Jin O-Uchi, MD, PhD, FAHA, FCVS
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiology

Contact Info
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiology
Faculty, PhD Program in Integrative Biology and Physiology
Medical School, Jikei University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan
Residency, Jikei University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan
Fellowship, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
PhD, Physiology, Jikei University School of Medicine Tokyo, Japan
Summary
Jin O-Uchi MD, PhD is Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division at the University of Minnesota. Dr. O-Uchi received the MD and PhD degree from Jikei University School of Medicine in Japan. He did a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Rochester and worked as an Instructor and a Research Assistant Professor at Thomas Jefferson University. Prior to his position with the U of MN, , he was at Cardiovascular Research Center at Brown University and Rhode island Hospital as an Assistant Professor of Medicine. His research potential has been recognized at a national level by grant awards from NIH/NHLBI, NIH/NIGMS, American Heart Association (AHA) and American Physiological Society (APS). He serves on several editorial boards for publications including Frontiers in Physiology; Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine; Frontiers in Genetics; Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology; World Journal of Cardiology; Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research; and JSM Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. O-Uchi is a Fellow of Cardiovascular Section of American Physiological Society (FCVS), and a Trustee (elected) of Japanese Physiological Society (JPS). He is a member of the and the American Heart Association (AHA), International Society for Heart Research (ISHR), American Physiological Society (APS), Biophysical Society (BPS), and Cardiac Muscle Society, among others. His research interests include cardiac excitation-contarction/metabolism coupling, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, cardiac channelopathies, and cardiac mitochondrial biology.
Expertise
- Cardiac Electrophysiology
- Excitation-contarction/metabolism coupling
- Heart Failure
- Sudden Cardiac DeathChannelopathies
- Mitochondrial Biology.
Awards & Recognition
Professional Associations
Research
Research Summary/Interests
- Arrhythmia
- Heart Failure
- Adrenergic Signaling
- Ion Channels
- Mitochondria
Research Funding Grants
- IEM COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant
"Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Viroporins for Protecting COVID-19 Patients with Pre-Existing Hypertension from Sudden Cardiac Death"The goal of this pilot project is to test the efficacy of a clinically approved potassium channel blocker 4-Aminopyridine for preventing sudden cardiac death in COVID-19 with pre-existing hypertension - Office of Academic Clinical Affairs (OACA) COVID-19 Response Grant
"Magnesium supplementation for preventing sudden cardiac death by COVID-19 viroporins in patients with pre-existing hypertension"
The goal of this pilot project is to test the efficacy of clinically approved magnesium (Mg) supplementation for preventing sudden cardiac death in COVID-19 with pre-existing hypertension. - NIH/NHLBI R01HL148727 Choudhary (PI), O-uchi (Subaward PI)
“Role of Endothelial Anoctamin-1 in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension”
The major goal of this project is to clarify the role of novel mitochondrial Cl -channel Anoctamin-1 in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension. - NIH/NHLBI R01HL135236 Clements (PI), O-Uchi (Subaward PI)
“Surgical Cardioprotection Through BKCa-Dependent Modulation of Mitochondrial Supercomplexes”
The major goal of this project is to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying mitochondrial BK channel-mediated regulation of supercomplex formation in mitochondrial electron transport chain and its contribution for the surgical cardioprotection in vivo. - NIH/NHLBI R01HL142588 Terentyev (PI), O-Uchi (Subaward PI)
“Novel Mechanisms of Regulation of SK channels: Implications for Cardiac Arrhythmia”
The major goal of this project is to clarify the regulatory mechanism for mitochondrial SK and its contribution for the cardiac arrhythmia in heart failure. - IEM Group Program Grant Talkachova, O-Uchi, Dudley (M-PIs)
