novel Strategy for Reducing Myocardial Infarct Size and Preventing Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling. Schumacher D, Curaj A, Staudt M, Cordes F, Dumitraşcu AR, Rolles B, Beckers C, Soppert J, Rusu M, Simsekyilmaz S, Kneizeh K, Ramachandra CJA, Hausenloy DJ, Liehn EA. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 22;22(9):4401.

  • Oxidative stress in cardiac hypertrophy: From molecular mechanisms to novel therapeutic targets. Ramachandra CJA†, Cong S, Chan X, Yap EP, Yu F, Hausenloy DJ. Free Radic Biol Med. 2021 Apr;166:297-312. (†corresponding author)

  • Mitochondrial shaping proteins as novel treatment targets for cardiomyopathies. Kalkhoran SB, Hernandez-Resendiz S, Ong SG, Ramachandra CJA, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2020 Aug;3(4):216-226.

  • Pharmacological modulators of mitochondrial dynamics as novel therapeutics for cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Kalkhoran SB, Crespo-Avilan GE, Hernandez-Resendiz S, Ramachandra CJ, Ong SG, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2020, 3(3):144-159.

  • New therapeutic targets to prevent diastolic dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Lin YH, Cong S, Ong SG, Ramachandra CJ, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2020, 3(3):171-183.

  • Mitochondria in acute myocardial infarction and cardioprotection. Ramachandra CJA, Hernandez-Resendiz S, Crespo-Avilan GE, Lin YH, Hausenloy DJ. EBioMedicine. 2020 Jul;57:102884.

  • Myeloperoxidase as a Multifaceted Target for Cardiovascular Protection. Ramachandra CJA†, Ja KPMM, Chua J, Cong S, Shim W, Hausenloy DJ. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2020 May 20;32(15):1135-1149. (†corresponding author)

  • Amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles promote cardiac dysfunction via the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in rat heart and human cardiomyocytes. Lozano O, Silva-Platas C, Chapoy-Villanueva H, Pérez BE, Lees JG, Ramachandra CJA, Contreras-Torres FF, Lázaro-Alfaro A, Luna-Figueroa E, Bernal-Ramírez J, Gordillo-Galeano A, Benitez A, Oropeza-Almazán Y, Castillo EC, Koh PL, Hausenloy DJ, Lim SY, García-Rivas G. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2020 May 7;17(1):15.

  • Mechanisms underlying diabetic cardiomyopathy: From pathophysiology to novel therapeutic targets. Cong S†, Ramachandra CJA†, Mai Ja KM, Yap J, Shim W, Wei L, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2020 Apr;3(2):82-97. (†joint first authors)

  • Sheathless Acoustic Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (aFACS) with High Cell Viability. Li P, Liang M, Lu X, Chow JJM, Ramachandra CJA, Ai Y. Anal Chem. 2019 Dec 17;91(24):15425-15435.

  • New insights provided by myofibril mechanics in inherited cardiomyopathies. Lin YH, Yap J, Ramachandra CJA, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2019 Oct;2(5):213-224.

  • Manipulating energy migration within single lanthanide activator for switchable upconversion emissions towards bidirectional photoactivation. Mei Q, Bansal A, Jayakumar MKG, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Huang H, Yu D, Ramachandra CJA, Hausenloy DJ, Soong TW, Zhang Y. Nat Commun. 2019 Sep 27;10(1):4416.

  • Targeting Mitochondrial Fission Using Mdivi-1 in A Clinically Relevant Large Animal Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Pilot Study. Ong SB, Kwek XY, Katwadi K, Hernandez-Resendiz S, Crespo-Avilan GE, Ismail NI, Lin YH, Yap EP, Lim SY, Ja KPMM, Ramachandra CJA, Tee N, Toh JJ, Shim W, Wong P, Cabrera-Fuentes HA, Hausenloy DJ. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 15;20(16):3972.

