Medical Staff

Ana Hernandez PHD

Personal Statement

My research interests involve the fields of immunology, cellular and molecular biology. My research experience provided me with a vast knowledge in multiple areas including molecular biology, cellular Immunology, stem cell technology and flow cytometry. After I finished my Bachelor’s degree I started to work on the molecular pathways implicated in the development of leukemia and lymphoma diseases. During that period, I acquired a strong background in the mechanisms leading to B and T cell rearrangements and basic methodologies in molecular biology. I started my Ph.D at the Cancer Research in London, United Kingdom where I studied the role of alternative splicing patterns of BCR/ABL trancripts in the generation of the blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia. I finished these studies at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany. For my postoctoral training I worked on the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow or cord blood and their differenciation into cardiomyocytes. I continues my post doctoral training at the University of Miami where I had the opportunity to acquire a better understanding of the processes involved in generation of immune tolerance after transplantation. After I finished my post-doc, I focused my research on the immune monitoring of patients after transplant to understand the mechanisms of graft tolerance. I was also involved in the immunemonitoring of animal model to assess the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on allogeneic transplant which included the expansion of MSC from Bone Marrow and Characterization of MSC by phenotypic analysis and functional assays. One of my major interest is in the field of regenerative medicine where stem cells have been successfully use in the treatment of multiples medical conditions.

B. Positions

• 09/84-04/92: Research Associate. Institute of Hematology and Immunology, Molecular Biology Department, Havana, Cuba.
• 05/92-05/93: Scientist. Institute of Neuropathology, Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.
• 06/93-05/99: Scientist. Institute of Transplantation and Cell Therapies, Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.
• 07/01-02/03: Scientist. Kourion Therapeutics AG, Dusseldorf, Germany.
• 03/03-12/06: Post-Doc. Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, University of Miami, USA.
• 01/07-05/16: Associate Scientist. Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami, USA
• 06/16-Present: Miami Research Associates (MRA), Miami, Fl (private company)

Honors

03/89-10/89: Grant supported by the Word Health Organization (WHO) to work in the molecular pathways involved in the chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, United Kingdom.

Contribution to Science

The list of peer reviewed publications listed below is a reflection of my contribution to these fields of science.

Selected Publications (in descendent chronological order)

