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Education

Ph.D.  Molecular Biology, University of Crete, 1997
B.S.  Biology, University of Athens, 1993

Postdoctoral Fellowship
Cancer genetics, Harvard University, 2000-2003
Tumor Biology, Tulane University, 1998-2000

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Research Interests

Context specificity and carcinogenesis
Our laboratory is interested on how context specificity affects the kinetic profile, the morphology and the properties of malignant tumors. We are particularly intrigued by the fact that the same type of cancer cells can develop into tumors of distinct properties, metastatic activity and sensitivity to therapy depending on the microenvironment. Based on this notion we believe that appropriate manipulation of tumor stroma may provide the basis for the development of novel cancer therapeutics.

ER stress
Over the last few years we have developed an increasing interest in the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in various conditions and especially in diabetes. We are especially interested to understand how ER stress progresses from its adaptive (pro-survival) activity into its pro-apoptotic function. We believe that interference with the efficiency by which ER stress becomes pro-apoptotic may have significant therapeutic implications. Furthermore, it illuminates basic aspects of β cell biology with implications in a variety of pathological conditions.

Research Topics

Publications

Kiaris H. & Chatzistamou I., Tumor growth inhibition by agonists of growth hormone – releasing hormone. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Nov 20;115(47):11876-11878. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1817342115.

Kiaris H., Support for Living Stock Collections: A Mammalian Stock Center Perspective. Trends Genet. 2018 Dec 23. pii: S0168-9525(18)30207-5. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2018.12.001

Farmaki E., Kaza, V., Chatzistamou I., Kiaris H., CCL8 promotes postpartum breast cancer by recruiting M2 macrophages. iScience 2020 Jun 1;23(6):101217.  doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101217.

Naderi A., Soltanmaohammadi E., Kaza V., Barlow S., Chatzistamou I., Kiaris H., Persistent effects of pair bonding in lung cancer cell growth in monogamous Peromyscus californicus. Elife. 2021 May 7;10:e64711. doi: 10.7554/eLife.64711. PMID: 33960931.

Zhang Y., Chatzistamou I., Kiaris H., Transcriptomic coordination at hepatic steatosis indicates robust immune cell engagement prior to inflammation. BMC Genomics 22, 454 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-021-07784-y

Horvath S., Haghani A., Zoller J.A., Naderi A., Soltanmohammadi E., Farmaki E., Kaza V, Chatzistamou I., Kiaris H., Methylation studies in Peromyscus: aging, altitude adaptation, and monogamy. GeroScience 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00472-5

Kiaris H., Nontraditional models as research tools: The road not taken. Trends in Molecular Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2024.07.005. 2024.

Kiaris H., Biology as a construct: Universals, historicity, and the postmodern nature of biological sciences. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. 67 (3):337-347, 2024.

See more

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