“Cardiac working Group targeting multi-scale mechanisms of arrhythmia”
This project is to establish a strong multidisciplinary research team within our institution, that will be able to investigate the novel mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias in the heart at all levels including molecular, cellular, tissue/organ, and in vivo scale. - APS Hearst Undergraduate Summer Research Fellows Tsobze (PI), O-Uchi (sponsor)
“Role of Mitochondrial Proline rich Tyrosine Kinase 2 (PyK2) inhibitory peptide in modulating Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload”
This project is to test the effect of mitochondrial matrix targeted Pyk2 inhibitory peptide on mitochondrial Ca2+ handing and ROS generation using cell culture system. - VA BLR&D CX001892 MERIT REVIEW Choudhary (PI), O-Uchi (Co-I)
“Role of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Supercomplexes in Exercise Intolerance”
The major goal of this project is to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying supercomplex formation in mitochondrial electron transport chain in skeletal muscles and its contribution for the generation of the exercise Intolerance in pulmonary hypertension patients. - R01HL136757 O-Uchi (PI) “Regulation of mitochondrial calcium uniporter in the heart” This project is to elucidate the role of a newly identified short transcript variant of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU-S) in the regulation of cellular metabolism, mitochondrial Ca2+ handling, ROS production and apoptotic death in the heart. No scientific overlap with proposed project. Role: PI
- 16SDG27260248 AHA Scientist Development Grant (SDG) O-Uchi (PI) “Role of mitochondrial RyR1 in cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death” This project investigates the detailed mechanism underlying the generation of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in malignant hyperthermia (MH) using knock-in mice carrying a RyR1 mutation Y522S (YS mice) found in the human MH family. No scientific overlap with proposed project. Role: PI
- 2017 APS Shih-Chun Wang Young Investigator Award O-Uchi (PI) This Award is given annually to an individual demonstrating outstanding promise based on their research program in the physiological sciences. The award is designated for use in the Awardee's research program. No scientific overlap with proposed project. Role: PI
Publications
A complete list of publication can be found at NCBI
- O-Uchi J*#, Jhun BS*#, Adaniya SM, Mancini TJ, Landi AK, Cao JL, Xu X, Yoon Y, Choudhary G, Clements RT, Mende U, Sheu SS. Protein kinase D activation induces mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction in cardiomyocytes. J Physiol. 596(5):827-855, 2018. PMID: 29313986 (#Equal contribution) *Corresponding authors. [Cover Image]
- O-Uchi J*, Ryu SY, Jhun BS, Hurst S, Sheu SS. Mitochondrial Ion Channels/Transporters as Sensors and Regulators of Cellular Redox Signaling. Antioxid Redox Signal. 21(6):987-1006, 2014. PMID: 24180309. *Corresponding author.
- O-Uchi, J*, Jons, C*, Moss, AJ, Reumann, M, Rice, JJ., Goldenberg, I, Zareba, W, Wilde, AA, Shimizu, W, Kanters, JK, McNitt, S, Hofman, N, Robinson, JL, Lopes, CMB. (*Equal contribution).Use of Mutant-Specific Ion Channel Characteristics for Risk Stratification of Long QT Syndrome Patients. Science Translational Medicine. (2011)3(76):76ra28, 2011. [Cover Image] PMID: 21451124
- O-Uchi J*, Sasaki H, Morimoto S, Kusakari Y, Shinji H, Obata T, Hongo K, Komukai K, Kurihara S. Interaction of ?1-adrenoceptor subtypes with different G proteins induces opposite effects on cardiac L-type Ca2+ channel. Circ Res. 102:1378-1388, 2008.PMID: 18467629 *Corresponding author.
- O-Uchi J*, Komukai K, Kusakari Y, Obata T, Hongo K, Sasaki H, Kurihara S. ?1-Adrenoceptor stimulation potentiates L-type Ca2+ current through Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent PK II (CaMKII) activation in rat ventricular myocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(26):9400-9405, 2005. PMID: 15964981 *Corresponding author
Teaching
Teaching Areas
- Cardiac Muscle Physiology
- Cardiac Electrophysiology
- Mitochondrial Biology
Clinical
Board Certifications
- National Medical Board in Japan
Clinical Interests
Arrhythmia; Heart Failure