• Kenyon NS, Willman MA, Han D, Hernandez A, Rabassa A, Diaz A, Geary JC, Kenyon NM, Bartholomew A, McHenry K, Salomon D and Berman DM. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Rejection Free and Overall Islet Allograft Survival (This work has been accepted for oral presentation at the 2015 American Transplant Congress (ATC) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, May 2-6, 2015).
• Hernandez A, Han D, Oberholzer J, Ricordi C, Alejandro R, Kenyon NS. Effect of lysofylline on the immune response in islet transplant patients (abstract). J Clinical Immunology. 33 (3), 692, 2013. (This work has been accepted as a poster presented in Clinical Immunology Society Annual Meeting, April 25-28, 2013, Miami, FL, poster #1).
• Hernandez A, Burger M, Blomberg BB, Ross WA, Gaynor JJ, Lindner I, Cirocco R, Mathew JM, Carreno M, Jin Y, Lee KP, Esquenazi V, Miller J.: Inhibition of NF-kappa B during human dendritic cell differentiation generates anergy and regulatory T-cell activity for one but not two human leukocyte antigen DR mismatches. Hum Immunol. 68, 715, 2007.
• Strauer BE, Brehm M, Zeus T, Kostering M, Hernandez A, Sorg RV, Kogler G, Wernet P. :Repair of infarcted myocardium by autologous intracoronary mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation in humans. Circulation. 2002 Oct 8;106 (15):1913-8.
• Strauer,B.E; Brehm, M; Zeus, T; Gattermann, N; Hernandez, A; Sorg, R.V; Kögler, G; Wernet, P.: Myocardial regeneration after intracoronary transplantation of human autologous stem cells following acute myocardial infarction. Deutsche Medicinische Wochenschr. 126: 932-938, 2001
• Hernández, A.; Meyer, A.; Enczmann, J.; Ackermann, R.; Wernet, P.: Establishment of experimental conditions for the rapid detection of mutations in the VHL gene by parallel temeprature gradient gel electrophoresis. Electrophoresis 20, 1958,1999.
• Hernández, A.; Zöller, K.; Enczmann, J.; Ebert, T.; Schmitz-Draeger, B.; Ackermann, R.; Wernet, P.: Differential transfection efficiency rates of the GM-CSF gene into human renal carcinoma cell lines by lipofection. Cancer Gene Therapy 4, 59, 1997 .
• Wenzel, M., Enczmann, J., Uhrberg, M, Hernandez, A., Wiese, U., Ackermann, R., Ebert, T.; SchmitzDraeger, Wernet, P.: Screening for renal carcinoma associated mutations in the von Hippel- Lindau tumor suppressor gene by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis. Electrophoresis 18: 45, 1997.
• Kögler, G.; Hernández, A.; Heyll, A.; Wolf H.H.; Wernet, P.: Qualitative assessment of mixed chimerism after bone marrow transplantation with regard to leukemic relapse. Cancer Detection and Prevention 20: 601, 1996 .
• Hernández, A.; Uhrberg, M.; Enczmann, J.; Witt, I.; Reitsma, P.H.; Wernet, P.: Rapid identification of gene defects in protein C deficiency by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis. Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis 6, 23, 1995.
• Hernández, A.; Magario,C; Gispert,S.; Santos,N.; Lunkes,A.; Orozco, G.; Heredero,L.; Beckmann,J.; Auburger, G.: Genetic mapping of the spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA 2) locus on chromosome 12q23-q24.1. Genomic 25, 433, 1995
• Hernández,A.; Hernández,P.; Corral,L.; Muñiz,A.; Aláez,C.; Espinosa,E.; Fernández,O.; Martínez,G.: p53 gene rearrangements in chronic myelocytic leukemia. Ann. Hematol 66:81, 1993.
• Silveira, I.; Manaia, A.; Melki, J.; Magarino, C.; Lunkes, A.; Hernandez, A.; Gispert, S.; Burlet, P.; Rozet, J.M.; Coutinho, P.; Auburger, G.: Machado-Joseph disease is genetically different from Holguin dominant ataxia (SCA2). Genomics 17: 556, 1993.
• Gispert,S.; Twells,R.; Orozco,G.; Brice, A.; Weber,J.; Heredero,L.; Scheufler,K.; Riley,B.; Allotey,R.; Northers,C.; Hillermann,R.; Lunkes,A.; Khati,C.; Stevanin,G.; Hernández,A.; Magarino,C.; Klockgether,T.; Durr,A.; Chneiweiss,H.; Enczmann,J.; Farral,M.; Beckmann,J.; Mullan,M.; Wernet,P.; Agid,Y.; Freund,H-J.; Williamson, R.; Auburger,G.; Chamberlain,S.: Chromosomal assignment of the second locus for autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (SCA2) to chromosome 12q23-24.1.Nature Genetics 4:295, 1993.
• Hernández,A.; Corral,L.; Muñiz,A.; Aláez,C.; Dorticós, E.; Martínez,G.; Hernández,P.: Lack of M-bcr rearrangement with b3a2 juntion revealed by polymerase chain reaction in a case of Philadelphia-positive intermediate lymphocytic lymphoma in leukemic phase. Brit.J.Haematol 82:626, 1992.
• Hernández,A.; Corral,L.; Muñiz,A.; Aláez,C.; Espinosa,E.; Martínez,G.; Hernández,P.: Further evidence for the molecular heterogeneity of chronic myeloid leukaemia. Ann Hematol 62; 217, 1991
• Hernández,A.; Corral,L.; Muñiz,A.; Aláez,C.; Martínez G.: LMC atípica con polimorfismo del gen BCR. Sangre, 36: 497, 1991.
• Hernández,A.; Osterholz,J.; Price,C.M.; Wiedemann,L.M.; Gordon M.Y.; Goldman,J.M.; Morgan,G.J.: Detection of hybrid BCR/ABl messenger RNA in single CFU-GM colonies using the polymerase chain reaction. Experimental Hematology. 18:1142, 1990.
• Morgan,G.; Hernández,A.; Chan,L.C.; Huges,T.; Martiat,T.; Wiedemann,L.M.: The role of alternative splicing patterns of BCR/ABL trancripts in the generation of the blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukaemia. British.J.Hematology 76:33, 1990.
• Book chapter
  Hernández, A.; Uhrberg, M.; Enczmann, J.; Witt, I.; Reitsma, R.; Wernet, P.: Rapid detection of point mutations in the protein C gene by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis. 25 Hämophilie-Symposion, Hamburg 1994, pg 147, editors Springer-Velag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hon Kong, Barcelona, Budapest.