post doc at Harvard Medical School, Peru.
Dr. Ivan Hancco Zirena is a distinguished Peruvian physician and researcher specializing in clinical hematology, physiology, and high-altitude medicine. With a rich academic and clinical background spanning multiple continents, Dr. Hancco has carved a niche in understanding human adaptation to hypoxia and extreme environments. Currently serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, he contributes to groundbreaking studies on coagulation, red cell physiology, and novel antithrombotic agents.
Profile:
🎓 Educational Background:
Dr. Hancco earned his M.D. from the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano in Puno, Peru (2003), and later specialized in Hematology at Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima. He pursued advanced studies in France, completing a Master’s in Integrated Biology and Physiology at Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, followed by a Ph.D. in Physiology at Université Grenoble Alpes. His doctoral thesis investigated hematological responses in high-altitude populations living above 5,000 meters, under the supervision of Dr. Samuel Verges. He is currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School (2023–2025).
💼 Professional Experience:
Dr. Hancco brings extensive experience in both clinical and academic medicine. He has worked in emergency care, hematology units, and cardiovascular rehabilitation in Peru, France, and Spain. His research roles at Laboratoire HP2 (France) and currently at Harvard Medical School (USA) have sharpened his focus on high-impact clinical studies. Additionally, he has provided care to patients with benign and malignant hematologic diseases in military and public hospitals.
Research Interests:
Dr. Hancco’s primary research explores the physiological and hematological adaptations to hypoxia, chronic mountain sickness, erythrocytosis, and cardiovascular and thrombotic responses at high altitudes. His recent work delves into the role of thiol isomerases in hemostasis and thrombosis, with applications in vascular medicine and novel antithrombotic therapies. His interdisciplinary approach bridges physiology, hematology, environmental medicine, and cellular biology.
Teaching Experience:
A passionate educator, Dr. Hancco has taught hematology, physiology, and molecular biology at top Peruvian universities including Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Universidad Científica del Sur, and Universidad Nacional del Altiplano. He has led student research groups, facilitated international exchange programs, and integrated research into medical training. His teaching style fosters critical thinking, debate, and hands-on learning in laboratory and clinical environments.
Skills:
Dr. Hancco is skilled in a wide array of biomedical techniques including flow cytometry, cell culture, platelet aggregation, protein purification, magnetic cell levitation, cytokinesis analysis, microscopy, and complete blood count analysis. These tools have supported his innovative research in hypoxia and hemostasis.
🏅 Recognition and Impact:
Dr. Hancco’s research on chronic mountain sickness and thrombosis has global relevance, particularly for populations living in extreme altitudes. His findings contribute to improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for hematological disorders in both high- and low-altitude settings. His work has earned him collaboration with world-renowned institutions and recognition as a rising figure in global hematology and physiology.
Publications:
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Galloylated polyphenols represent a new class of antithrombotic agents with broad activity against thiol isomerases.
Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 2025.
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Cerebral blood flow in Andean children and adolescents living above 5,000 m.
Journal of Neurophysiology, 2025.
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Neurological manifestations associated with exercise at altitude.
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 2025.
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Pain perception threshold in young high-altitude natives after acute exposure to severe hypoxic conditions.
Oxygen (Basel), 2025.
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Micro- and macrovascular function in the highest city in the world: A cross-sectional study.
Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 2024.
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Performance in the six-minute walking test does not discriminate excessive erythrocytosis patients in a severe hypoxic environment.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2024.
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Expedition 5300: Limits of human adaptations in the highest city in the world.
Journal of Physiology, 2024.
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Cerebral homeostasis and orthostatic responses in residents of the highest city in the world.
Scientific Reports, 2024.
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Lower glycemia levels in subjects with excessive erythrocytosis during the oral glucose tolerance test living in conditions of severe hypoxia.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2024.
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Are coagulation profiles in Andean highlanders with excessive erythrocytosis favouring hypercoagulability?
Experimental Physiology, 2024.