Overview
Background
Dr Walweel is an electrophysiologist specializing in calcium-released channels (RyR2) regulation in heart. Walweel's research project is to understand how RyR2 regulates heart contraction and rhythm, how their dysregulation leads to cardiac arrhythmias, and how pharmacological interventions targeting RyR2 restore normal heart rhythm. She is expert in bilayer work, single channel recording and biochemistry. Walweel's discoveries are clinically important for understanding arrhythmia generation in patients with heart failure and CPVT. Dr Walweel works with the purpose to promote human heart research and health. She aims to reduce heart failure burden and death by advancing pathophysiological research and discovering suitable medication to prevent arrhythmias. Over a relatively short time, Dr Walweel's research resulted in notable and meritorious publications in high quality journals (JACC, Circ Res, Mol Pharmacol, J Gen Physiol, J Mol Cell Cardiol and J Biomed Sciences).
Availability
- Dr Kafa Walweel is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Research interests
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• Reduce the burden of arrhythmias and sudden death
o Identify novel cardiovascular therapeutic targets o Discover new medicines to prevent sudden death o Translate molecular discoveries to the clinic
Works
Search Professor Kafa Walweel’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Potential of β2AR for added benefit in treating heart failure through a better understanding of signaling
Walweel, Kafa, Cheesman, Elizabeth and Molenaar, Peter (2023). Potential of β2AR for added benefit in treating heart failure through a better understanding of signaling. Current Opinion in Physiology, 36 100719, 100719. doi: 10.1016/j.cophys.2023.100719
2023
Journal Article
Dantrolene inhibition of ryanodine channels (RyR2) in artificial lipid bilayers depends on FKBP12.6
Walweel, Kafa, Beard, Nicole, van Helden, Dirk F. and Laver, Derek R. (2023). Dantrolene inhibition of ryanodine channels (RyR2) in artificial lipid bilayers depends on FKBP12.6. Journal of General Physiology, 155 (8) e202213277. doi: 10.1085/jgp.202213277
2021
Journal Article
Brain stem death induces pro-inflammatory cytokine production and cardiac dysfunction in sheep model
Walweel, K., Boon, A. C., See Hoe, L. E., Obonyo, N. G., Pedersen, S. E., Diab, S. D., Passmore, M. R., Hyslop, K., Colombo, S. M., Bartnikowski, N. J., Bouquet, M., Wells, M. A., Black, D. M., Pimenta, L. P., Stevenson, A. K., Bisht, K., Skeggs, K., Marshall, L., Prabhu, A., James, L. N., Platts, D. G., Macdonald, P. S., McGiffin, D. C., Suen, J. Y. and Fraser, J. F. (2021). Brain stem death induces pro-inflammatory cytokine production and cardiac dysfunction in sheep model. Biomedical Journal, 45 (5), 776-787. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2021.10.007
2020
Journal Article
Endothelin receptor antagonist improves donor lung function in an ex vivo perfusion system
Walweel, K., Skeggs, K., Boon, A. C., See Hoe, L. E., Bouquet, M., Obonyo, N. G., Pedersen, S. E., Diab, S. D., Passmore, M. R., Hyslop, K., Wood, E. S., Reid, J., Colombo, S. M., Bartnikowski, N. J., Wells, M. A., Black, D., Pimenta, L. P., Stevenson, A. K., Bisht, K., Marshall, L., Prabhu, D. A., James, L., Platts, D. G., MacDonald, P. S., McGiffin, D. C., Suen, J. Y. and Fraser, J. F. (2020). Endothelin receptor antagonist improves donor lung function in an ex vivo perfusion system. Journal of Biomedical Science, 27 (1) 96, 96. doi: 10.1186/s12929-020-00690-7
2020
Conference Publication
Metabolic and mitochondrial alterations following brain death and heart transplantation
Hoe, L. E. See, Wells, M. A., Bouquet, M., Hyslop, K., Passmore, M. R., Bartnikowski, N., Obonyo, N. G., Reid, J., O'Neill, H., Shuker, T., McDonald, C., Engkilde-Pedersen, S., Wildi, K., Ainola, C., Skeggs, K., Jung, J., Colombo, S., Sato, K., James, L., He, P., Wood, E. S., Heinser, S., Wang, X., Abbate, G., Livingstone, S., Haymet, A., Walweel, K., Mullins, D., Marasco, S. ... Fraser, J. F. (2020). Metabolic and mitochondrial alterations following brain death and heart transplantation. 40th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT), Montreal, Canada, 22-25 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.01.419
