How structural changes of cardiomyocytes contribute to atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia
Research interests
I am interested in how the cardiac ultrastructure impacts the function of the heart, in particular the organisation of specialised structures known as the dyad and transverse tubules. I am investigating how these structures are remodelled in atrial fibrillation and heart failure, and whether specific proteins can be targeted to restore cardiac organisation and function in heart disease.
Projects
Restoration of calcium balance by calsequestrin in atrial fibrillation
Current funding
2019–2022: Heart Foundation of New Zealand Research Fellowship
2020–2022: Health Research Council Emerging Researcher First Grant
Previous funding
Heart Foundation of New Zealand small project grant
Waddell, H. M. M., Mereacre, V., Alvarado, F. J., & Munro, M. L. (2023). Clustering properties of the cardiac ryanodine receptor in health and heart failure. Journal of Molecular & Cellular Cardiology, 185, 38-49. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.10.012
Journal - Research Other
Okolo, C. A., Khaing, E.-P., Mereacre, V., Wallace, R. S., Munro, M. L., Erickson, J. R., & Jones, P. P. (2023). Direct regulation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) by O-GlcNAcylation. Cardiovascular Diabetology, 22, 276. doi: 10.1186/s12933-023-02010-3
Journal - Research Article
Waddell, H., de Jonge, W., & Munro, M. (2023). Preparation of functional human atrial slices and multi-day tissue culture. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 32(Suppl. 3), 680. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2023.06.584
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Keelty, G. B., de Jonge, W. M., Waddell, H. M. M., & Munro, M. L. (2023). Characterizing transverse tubules in the right atrium of arrhythmic patients. In T. Milne, M. Anwar, L. Burga, H. Harcombe, M. Garelja, A. Middleton, D. C. Ribeiro, N. Fleming, K. Ogbuehi & A. Bahn (Eds.), Proceedings of the 265th Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: Summer Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. (2022, June). Biphasic regulation of RyR2 activity by calsequestrin-2: Implications in Ca-mediated arrhythmias. Invited presentation at the XXIV World Congress of the International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), Berlin, Germany.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Parveen, S., Cheah, P. H. S., Worthington, L. P. I., Smither, R. A., Munro, M. L., Bussey, C. T., Lamberts, R. R., & Jones, P. P. (2022). Depressed HCN4 function in the type 2 diabetic sinoatrial node. Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s11010-022-04635-6
Journal - Research Article
Sibbles, E. T., Waddell, H. M. M., Mereacre, V., Jones, P. P., & Munro, M. L. (2022). The function and regulation of calsequestrin-2: Implications in calcium-mediated arrhythmias. Biophysical Reviews, 14, 329-352. doi: 10.1007/s12551-021-00914-6
Journal - Research Other
Silva, R., Ohline, S., Munro, M., & Jones, P. (2022). Role of ryanodine receptor clustering in Alzheimer's disease. In K. Horne (Ed.), Proceedings of the 38th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 52). Retrieved from https://www.queenstownresearchweek.org
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Iposu, K. O., Waddell, H. M. M., & Munro, M. L. (2022, August-September). Characterisation of t-tubules and dyads in human atrial myocytes. Poster session presented at the 16th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Waddell, H. M. M., de Jonge, W. M., & Munro, M. L. (2022, August-September). Preparation of functional human atrial slices and multi-day tissue culture. Poster session presented at the 16th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Cruz, E., Sibbles, E., & Munro, M. (2022, August-September). How the ratio of RyR2 and CSQ2 play a role in pro-arrhythmogenic Ca2+ release. Verbal presentation at the 16th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Sibbles, E., Jones, P., & Munro, M. (2022, August-September). Determining the functional effect of CSQ2 glycosylation on calcium-handling and heart failure. Verbal presentation at the 16th New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Munro, M. L., van Hout, I., Aitken-Buck, H., Sugunesegran, R., Bhagwat, K., Davis, P. J., Lamberts, R. R., Coffey, S., … Jones, P. P. (2021). Human atrial fibrillation is not associated with remodeling of ryanodine receptor clusters. Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology, 9, 633704. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.633704
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., & Jones, P. P. (2020). Too much of a good thing? Establishing a role of excessive RyR2 dephosphorylation in heart disease. Journal of Physiology, 598(6), 1115-1116. doi: 10.1113/jp279569
Journal - Research Other
Chakraborty, A. D., Gonano, L. A., Munro, M. L., Smith, L. J., Thekkedam, C., Staudacher, V., Gamble, A. B., … Jones, P. P. (2019). Activation of RyR2 by class I kinase inhibitors. British Journal of Pharmacology, 176, 773-786. doi: 10.1111/bph.14562
Journal - Research Article
Hinton, L., Jones, P., & Munro, M. (2019, September). Role protein kinase CK2 in regulation of the cardiac Ryanodine Receptor. Poster session presented at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Munro, M. L., van Hout, I., Sugunesegran, R., Bhagwat, K., Davis, P. J., Bunton, R. W., Coffey, S., … Jones, P. P. (2019, September). Resolving the role of dyadic organisation in cardiac dysfunction. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Munro, M. L., Shen, X., Ward, M., Ruygrok, P. N., Crossman, D. J., & Soeller, C. (2018). Highly variable contractile performance correlates with myocyte content in trabeculae from failing human hearts. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 2957. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-21199-y