  • Induced pluripotent stem cells for modelling energetic alterations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Ramachandra CJA†, Mai Ja KPM, Lin YH, Shim W, Boisvert WA, Hausenloy DJ. Cond Med. 2019;2(4):142-151. (†corresponding author)

  • Association of Cardiomyopathy With MYBPC3 D389V and MYBPC3Δ25bpIntronic Deletion in South Asian Descendants. Viswanathan SK†, Puckelwartz MJ†, Mehta A†, Ramachandra CJA†, Jagadeesan A, Fritsche-Danielson R, Bhat RV, Wong P, Kandoi S, Schwanekamp JA, Kuffel G, Pesce LL, Zilliox MJ, Durai UNB, Verma RS, Molokie RE, Suresh DP, Khoury PR, Thomas A, Sanagala T, Tang HC, Becker RC, Knöll R, Shim W, McNally EM, Sadayappan S. JAMA Cardiol. 2018 Jun 1;3(6):481-488. (†joint first authors)

  • Construction of a vascularized hydrogel for cardiac tissue formation in a porcine model. Myu Mai Ja KP, Lim KP, Chen A, Ting S, Li SQ, Tee N, Ramachandra C, Mehta A, Wong P, Oh S, Shim W. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2018 Apr;12(4):e2029-e2038.

  • Functional Odontoblastic-Like Cells Derived from Human iPSCs. Xie H, Dubey N, Shim W, Ramachandra CJA, Min KS, Cao T, Rosa V. J Dent Res. 2018 Jan;97(1):77-83.

  • Acetylated Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Functions as Molecular Adaptor Independent of Transcriptional Activity During Human Cardiogenesis. Mehta A†, Ramachandra CJA†, Chitre A, Singh P, Lua CH, Shim W. Stem Cells. 2017 Oct;35(10):2129-2137. (†joint first authors)

  • The KCNH2-IVS9-28A/G mutation causes aberrant isoform expression and hERG trafficking defect in cardiomyocytes derived from patients affected by Long QT Syndrome type 2. Mura M, Mehta A, Ramachandra CJ, Zappatore R, Pisano F, Ciuffreda MC, Barbaccia V, Crotti L, Schwartz PJ, Shim W, Gnecchi M. Int J Cardiol. 2017 Aug 1;240:367-371.

  • ErbB Receptor Tyrosine Kinase: A Molecular Switch Between Cardiac and Neuroectoderm Specification in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Ramachandra CJ, Mehta A, Lua CH, Chitre A, Ja KP, Shim W. Stem Cells. 2016 Oct;34(10):2461-2470.

  • iPSC-derived human cardiac progenitor cells improve ventricular remodelling via angiogenesis and interstitial networking of infarcted myocardium. Ja KP, Miao Q, Zhen Tee NG, Lim SY, Nandihalli M, Ramachandra CJA, Mehta A, Shim W. J Cell Mol Med. 2016 Feb;20(2):323-32.

  • Molecular pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome. Ramachandra CJ, Mehta A, Guo KW, Wong P, Tan JL, Shim W. Int J Cardiol. 2015;187:585-91.

  • Evaluation of sarcomeric organization in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Ramachandra CJ, Shim W. Methods Mol Biol. 2015;1299:161-6.

  • Phasic modulation of Wnt signaling enhances cardiac differentiation in human pluripotent stem cells by recapitulating developmental ontogeny. Mehta A, Ramachandra CJ, Sequiera GL, Sudibyo Y, Nandihalli M, Yong PJ, Koh CH, Shim W. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014 Nov;1843(11):2394-402.

  • A systemic evaluation of cardiac differentiation from mRNA reprogrammed human induced pluripotent stem cells. Mehta A, Verma V, Nandihalli M, Ramachandra CJ, Sequiera GL, Sudibyo Y, Chung Y, Sun W, Shim W. PLoS One. 2014 Jul 28;9(7):e103485.

  • Re-trafficking of hERG reverses long QT syndrome 2 phenotype in human iPS-derived cardiomyocytes. Mehta A, Sequiera GL, Ramachandra CJ, Sudibyo Y, Chung Y, Sheng J, Wong KY, Tan TH, Wong P, Liew R, Shim W. Cardiovasc Res. 2014 Jun 1;102(3):497-506.

  • Targeted transgene insertion into the AAVS1 locus driven by baculoviral vector-mediated zinc finger nuclease expression in human- induced pluripotent stem cells. Tay FC, Tan WK, Goh SL, Ramachandra CJ, Lau CH, Zhu H, Chen C, Du S, Phang RZ, Shahbazi M, Fan W, Wang S. J Gene Med. 2013 Oct;15(10):384-95. doi: 10.1002/jgm.2745. PMID: 24105820.

  • Efficient recombinase-mediated cassette exchange at the AAVS1 locus in human embryonic stem cells using baculoviral vectors. Ramachandra CJ, Shahbazi M, Kwang TW, Choudhury Y, Bak XY, Yang J, Wang S. Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Sep 1;39(16):e107.

Research Trials