2019
Journal Article
Calmodulin inhibition of human RyR2 channels requires phosphorylation of RyR2-S2808 or RyR2-S2814
Walweel, Kafa, Gomez-Hurtado, Nieves, Rebbeck, Robyn T., Oo, Ye Wint, Beard, Nicole A., Molenaar, Peter, dos Remedios, Cris, van Helden, Dirk F., Cornea, Razvan L., Knollmann, Björn C. and Laver, Derek R. (2019). Calmodulin inhibition of human RyR2 channels requires phosphorylation of RyR2-S2808 or RyR2-S2814. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 130, 96-106. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2019.03.018
2017
Journal Article
Calmodulin mutants linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia fail to inhibit human RyR2 channels
Walweel, Kafa, Gomez-Hurtado, Nieves, Oo, Ye Wint, Beard, Nicole A., dos Remedios, Cris, Johnson, Christopher N., Chazin, Walter J., van Helden, Dirk F., Knollmann, Björn C. and Laver, Derek R. (2017). Calmodulin mutants linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia fail to inhibit human RyR2 channels. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 70 (1), 115-117. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.04.055
2017
Journal Article
Ryanodine receptor modification and regulation by intracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ in healthy and failing human hearts
Walweel, K., Molenaar, P., Imtiaz, M. S., Denniss, A., dos Remedios, C., van Helden, D. F., Dulhunty, A. F., Laver, D. R. and Beard, N. A. (2017). Ryanodine receptor modification and regulation by intracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ in healthy and failing human hearts. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 104, 53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2017.01.016
2016
Journal Article
The emerging role of calmodulin regulation of RyR2 in controlling heart rhythm, the progression of heart failure and the antiarrhythmic action of dantrolene
Walweel, Kafa, Oo, Ye Win and Laver, Derek R. (2016). The emerging role of calmodulin regulation of RyR2 in controlling heart rhythm, the progression of heart failure and the antiarrhythmic action of dantrolene. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 44 (1), 135-142. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.12669
2015
Journal Article
Essential role of calmodulin in RyR inhibition by dantrolene
Oo, Ye Win, Gomez-Hurtado, Nieves, Walweel, Kafa, van Helden, Dirk F., Imtiaz, Mohammad S., Knollmann, Bjorn C. and Laver, Derek R. (2015). Essential role of calmodulin in RyR inhibition by dantrolene. Molecular Pharmacology, 88 (1), 57-63. doi: 10.1124/mol.115.097691
2014
Journal Article
Mechanisms of SR calcium release in healthy and failing human hearts
Walweel, K. and Laver, D. R. (2014). Mechanisms of SR calcium release in healthy and failing human hearts. Biophysical Reviews, 7 (1), 33-41. doi: 10.1007/s12551-014-0152-4
2014
Journal Article
Differences in the regulation of RyR2 from human, sheep, and rat by Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the cytoplasm and in the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum
Walweel, Kafa, Li, Jiao, Molenaar, Peter, Imtiaz, Mohammad S., Quail, Anthony, dos Remedios, Cris G., Beard, Nicole A., Dulhunty, Angela F., van Helden, Dirk F. and Laver, Derek R. (2014). Differences in the regulation of RyR2 from human, sheep, and rat by Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the cytoplasm and in the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Journal of General Physiology, 144 (3), 263-271. doi: 10.1085/jgp.201311157
2014
Journal Article
Divergent regulation of ryanodine receptor 2 calcium release channels by arrhythmogenic human calmodulin missense mutants
Hwang, Hyun Seok, Nitu, Florentin R., Yang, Yi, Walweel, Kafa, Pereira, Laetitia, Johnson, Christopher N., Faggioni, Michela, Chazin, Walter J., Laver, Derek, George, Alfred L., Cornea, Razvan L., Bers, Donald M. and Knollmann, Björn C. (2014). Divergent regulation of ryanodine receptor 2 calcium release channels by arrhythmogenic human calmodulin missense mutants. Circulation Research, 114 (7), 1114-1124. doi: 10.1161/circresaha.114.303391
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Kafa Walweel is:
- Available for supervision
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