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Contact information

Email
alexander.sparrow@cardiov.ox.ac.uk

ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3354-3314

Research groups

Editorials

Circulation Research Editorial 'Sarcomere-Directed Calcium Reporters in Cardiomyocytes'
Meet the Author 'Alexander Sparrow'

Alexander Sparrow

BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD

Senior Postdoctoral Researcher

My research combines understanding the molecular mechanisms of inherited cardiomyopathies and developing genetic therapies. As a senior postdoctoral researcher on CureHeart I am developing innovative gene editing tools to correct the genetic variants that cause inherited cardiomyopathies.

I have studied inherited genetic variants in genes that encode for proteins involved in the pathogenesis of hypertrophic (HCM) and dilated (DCM) cardiomyopathy. My work has developed myofilament specific genetically encoded calcium sensors for the study of subcellular calcium dynamics in cardiomyocytes expressing HCM and DCM mutations.

My work utilises human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived cardiomyocytes as a cellular model when investigating inherited cardiomyopathies. Current induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes more closely resemble embryonic rather than adult cardiomyocytes. I have developed maturation protocols which produce an improved human cellular model to study inherited cardiomyopathies.

We are now using patient derived hiPSCs from patients with inherited cardiomyopathies to study disease mechanisms and test genetic therapies.

Key publications

Mavacamten rescues increased myofilament calcium sensitivity and dysregulation of Ca2+ flux caused by thin filament hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mutations.

Sparrow AJ. et al, (2020), Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 318, H715 - H722

Measurement of Myofilament-Localized Calcium Dynamics in Adult Cardiomyocytes and the Effect of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Mutations.

Sparrow AJ. et al, (2019), Circ Res, 124, 1228 - 1239

LIM kinase function and renal growth: Potential role for LIM kinases in fetal programming of kidney development.

Sparrow AJ. et al, (2017), Life Sci, 186, 17 - 24

Recent publications

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by Filamin-C (FLNC) variants has restrictive and extracardiac features and a distinctive ECG.

de Villiers C. et al, (2026), Heart Rhythm

Nutraceuticals silybin B, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin-3 gallate-bind to cardiac muscle troponin to restore the loss of lusitropy caused by cardiomyopathy mutations in vitro, in vivo, and in silico.

Yang Z. et al, (2024), Front Physiol, 15

Calcitonin signalling system regulates function and arhythmogenicity of atrial cardiomyocytes

Moreira L. et al, (2024), EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL, 45

Modulating TTN gene expression in human iPSC-CMs to investigate mechanisms and therapies in TTN-associated dilated cardiomyopathy

Kirk RB. et al, (2024), EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL, 45

Comparing the effects of chemical Ca2+ dyes and R-GECO on contractility and Ca2+ transients in adult and human iPSC cardiomyocytes.

Robinson P. et al, (2023), J Mol Cell Cardiol, 180, 44 - 57

CalTrack: High-Throughput Automated Calcium Transient Analysis in Cardiomyocytes.

Psaras Y. et al, (2021), Circ Res, 129, 326 - 341

More publications