I am a scientific researcher. Nice to virtually meet you.
The curiosity about how living organisms work and what happens when the living system fails, especially our body, led me to study for a PhD. in Biomedical Sciences. This scientific area integrates knowledge about life and cutting-edge technologies.
I have developed my scientific research in different locations, including research Institutes located in Universities such as UNAM and KAUST, in the Research’s Department of Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Sanford Consortium of Medicine Regenerative, and Salk Institute.
I have developed my scientific research in different locations, including research Institutes located in Universities such as UNAM and KAUST, in the Research’s Department of Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Sanford Consortium of Medicine Regenerative, and Salk Institute.
PUBLICATIONS
1. Reddy P, Shao Y, Hernandez-Benitez R, Nuñez Delicado E, and Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2020. First progeria monkey model generated using base editor. Protein Cell 11, 862–865.
2. Martinez-Redondo P, Guillen-Guillen I, Davidsohn N, Wang C, Prieto J, Kurita M, Hatanaka F, Zhong C, Hernandez-Benitez R, Hishida T, Lezaki T, Sakamoto A, Nemeth AN, Hishida Y, Esteban CR, Shojima K, Huang L, Shokhirev M, Nuñez-Delicado E, Campistol JM, Guillen-Vicente I, Rodriguez-Iñigo E, Lopez-Alcorocho JM, Guillen-Vicente M, Church G, Reddy P, Guillen-Garcia P, Liu GH, Belmonte JCI. 2020. ΑKLOTHO and STGFβR2 Treatment Counteract the Osteoarthritic Phenotype Developed in a Rat Model. Protein Cell 11(3):219-226.
3. Suzuki K, Yamamoto M, Hernandez-Benitez R, Li Z, Wei C, Soligalla RD, Aizawa E, Hatanaka F, Kurita M, Reddy P, Ocampo A, Hishida T, Sakurai M, Nemeth AN, Nuñez Delicado E, Campistol JM, Magistretti P, Guillen P, Rodriguez Esteban C, Gong J, Yuan Y, Gu Y, Liu GH, López-Otín C, Wu J, Zhang K, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2019. Precise in vivo genome editing via single homology arm donor mediated intron-targeting gene integration for genetic disease correction. Cell Res. 29(10):804-819.
4. Beyret E, Liao HK, Yamamoto M, Hernández-Benítez R, Fu Y, Erikson G, Reddy P, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2019. Single-dose CRISPR-Cas9 therapy extends lifespan of mice with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Nat Med. 25(3):419-422.
5. Kurita M, Araoka T, Hishida T, O'Keefe DD, Takahashi Y, Sakamoto A, Sakurai M, Suzuki K, Wu J, Yamamoto M, Hernández-Benítez R, Ocampo A, Reddy P, Shokhirev MN, Magistretti P, Núñez Delicado E, Eto H, Harii K, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2018. In vivo reprogramming of wound-resident cells generates skin epithelial tissue. Nature 561(7722):243-247.
6. Hernández-Benítez R, Martinez-Martinez ML, Lajara J, Magistretti P, Montserrat N, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2018. At the Heart of Genome Editing and Cardiovascular Diseases. Circ Res. 123(2):221-223.
7. Li M, Suzuki K, Zhou X, Yamauchi T, Moresco JJ, Dunn S, Hernandez-Benitez R, Hishida T, Kim NY, Andijani MM, et al. 2018. Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Regulates Nuclear Organization, Alternative Splicing and Cell Proliferation. Available at SSRN:3304823 or doi.org: 10.2139/ssrn.3304823.
8. Takahashi Y, Wu J, Suzuki K, Martinez-Redondo P, Li M, Liao HK, Wu MZ, Hernández-Benítez R, Hishida T, Shokhirev MN, Esteban CR, Sancho-Martinez I, and Belmonte JC. 2017. Integration of CpG-free DNA induces de novo methylation of CpG islands in pluripotent stem cells. Science 356 (6337):503-508.
9. Suzuki K*, Tsunekawa Y*, Hernández-Benítez R*, Wu J*, Zhu J, Kim JE, Hatanaka F, Yamamoto M, Araoka T, Li Z, Kurita M, Hishida T, Li M, Aizawa E, Guo S, Chen S, Goebl A, Soligalla RD, Qu J, T. Jiang, X. Fu, M. Jafari, C. R. Esteban, W. T. Berggren, J. Lajara, E. Nunez-Delicado, P. Guillen, Campistol JM, Matsuzaki F, Liu GH, Magistretti P, Zhang K, Callaway EM, Zhang K, and Belmonte JC. 2016. In vivo genome editing via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated homology-independent targeted integration. Nature 540 (7631):144-149. * Authors contributed equally.
