Dr. Rebecca María Parodi-Rullán

Professor
Rebecca María Parodi-Rullán

Contact Info

  • rebecca.parodi@upr.edu
  • Office A-674, Labs A-672 and A-668

    School of Medicine
    University of Puerto Rico
    Medical Sciences Campus
    PO Box 365067
    San Juan, PR, 00936-5067

  • 787-758-2525 x2688 (lab), x2909 (office)

Education

  • B.S. 2009, Genetic Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
  • Ph.D. 2018, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR
  • Postdoc, 2019, Alzheimer’s Disease, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York City, NY
  • Postdoc, 2025, Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Center at Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

ACADEMIC PROFILES

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rparodirullan/

Pubmed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/rebecca.parodi-rullan.1/bibliography/public/

RESEARCH INTEREST

Our research focuses on identifying mitochondrial-derived molecular signals that drive the development and progression of neurodegeneration, with a particular emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA). We combine molecular biology and biochemistry approaches in cell-based systems to investigate how mitochondrial dysfunction alters cellular processes and promotes inflammatory activation. Insights from these in vitro studies are then applied to mouse models of AD to evaluate the relevance of these pathways in vivo. Currently, we are investigating how dysfunctional mitochondria in cerebrovascular endothelial cells contribute to vascular and neuroinflammation in AD and CAA. The overarching goal of our laboratory is to uncover novel therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Carey A., Parodi-Rullán R., Vazquez-Torres R., Canepa E., Fossati S. Homocysteine potentiates amyloid β-induced death receptor 4- and 5-mediated cerebral endothelial cell apoptosis, blood brain barrier dysfunction and angiogenic impairment. Aging Cell 2024 Feb 15:e14106. doi: 10.1111/acel.14106.
  2. Elia A., Parodi-Rullán RM., Vazquez-Torres R., Carey A., Javadov S., Fossati S. Amyloid β induces cardiac dysfunction and neuro-signaling impairment in the heart of an Alzheimer’s disease model. bioRxiv 07.11.548558; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.07.11.548558
  3. Canepa E., Parodi-Rullán R., Vazquez-Torres R., Gamallo-Lana B., Guzman-Hernandez R, Lemon NL., Angiulli F., Debure L., Ilies MA., Østergaard L., Wisniewski T., Gutiérrez-Jiménez E., Mar AC., Fossati S. FDA-approved carbonic anhydrase inhibitors reduce amyloid β pathology and improve cognition, by ameliorating cerebrovascular health and glial fitness. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Apr 26. doi: 10.1002/alz.13063.
  4. Jang S., Chapa-Dubocq X.R., Parodi-Rullán R.M., Fossati S., Javadov S. Beta-Amyloid Instigates Dysfunction of Mitochondria in Cardiac Cells. Cells. 2022 Jan 22;11(3):373. doi: 10.3390/cells11030373.
  5. Parodi-Rullán RM., Javadov S., Fossati S. Dissecting the Crosstalk between Endothelial Mitochondrial Damage, Vascular Inflammation, and Neurodegeneration in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy and Alzheimer’s Disease. Cells 2021 Oct 27;10(11):2903. doi: 10.3390/cells10112903.
  6. Parodi‐Rullán R., Ghiso J., Cabrera E., Rostagno A., Fossati S. Alzheimer’s amyloid β heterogeneous species differentially affect brain endothelial cell viability, blood‐brain barrier integrity, and angiogenesis. Aging Cell Nov;19(11):e13258, 2020; doi:10.1111/acel.13258.
  7. Parodi-Rullán R., Chapa-Dubocq X, Guzmán-Hernández R, Jang S, Torres-Ramos CA,
    Ayala-Peña S, Javadov S. The role of adenine nucleotide translocase in the assembly of respiratory supercomplexes in cardiac cells. Cells 8, 1247, 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells8101247.
  8. Parodi-Rullán R, Sone JY, Fossati S. Endothelial Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;72(4):1019-1039. doi: 10.3233/JAD-190357.
  9. Parodi-Rullán R., Soto-Prado J., Vega-Lugo J., Chapa-Dubocq X., Díaz-Cordero S., Javadov S. Divergent effects of cyclophilin-D inhibition on the female rat heart: acute vs. chronic post-myocardial infarction. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry 50(1):288-303, 2018. doi: 10.1159/000494006.
  10. Parodi-Rullán R., Chapa-Dubocq X., and Javadov S. Acetylation of mitochondrial proteins in the heart: the role of SIRT3. Frontiers in Physiology 9:1094, 2018. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01094.
  11. Parodi-Rullán R., Rullán P., Chapa-Dubocq X., Jang S., and Javadov S. High sensitivity of SIRT3 deficient hearts to ischemia-reperfusion is associated with mitochondrial abnormalities. Frontiers in Pharmacology 8:275, 2017. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00275.
  12. Javadov S., Jang S., Parodi-Rullán R., Khuchua Z., Kuznetsov A. Mitochondrial permeability transition in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion: whether cyclophilin D is a viable target for cardioprotection? Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 74(15):2795-2813, doi: 10.1007/s00018-017-2502-4.
  13. Escobales N., Nunez R.E., Jang S., Parodi-Rullán R., Ayala-Pena S., Sacher J.R., Skoda E.M., Wipf P., Frontera W., and Javadov S. Mitochondria-targeted ROS scavenger improves post-ischemic recovery of cardiac function and attenuates mitochondrial abnormalities in aged rats. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 77:136-146, 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2014.10.009.
  14. Barreto-Torres G., Parodi-Rullán R., and Javadov S. The Role of PPARα in Metformin-Induced Attenuation of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Acute Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion in Rats. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 13(6):7694-7709, 2012. doi: 10.3390/ijms13067694.
  15. Parodi-Rullán R., Barreto-Torres G., Ruiz L., Casasnovas J., and Javadov S. Direct renin inhibition exerts an anti-hypertrophic effect associated with improved mitochondrial function in post-infarction heart failure in diabetic rats. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry 29(5-6):841-850, 2012. doi: 10.1159/000178526.
  16. Sienknecht U.J., Anderson B.K., Parodi R.M., Fantetti K.N., and Fekete D.M. Non-cell-autonomous planar cell polarity propagation in the auditory sensory epithelium of vertebrates. Developmental Biology 352(1):27-39, 2011. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.01.009.
  17. Javadov S., Hunter J.C., Barreto-Torres G., and Parodi-Rullán R. Targeting the mitochondrial permeability transition: cardiac ischemia-reperfusion versus carcinogenesis. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry 27(3-4):179-190, 2011. doi: 10.1159/000327943.

CURRENT FUNDING

  • NIH/NIA MOSAIC K99/R00: K99AG083227 (2023-2028)

PAST FUNDING

  • Brody Family Medical Trust Fund Fellowship in Incurable Diseases by the Philadelphia Foundation (2020-2022)
  • NIH-NINDS Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Research Supplements to Promote Diversity, Parent Grant: R01NS104127 (2020)

William Townsend Porter Pre-Doctoral Fellowship from the American Physiological Society (2017-2018)