Jessica Múnera Jaramillo

Curriculum Vitae

Education and Training

• 2024-Present
  Doctoral Programme,  RTG “Photopolarizable Interfaces and membranes”, Friedrich Schiller University Jena & University Hospital Jena, Germany | Ph.D. Project: Light-switchable rectification of biological membranes (Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Indra Schröder)
• 2022-2024
  Master in Chemical Sciences, University of Antioquia, Colombia | MSc thesis: Evaluation of the regulatory effect of Staphyloxanthin on biophysical properties of representative models of Staphylococcus aureus cell membranes and its influence in the antimicrobial peptides activity (Supervisor: Marcela Manrique-Moreno, PhD.)
• 2014-2021
  Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, University of Antioquia, Colombia | BSc thesis: Evaluation of carotenoids effect on biophysical and thermotropic properties of representative models of Staphylococcus aureus membranes (Supervisor:Marcela Manrique-Moreno, PhD.)

Professonell Experience

• 09/2024-10/2024
  Laboratory Teacher of general chemistry and organic chemistry for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia | Boss: Jhon Jairo Fernandez, PhD.
• 02/2024-06/ 2024
  Laboratory Teacher of general chemistry and organic chemistry for the Engineering Faculty, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia | Boss: Jhon Jairo Fernandez, PhD.
  03/2021-10/2023
  MSc student-researcher, Colombian Ministry of Science Technology e Innovation, Medellín, Colombia | Project: Snake derived peptides as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of breast cancer | Boss: Marcela Manrique-Moreno, PhD.
  04/2021-10/2021
  Young researcher, Vice-rector of Research, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia | Research group: Structural biochemistry of macromolecules (COL0156275) | Boss: Marcela Manrique-Moreno, PhD.
• 04/2020-03/2021
  Young researcher, Colombian Ministry of Science Technology e Innovation, Medellín, Colombia | Project: Development of new peptides derived from crotalicidin as potential antimicrobial agents for the treatment of clinical isolates from antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus | Boss: Marcela Manrique-Moreno, PhD.
• 05/2019-02/2020
  Student Laboratory Assistant, Chemistry Institute, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia | Boss: Isabel Urrego Vanegas
• 2018-2019
  Undergraduate student in training, Colombian Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, Medellín, Colombia | Project: Experimental and computational characterization of hybrid systems of metal- carbon nanotube (MNCT) with potential application in biomedical and electromagnetic systems COD | Boss: Jaime Gallego Marin, PhD.

Research Internships

• 09/2023-10/ 2023
  Intern, Physics Department, University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia | Training to prepare bacterial cells to perform assays using fluorescence microscopy and evaluation of antimicrobial peptide activity | Host: Chad Leidy, PhD.
• 02/2023-03/ 2023
  Intern, Physics department, University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia | Optimization and preparation of synthetic systems of Staphylococcus aureus cell membranes to perform calcein leakage assays | Host: Chad Leidy, PhD.
• November 2022
  Intern, Physics Department, University of the Andes, Bogotá, Colombia | Fluorescence spectroscopy assays using fluorescent probes (DPH and Laurdan) in lipid representative systems of Staphylococcus aureus cell membranes |Host: Chad Leidy, PhD 

Academic Awards 

• Honors, Undergraduate in Chemistry. December 2021. University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
• Sapiencia Fund Beneficiary, Extending Educational Frontiers 2022-2. Mayor's Office of Medellín, Medellín, Colombia.
• Student representative of the postgraduate course in chemical sciences. 2023. University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
• Excellent dissertation, Summa cum laude (master's thesis). 2024. University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.

