Julio Cesar Cardenas

Julio Cesar Cardenas is an Associate Professor at the Center for Integrative Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor in Chile. He concurrently holds adjunct professorships at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara (since 2017), and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, California (since 2016). His research focuses on calcium signaling mediated by the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R), particularly its role in cellular bioenergetics, cancer metabolism, and aging.

Education: B.Sc. in Medical Technology (2000) and Ph.D. in Biomedical Science (2005), both from Universidad de Chile. Postdoctoral training under Dr. Clara Franzini Armstrong (2006-2007) and Dr. Kevin Foskett (2007-2011) at the University of Pennsylvania.

Research Interests: Investigates how ER-mitochondrial calcium communication regulates cellular processes like autophagy, proliferation, and metabolism. Key discoveries include the essential role of InsP3R-mediated calcium signaling in cancer cell bioenergetics and its therapeutic potential in diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and obesity.

Labs: Director of CardenasLab, part of the Geroscience Center for Brain Health and Metabolism. Research emphasizes translational tools to modulate mitochondrial function and extend healthspan.