10. Pasantes-Morales H, Ramos-Mandujano G, Hernández-Benítez R. 2015. Taurine enhances proliferation and promotes neuronal specification of murine and human neural stem/progenitor cells. Adv Exp Med Biol. 803:457-72.
11. Ramos-Mandujano G*, Hernández-Benítez R*, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Multiple mechanisms mediate the taurine-induced proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells from the subventricular zone of the adult mouse. Stem Cell Research 9(1):24-34. * Authors contributed equally.
12. Pérez-Domínguez M, Hernández-Benítez R, Peña-Segura C, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Thrombin-facilitated efflux of glutamate from cultured astrocytes and neurons under hyponatremia and chemical ischemia. Cell Physiol Biochem 34(6):2038-2048.
13. Hernández-Benítez R, Sedeño-Cortés A, Ramos-Mandujano G, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Regulatory volume decrease in neural precursor cells: taurine efflux and gene microarray analysis. Cell Physiol Biochem. 34(6):2038-48.
14. Hernández-Benítez R, Vangipuram SD, Ramos-Mandujano G, Lymann W, Pasantes-Morales H. 2013. Taurine enhances the growth of fetal human brain derived neural precursors and promotes neuronal specification. Dev Neurosci. 35(1):40-49.
15. Hernández-Benítez R, Ramos-Mandujano G, Pasantes-Morales H. 2012. Taurine stimulates proliferation and promotes neurogenesis of mouse adult cultured neural stem/progenitor cells. Stem Cell Res. 9(1):24-34.
16. Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H, Pinzón-Estrada E, Ramos-Mandujano G. 2010. Functional expression and subcellular localization of the taurine transporter TauT in murine neural precursors. Dev Neurosci. 32(4):321-8.
17. Pasantes-Morales H, Hernández-Benítez R. 2010. Taurine and Brain Development: Trophic or Cytoprotective Actions? Neurochem Res. 35(12):1939-43.
18. Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H, Saldaña IT, Ramos-Mandujano G. 2010. Taurine stimulates proliferation of mice embryonic cultured neural progenitor cells. J Neurosci Res. 88(8):1673-81.
19. Vázquez-Juárez E, Hernández-Benítez R, López-Domínguez A, Pasantes-Morales H. 2009. Thrombin potentiates D-aspartate efflux from cultured astrocytes under conditions of K+ homeostasis disruption. J Neurochem. 111(6):1398-408.
20. Cruz-Rangel S, Hernández-Benítez R, Vázquez-Juárez E, López-Dominguez A, Pasantes-Morales H. 2008. Potentiation by thrombin of hyposmotic glutamate and taurine efflux from cultured astrocytes: signaling chains. Neurochem Res. 33(8):1518-24.
21. Vázquez-Juárez E, Ramos-Mandujano G, Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H. 2008. On the role of G-protein coupled receptors in cell volume regulation. Cell Physiol Biochem. 21(1-3):1-14.
22. Ramos-Mandujano G, Vázquez-Juárez E, Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H. 2007. Thrombin potently enhances swelling-sensitive glutamate efflux from cultured astrocytes. Glia. 55(9):917-25.
23. Hernández-Benítez R, Cano-Santana Z, and Castellanos-Vargas I. 2005. Incidencia de infestación de Arceuthobium globosum grandicaule (Hawks. y Wiens) en Pinus hartwegii (Lindl.). Ciencia Forestal en México. 30:79-86.
24. Hernández-Benítez R. 2003. Universo sin Límites. ¿Cómo ves? Revista de divulgación científica de la UNAM Edición julio, No. 56.
2. Martinez-Redondo P, Guillen-Guillen I, Davidsohn N, Wang C, Prieto J, Kurita M, Hatanaka F, Zhong C, Hernandez-Benitez R, Hishida T, Lezaki T, Sakamoto A, Nemeth AN, Hishida Y, Esteban CR, Shojima K, Huang L, Shokhirev M, Nuñez-Delicado E, Campistol JM, Guillen-Vicente I, Rodriguez-Iñigo E, Lopez-Alcorocho JM, Guillen-Vicente M, Church G, Reddy P, Guillen-Garcia P, Liu GH, Belmonte JCI. 2020. ΑKLOTHO and STGFβR2 Treatment Counteract the Osteoarthritic Phenotype Developed in a Rat Model. Protein Cell 11(3):219-226.
