Xander Wehrens

Xander Wehrens, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor at Baylor College of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and the Department of Medicine (Cardiology), along with secondary roles in Neuroscience, Pediatrics (Cardiology), and Space Medicine. He holds the Juanita P. Quigley Endowed Chair in Cardiology and serves as Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute. He has been Associate Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) since 2009.

Dr. Wehrens earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from Maastricht University in the Netherlands in 2001 and 2002, respectively. His research is centered on the molecular basis of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure, with a focus on intracellular calcium dynamics, ryanodine receptor (RyR2) regulation, junctophilin-2, and nucleoside-diphosphate kinase (NDPK) signaling. His lab develops novel therapeutics including small molecule inhibitors and gene therapy vectors for genome editing.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in investigating the molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation, particularly in post-operative and chronic kidney disease contexts, as well as inherited arrhythmias like CPVT. His work frequently employs transgenic mouse models, human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, and advanced molecular techniques to dissect calcium signaling and arrhythmogenesis. The integration of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing as a therapeutic strategy is a prominent theme in his most recent research.

His scientific honors include membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2015) and the Association of American Physicians (2022), as well as serving on the Awards Committee of the Heart Rhythm Society (2020).

Dr. Wehrens has trained over 100 students and fellows and is deeply involved in graduate education, serving as course director for advanced cardiovascular pathophysiology courses. His lab is supported by multiple NIH/NHLBI R01 grants investigating RyR2 regulation, atrial fibrillation mechanisms, junctophilin-2 cleavage, and NDPK signaling. The lab fosters collaborations, including with Dr. Stephan Lehnart at the University of Goettingen, and utilizes advanced technologies like confocal microscopy and FRET sensors.