Dr. Carlos A. Torres Ramos

Professor
Dr. Carlos A. Torres Ramos

Contact Info

  • carlos.torres27@upr.edu
  • Office A-644, Lab A659

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

  • (787)758-2525 x1676

Education

  • B.S. 1986, Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, PR
  • M.S. 1989 , Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, PR
  • Ph.D.  1996, Human Genectis and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
  • Postdoc, 1999, Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

RESEARCH INTEREST

I am interested in understanding how DNA repair processes contribute to physiological functions. Studies in aging and pathological conditions such as cancer and some neurodegenerative disorders have revealed that maintenance of genomic integrity is essential for physiological processes. Some of the specific questions that I study are how DNA repair contributes to mitochondrial function and how this relates to aging, cancer and neurodegeneration. In addition, I am interested in understand how environmental factors may influence those conditions. My laboratory uses the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the main experimental model. Using this organism we can ask very basic questions whose answers can be translated to more complex organisms. We also use mammalian models such as mice and human cells to ask questions about DNA repair and mitochondrial function.

PAST STUDENTS

Karina Acevedo, PhD, 2009

Yaría Arroyo, PhD, 2014

Adlin Rodríguez, PhD, 2018

Carmen Pérez Pérez, PhD, 2022

CURRENT STUDENTS

Doctoral

Sabrina Correa (2026-expected)

SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATORS

UPR, MSC, School of Medicine

Department of Physiology: Annabell C Segarra, PhD, Sabzali Javadov, PhD
Department of Pharmacology: Dr. Sylvette Ayala

PUBLICATIONS

• M 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. 2019 Oct 13;8(10). doi: 10.3390/cells8101247. PubMed PMID: 31614941; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6829619.

• Forestier-Román IS, López-Rivas A, Sánchez-Vázquez MM, Rohena-Rivera K, Nieves-Burgos G, Ortiz-Zuazaga H, Torres-Ramos CA, Martínez-Ferrer M. Andrographolide induces DNA damage in prostate cancer cells. Oncotarget. 2019 Feb 1;10(10):1085-1101. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.26628. eCollection 2019 Feb 1. PubMed PMID: 30800220; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6383681.

• Ramírez Lugo JS, Torres-Ramos CA. Rebuilding Caribbean science. Science. 2017 Oct 13;358(6360):151. doi: 10.1126/science.aaq1210. Epub 2017 Oct 12. PubMed PMID: 29026018.

• Ballista-Hernández J, Martínez-Ferrer M, Vélez R, Climent C, Sánchez-Vázquez MM, Torres C, Rodríguez-Muñoz A, Ayala-Peña S, Torres-Ramos CA. Mitochondrial DNA Integrity Is Maintained by APE1 in Carcinogen-Induced Colorectal Cancer. Mol Cancer Res. 2017 Jul;15(7):831-841. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-16-0218. Epub 2017 Mar 30. PubMed PMID: 28360037; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5500394.

• Jansen RJ, Fonseca-Williams S, Bamlet WR, Ayala-Peña S, Oberg AL, Petersen GM, Torres-Ramos CA. Detection of DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pancreatic cancer patients. Mol Carcinog. 2015 Oct;54(10):1220-6. doi: 10.1002/mc.22189. Epub 2014 Aug 11. PubMed PMID: 25111947; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4478243.

• Barreto-Torres G, Hernandez JS, Jang S, Rodríguez-Muñoz AR, Torres-Ramos CA, Basnakian AG, Javadov S. The beneficial effects of AMP kinase activation against oxidative stress are associated with prevention of PPARα-cyclophilin D interaction in cardiomyocytes. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2015 Apr 1;308(7):H749-58. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00414.2014. Epub 2015 Jan 23. PubMed PMID: 25617357; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4385997.

CWCS Workshop: Fundamentals of Mitochondrial Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology

  • Mitochondria Workshop 2011