3. Suzuki K, Yamamoto M, Hernandez-Benitez R, Li Z, Wei C, Soligalla RD, Aizawa E, Hatanaka F, Kurita M, Reddy P, Ocampo A, Hishida T, Sakurai M, Nemeth AN, Nuñez Delicado E, Campistol JM, Magistretti P, Guillen P, Rodriguez Esteban C, Gong J, Yuan Y, Gu Y, Liu GH, López-Otín C, Wu J, Zhang K, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2019. Precise in vivo genome editing via single homology arm donor mediated intron-targeting gene integration for genetic disease correction. Cell Res. 29(10):804-819.
4. Beyret E, Liao HK, Yamamoto M, Hernández-Benítez R, Fu Y, Erikson G, Reddy P, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2019. Single-dose CRISPR-Cas9 therapy extends lifespan of mice with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. Nat Med. 25(3):419-422.
5. Kurita M, Araoka T, Hishida T, O'Keefe DD, Takahashi Y, Sakamoto A, Sakurai M, Suzuki K, Wu J, Yamamoto M, Hernández-Benítez R, Ocampo A, Reddy P, Shokhirev MN, Magistretti P, Núñez Delicado E, Eto H, Harii K, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2018. In vivo reprogramming of wound-resident cells generates skin epithelial tissue. Nature 561(7722):243-247.
6. Hernández-Benítez R, Martinez-Martinez ML, Lajara J, Magistretti P, Montserrat N, Izpisua Belmonte JC. 2018. At the Heart of Genome Editing and Cardiovascular Diseases. Circ Res. 123(2):221-223.
7. Li M, Suzuki K, Zhou X, Yamauchi T, Moresco JJ, Dunn S, Hernandez-Benitez R, Hishida T, Kim NY, Andijani MM, et al. 2018. Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein Regulates Nuclear Organization, Alternative Splicing and Cell Proliferation. Available at SSRN:3304823 or doi.org: 10.2139/ssrn.3304823.
8. Takahashi Y, Wu J, Suzuki K, Martinez-Redondo P, Li M, Liao HK, Wu MZ, Hernández-Benítez R, Hishida T, Shokhirev MN, Esteban CR, Sancho-Martinez I, and Belmonte JC. 2017. Integration of CpG-free DNA induces de novo methylation of CpG islands in pluripotent stem cells. Science 356 (6337):503-508.
9. Suzuki K*, Tsunekawa Y*, Hernández-Benítez R*, Wu J*, Zhu J, Kim JE, Hatanaka F, Yamamoto M, Araoka T, Li Z, Kurita M, Hishida T, Li M, Aizawa E, Guo S, Chen S, Goebl A, Soligalla RD, Qu J, T. Jiang, X. Fu, M. Jafari, C. R. Esteban, W. T. Berggren, J. Lajara, E. Nunez-Delicado, P. Guillen, Campistol JM, Matsuzaki F, Liu GH, Magistretti P, Zhang K, Callaway EM, Zhang K, and Belmonte JC. 2016. In vivo genome editing via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated homology-independent targeted integration. Nature 540 (7631):144-149. * Authors contributed equally.
10. Pasantes-Morales H, Ramos-Mandujano G, Hernández-Benítez R. 2015. Taurine enhances proliferation and promotes neuronal specification of murine and human neural stem/progenitor cells. Adv Exp Med Biol. 803:457-72.
11. Ramos-Mandujano G*, Hernández-Benítez R*, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Multiple mechanisms mediate the taurine-induced proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells from the subventricular zone of the adult mouse. Stem Cell Research 9(1):24-34. * Authors contributed equally.
12. Pérez-Domínguez M, Hernández-Benítez R, Peña-Segura C, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Thrombin-facilitated efflux of glutamate from cultured astrocytes and neurons under hyponatremia and chemical ischemia. Cell Physiol Biochem 34(6):2038-2048.
13. Hernández-Benítez R, Sedeño-Cortés A, Ramos-Mandujano G, Pasantes-Morales H. 2014. Regulatory volume decrease in neural precursor cells: taurine efflux and gene microarray analysis. Cell Physiol Biochem. 34(6):2038-48.
14. Hernández-Benítez R, Vangipuram SD, Ramos-Mandujano G, Lymann W, Pasantes-Morales H. 2013. Taurine enhances the growth of fetal human brain derived neural precursors and promotes neuronal specification. Dev Neurosci. 35(1):40-49.