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., Jayasinghe, I. D., Crossman, D. J., Baddeley, D., Soeller, C., & Jones, P. P. (2018, August). Super resolved calcium channel organisation in the heart. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Okolo, C. A., McLay, J. C., McLachlan, J. J., Munro, M., Tanner, C., Chakraborty, A. D., Erickson, J. R., & Jones, P. P. (2018, August). Regulation of RyR2 by O-linked glycosylation. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Crossman, D. J., Shen, X., Jüllig, M., Munro, M., Hou, Y., Middleditch, M., … Soeller, C. (2017). Increased collagen within the transverse tubules in human heart failure. Cardiovascular Research, 113(8), 879-891. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvx055
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., & Soeller, C. S. (2017, September). Prenatal formation of early t-tubules in the sheep heart. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Munro, M. L., & Soeller, C. (2016). Early transverse tubule development begins in utero in the sheep heart. Journal of Muscle Research & Cell Motility, 37(6), 195-202. doi: 10.1007/s10974-016-9462-4
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., Jayasinghe, I. D., Wang, Q., Quick, A., Wang, W., Baddeley, D., … Soeller, C. (2016). Junctophilin-2 in the nanoscale organisation and functional signalling of ryanodine receptor clusters in cardiomyocytes. Journal of Cell Science, 129, 4388-4398. doi: 10.1242/jcs.196873
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., Shen, X., Ward, M., Crossman, D. J., & Soeller, C. (2016). Relationship between multi-scale cardiomyocyte organization and function in trabeculae of the failing human heart. Biophysical Journal, 110(3, Suppl. 1), (pp. 598a). doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.11.3195
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. L., Jayasinghe, I. D., Shen, X., Wang, W., Ward, M., Baddeley, D., … Soeller, C. (2016, August). Multi-scale cardiomyocyte organisation as a determinant of cardiac function. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Nelson, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Jayasinghe, I. D., Clowsley, A. H., Munro, M., Hou, Y., Crossman, D. J., & Soeller, C. (2015). Revealing T-tubules in striated muscle with new optical super-resolution microscopy techniques. European Journal of Translational Myology, 25(1), 15-26. doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2015.4747
Journal - Research Article
Munro, M. L., Jayasinghe, I. D., Wang, W., Baddeley, D., Wehrens, X. H. T., & Soeller, C. (2015). Nanoscale changes in ryanodine receptor organization in JPH2 transgenic mice. Journal of Molecular & Cellular Cardiology, 86(Suppl.), (pp. S65). doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2015.07.025
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. L., Shen, X., Ward, M., Crossman, D. J., & Soeller, C. (2015). The relationship between function and cellular organization in the failing human heart. Journal of Molecular & Cellular Cardiology, 86(Suppl.), (pp. S63). doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2015.07.025
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. L., Jayasinghe, I. D., Shen, X., Wang, W., Ward, M., Baddeley, D., … Soeller, C. (2015, August-September). The role of cardiomyocyte organisation in the cardiac structure-function relationship. Verbal presentation at the Medical Sciences Congress (MedSci), Queenstown, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Jayasinghe, I. D., Munro, M., Baddeley, D., Launikonis, B. S., & Soeller, C. (2014). Observation of the molecular organization of calcium release sites in fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle with nanoscale imaging. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 11(99), 20140570. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0570
Journal - Research Article
Wang, W., Landstrom, A. P., Wang, Q., Munro, M. L., Beavers, D., Ackerman, M. J., … Wehrens, X. H. T. (2014). Reduced junctional Na+/Ca2+-exchanger activity contributes to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak in junctophilin-2-deficient mice. American Journal of Physiology: Heart & Circulatory Physiology, 307(9), H1317-H1326. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00413.2014
Journal - Research Article
Jayasinghe, I. D., Munro, M., Baddeley, D., Launikonis, B. S., & Soeller, C. (2014). Resolving the calcium release machinery of mammalian fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle. Biophysical Journal, 106(2, Suppl. 1), (pp. 123a-124a). doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.11.736
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M., Wang, W., Baddeley, D., Wehrens, X., & Soeller, C. (2014). Nanoscale changes in the organisation of junctional proteins in JPH2 transgenic mice. Biophysical Journal, 106(2, Suppl. 1), (pp. 448a). doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.11.2537
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. L., Wang, W., Baddeley, D., Beavers, D., Wehrens, X. H. T., & Soeller, C. (2013). The organisation of calcium handling and junctional proteins in JPH2 transgenic mice. Journal of Molecular & Cellular Cardiology, 65(Suppl.), (pp. S133). doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2013.10.011
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M., Wang, W., Baddeley, D., Wehrens, X., & Soeller, C. (2013). The organisation of T-tubules and junctional proteins in JPH2 transgenic mice. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 22(Suppl. 1), (pp. S9). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2013.05.019
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Munro, M. L., Baddeley, D., & Soeller, C. (2012). Distribution of Gαs and co-localisation with calcium handling proteins in rat cardiomyocytes. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 21(12), (pp. 862). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2012.08.029
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
