Dr Guerchicoff devoted her research to the genetic basic and molecular mechanisms of heart rhythm disorders.

She is a Research Scientist at the Molecular Genetic Program for the mutational screening analysis of ion channel genes, through DNA sequence and genotyping, in patient with Long QT, Brugada, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This program is in collaboration with local and international Hospitals for acquired and congenital Long QT, Short QT, Brugada Syndrome, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and atrial fibrillation.

Dr. Guerchicoff is the Team leader of the Molecular Biology Program. The major focus of this program is to identify at the genetic level the various heterogeneities that the Laboratory's Experimental Cardiology group and Molecular Genetic group have previously described at the electrical and genetic level. Such heterogeneities form the basis for many of the waves seen in the electrocardiogram and their accentuation during a heart attack or other insult to the heart is often responsible for the development of abnormal cardiac rhythms, including sudden death. Understanding these distinction at the genetic level holds the key to our ability to develop new therapies and cures for many of the diseases of the heart that are the result of electrical problems.

PCR-sequence, genotyping, quantitative real-time PCR, Microarray technology, protein purification and analysis. RNAi, cloning and mutagenesis of ion channels for expression and electrophysiological studies. Primary and cell line culture, transfection. Adenovirus technology for gene therapy.

Brugada R, Hong K, Dumaine R, Cordeiro J, Gaita F, Borgreffe M, Menendez TM, Brugada J, Pollevick G, Wolpert C, Burashnikov E, Matsuo K, Wu YS, Guerchicoff Alejandra, Bianchi F, Giustetto C, Schimpf R, Brugada P, Antzelevitch C. Sudden death associated with short-QT syndrome linked to mutations in HERG. Circulation. 2004 Jan 6; 109(1): 30-5.
PubMed ID: 14676148

Hong K, Brugada J, Oliva A, Berruzo-Sanchez A, Potenza D, Pollevick GD, Guerchicoff A, Matsuo K, Burashnikov E, Dumaine R, Towbin J, Nesterenko V, Brugada P, Antzelevitch C, Brugada R Value of electrocardiographic parameters and ajmaline test in the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome caused by SCN5A mutations.. Circulation. 2004 Nov 9; 110(19): 3023-7.
PubMed ID: 15520322

Kui Hong, Alejandra Guerchicoff, Guido D. Pollevick, Antonio Oliva, Robert Dumaine, Mark de Zutter, Elena Burashnikov, Yue Sheng Wu, Josep Brugada, Pedro Brugada and Ramon Brugada.Cryptic 5' Splice-site Activation in SCN5A Associated with Brugada Syndrome. J Mol Cell Cardiol. (2005) vol. 38, 555-560.
PubMed ID: 15808832

Danny L. Costantini, Eric P. Arruda, Pooja Agarwa, Kyoung-Han Kim, Yonghong Zhu,Wei Zhu, Melanie Lebe, Chi Wa Cheng,, Chong Y. Park, Stephanie A. Pierce, Alejandra Guerchicoff, Guido Pollevick, Toby Y. Chan, M. Golam Kabir, Shuk Han Cheng, Mansoor Husain Charles Antzelevitch, Deepak Srivastava, Gil J. Gross, Chi-chung Hui, Peter H. Backx, and Benoit G. Bruneau. The homeodomain transcription factor Irx5 establishes the mouse cardiac ventricular repolarization gradient. Cell (2005) vol 123, 347-358 .
PubMed ID: 16239150

Fabiana S. Scornik, Mayurika Desai, Ramon Brugada, Alejandra Guerchicoff, Guido D. Pollevick, Charles Antzelevitch and Guillermo J. Perez. Functional expression of the "cardiac type" Nav1.5 sodium channel in canine intracardiac ganglia. Heart Rhythm, in press 2006.