15. Hernández-Benítez R, Ramos-Mandujano G, Pasantes-Morales H. 2012. Taurine stimulates proliferation and promotes neurogenesis of mouse adult cultured neural stem/progenitor cells. Stem Cell Res. 9(1):24-34.
16. Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H, Pinzón-Estrada E, Ramos-Mandujano G. 2010. Functional expression and subcellular localization of the taurine transporter TauT in murine neural precursors. Dev Neurosci. 32(4):321-8.
17. Pasantes-Morales H, Hernández-Benítez R. 2010. Taurine and Brain Development: Trophic or Cytoprotective Actions? Neurochem Res. 35(12):1939-43.
18. Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H, Saldaña IT, Ramos-Mandujano G. 2010. Taurine stimulates proliferation of mice embryonic cultured neural progenitor cells. J Neurosci Res. 88(8):1673-81.
19. Vázquez-Juárez E, Hernández-Benítez R, López-Domínguez A, Pasantes-Morales H. 2009. Thrombin potentiates D-aspartate efflux from cultured astrocytes under conditions of K+ homeostasis disruption. J Neurochem. 111(6):1398-408.
20. Cruz-Rangel S, Hernández-Benítez R, Vázquez-Juárez E, López-Dominguez A, Pasantes-Morales H. 2008. Potentiation by thrombin of hyposmotic glutamate and taurine efflux from cultured astrocytes: signaling chains. Neurochem Res. 33(8):1518-24.
21. Vázquez-Juárez E, Ramos-Mandujano G, Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H. 2008. On the role of G-protein coupled receptors in cell volume regulation. Cell Physiol Biochem. 21(1-3):1-14.
22. Ramos-Mandujano G, Vázquez-Juárez E, Hernández-Benítez R, Pasantes-Morales H. 2007. Thrombin potently enhances swelling-sensitive glutamate efflux from cultured astrocytes. Glia. 55(9):917-25.
23. Hernández-Benítez R, Cano-Santana Z, and Castellanos-Vargas I. 2005. Incidencia de infestación de Arceuthobium globosum grandicaule (Hawks. y Wiens) en Pinus hartwegii (Lindl.). Ciencia Forestal en México. 30:79-86.
24. Hernández-Benítez R. 2003. Universo sin Límites. ¿Cómo ves? Revista de divulgación científica de la UNAM Edición julio, No. 56.
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Empowering ladies into STEM !
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic areas need more women as leaders!
Women continue to be underrepresented in the science sector. Some people (women and men) claim that this is because of women’s priorities. Let’s think about it. I am a woman that started in the science pathway in 2014. Starting my studies in the Faculty of Sciences, my expectations were high. Still, they were not only my ambitions but also the ambitions of a big group of amazing young women around me. I admired all the feminine brains, their comments, and thoughts about science. I was sure that all of them were talented enough to get to the top of the ladder in the coming years. At that stage, I recalled the classroom dominated by around 60% women (some courses like biology didactics even reached an astonishing 80% in the ratio of women/men). As the years advanced, I noticed the desertion of my lady friends; the given reasons were diverse. After three years, I noticed the balance was changed half and half (in the best scenario). Then, from those women who culminate all the credits, I know very few who accomplished getting a physical paper stating the Degree as Biologist.
I had the fortune to know, early on in my career, my role model of woman-scientist Dr. Herminia Pasantes-Ordonez. She became my advisor for my degree thesis, but she did more than that. She became a model that unconsciously told my mind that being a scientist is possible, and it can be perfectly balanced with being a woman. Naturally, then, I did not hesitate to go for my Ph.D. Being in Dr. Pasantes’ Lab surrounded by several intelligent women just enforced my vision of this possibility. But the Ph.D. finished, and that Lab moved mainly for women, blinded me -for a time- of the shocking reality.
When I confronted the postdoctoral environment, suddenly, I was at a table sitting, chatting, and sharing ideas with brilliant men… but wait a minute! Now, women, we were close to 15% only, maybe less. But this was not an issue only of where I was; it was a general observation worldwide. Moreover, the top-scientific journals were showing trends of the publications from teams formed and led by men. Then, I talked with some of my women friends. I asked what happened? Some of them told me that the biological clock was ticking. They decided to become mothers and take care of the family. Of course, that is marvelous! -I replied- but it is possible to still get your career and home, just as men do, just as Dr. Pasantes did it (and in an era quite different from the actual). At that moment, I realized, it was the absence of role models that tell you and teach you how to do it. The absence of appropriate role models not only influences us as women but 'they' as men. We women need to take action to make a difference.