PhD Project

Ion channels are integral membrane proteins allowing the selective passage of biologically relevant ions such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, and others¹. These systems are vital for physiological processes, including homeostasis, signal transmission, and cellular function². In general, many ion channels can be stimulated by inducing trans-membrane voltage changes; however, it has not been demonstrated that these membrane proteins directly respond to light stimulation, except for channelrhodopsins³, which can be found in algae and are related to the light-receptors in our retina, but not to mammalian ion channels⁴. The exploration of ion channels through light stimuli is an attractive and promising approach due to its potential applications in biophysics, biology, and medicine since it points to the development of precise and non-invasive tools for studying ion transport. This project’s main purpose is creating and characterizing a synthetic lipid membrane with light-tunable ion transport properties, particularly electrical rectification. 

To this end, we will employ various standard molecular biology methods, including site-directed mutagenesis, protein expression, and purification. These methods will create mutants of the miniature potassium ion (K+) channel protein KcvNTS; these proteins are stable and suitable for building robust model systems. The constructs will have the amino acid cysteine inserted into various positions in the channel protein, which will serve to covalently bind a photoswitch molecule. Light stimulation of the functionalized protein leads to conformational changes in the protein or induces pore occlusion. On the other hand, the electrical properties of functionalized channels will be characterized using electrophysiological protocols in which the systems will be into vertical lipid bilayers; in addition, horizontal free-standing bilayers in a fluorescence microscope will also be used to measure trans-membrane currents. Lastly, properties such as local changes in K+ concentrations and membrane channel distribution will be explored using high-resolution and fluorescence microscopy. 

References

• Roux, B. (2017). Ion channels and ion selectivity. Essays in biochemistry, 61(2), 201-209.
• Bezanilla, F. (2008). Ion channels: from conductance to structure. Neuron, 60(3), 456-468.
• Nagel, G., Ollig, D., Fuhrmann, M., Kateriya, S., Musti, A. M., Bamberg, E., & Hegemann, P. (2002). Channelrhodopsin-1: a light-gated proton channel in green algae. Science, 296(5577), 2395-2398.
• Kramer, R. H., Chambers, J. J., & Trauner, D. (2005). Photochemical tools for remote control of ion channels in excitable cells. Nature chemical biology, 1(7), 360-365.

Publications

• Múnera-Jaramillo, J., Tapia-P, J., Gallego, J., Santamaría, A. 
  “Effect of Structural Defects Induced in LaFeO3 and LaMnO3 Catalysts towards Total Oxidation of 2-Propanol”. In: Catalysis Letter, 2025, 155 (3): 109.
• Múnera-Jaramillo, J., López, G.D., Suesca, E., Carazzone, C., Leidy, C., Manrique-Moreno, M. 
  “The Role of Staphyloxanthin in the Regulation of Membrane Biophysical Properties in Staphylococcus aureus”. In: BBA-Biomembranes, 2024, 1866 (3): 184288,
• Calderón-Rivera, N., Múnera-Jaramillo, J., Jaramillo-Berrio, S., Suesca, E., Manrique-Moreno, M., Leidy, C. 
  “Cardiolipin Strongly Inhibits the Leakage Activity of the Short Antimicrobial Peptide ATRA-1 in Comparison to LL-37, in Model Membranes Mimicking the Lipid Composition of Staphylococcus aureus”. In: Membranes, 2023, 13(3): 304, doi.org/10.3390/membranes13030304  
• Manrique-Moreno, M., Jemioła-Rzemińska, M., Múnera-Jaramillo, J., López, G. D., Suesca, E., Leidy, C., Strzałka, K.
  “Staphylococcus aureus Carotenoids Modulate the Thermotropic Phase Behavior of Model Systems That Mimic Its Membrane Composition”. In: Membranes, 2022, 12(10): 945, doi.org/10.3390/membranes12100945
• Padilla, O., Múnera, J., Gallego, J., Santamaría, A.
  “Approach to the Characterization of Monolithic Catalysts Based on La Perovskite- like Oxides and Their Application for VOC Oxidation under Simulated Indoor Environment Conditions”. In: Catalysts ISSN: 2073-4344 ed: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDIP), 2022, 12 (2):168, doi.org/10.3390/catal12020168