Kyriaki Bakirtzi
Adjunct Lecturer, Biology
N/A
N/A
School of Medicine
Adjunct Faculty
Academic Qualifications
| Qualification | Year | Awarding Institution | Department | Thesis title (Optional Entry) |
| Ph.D. | 2010 | Boston University | Medicine | Characterization of glucose uptake in the cerebellum. |
| M.Sc. | 2000 | Brunel University of London | Immunology/Cancer Biology | The role of apolipoprotein E in Alzheimer’s Disease. |
| B.Sc. | 1999 | Royall Holloway University of London | Biology | The effect of nitric oxide on the permeability of nasal epithelial cells from healthy and asthmatic donors. |
Employment History
| Period of employment | Employer | Location | Position | |
| From | To | |||
| Jan 2021 | present | ELPEN Pharmaceutical Co | Pikermi, Attica | Scientific Director of the Experimental Educational and Research Center ELPEN. |
| Feb 2020 | present | Panhellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Industry | Neo Psychiko, Attica | Academic Program Coordinator for joint actions between the Hellenic University and the Panhellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Industry. |
| Mar 2017 | Jan 2020 | Pharmathen International Co | Sapes, Rodopi | Quality Assurance Officer |
Publications
| Year | Title | Other authors | Journal and Publisher / Conference | Vol. | Pages |
| 2019 | MiR-21 in Substance P-induced exosomes promotes cell proliferation and migration in human colonic epithelial cells. | Bakirtzi K, Law IKM, Fang K, Iliopoulos D, Pothoulakis C. | Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. | 317 | G802-G810 |
| 2019 | Toxin-induced VEGF-A and Vascular Response Contribute Substantially to the Pathogenesis of Clostridium difficile Infection. | Huang J, Bakirtzi K, Villafuerte Gálvez JA, Yang X, Xu H, Shields KS, Zhang Y, Goldsmith JD, Patel IJ, Hansen J, Huang M, Yla-Herttuala S, Moss AC, Pothoulakis C, Shah YM, Wang J, and Chen X | Nature Microbiology | 4 | 269-279 |
| 2016 | Cathelicidin suppresses lipid accumulation and hepatic steatosis by inhibition of the CD36 receptor. | Hoang-Yen Tran D, Hoang-Ngoc Tran D, Mattai SA, Sallam T, Ortiz C, Lee EC, Robbins L, Ho S, Lee JE, Fisseha E, Shieh C, Sideri A, Shih DQ, Fleshner P, McGovern DP, Vu M, Hing TC, Bakirtzi K, Cheng M, Su B, Law I, Karagiannides I, Targan SR, Gallo RL, Li Z, Koon HW | Int J of Obesity | 40 | 1424-34 |
| 2016 | Neurotensin promotes the development of colitis and intestinal angiogenesis via HIF-1α-miR-210 signaling. | Bakirtzi K, Law KM, Xue X, Iliopoulos D, Shah YM, and Pothoulakis C | J Immunol. | 196 | 4311-21 |
| 2015 | Identification of a novel substance P (SP)-neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) microRNA-221-5p inflammatory network in human colonic epithelial cells. | Fang K, Sideri A, Law IK, Bakirtzi K, Polytarchou C, Iliopoulos D, Pothoulakis C. | Cell Mol Gatroenterol Hepatol. | 1 | 503-515 |
| 2014 | The Neurotensin-HIF-1α-VEGFα axis orchestrates hypoxia, colonic inflammation and intestinal angiogenesis. | Bakirtzi K, West G, Fiocchi C, Law KM, Iliopoulos D, Pothoulakis C. | Am J Pathol. | 184 | 3405-14 |
| 2013 | Silence Please!: siRNA approaches to tighten the intestinal barrier in vivo. | Bakirtzi K, Hoffman JM, Pothoulakis C. | Am J Pathol. | 183 | 1700-2 |
| 2011 | Neurotensin Receptor 1-microRNA Networks Modulate Colon Cancer in Humans and Mice. | Bakirtzi K, Hatziapostolou M, Karagiannides I, Polytarchou C, Jaeger S, Iliopoulos D*, Pothoulakis C*. | Gastroenterology | 141 | 1749-61 |
| 2011 | Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor transactivation modulates the inflammatory and proliferative response of neurotensin in human colonic epithelial cells. | Bakirtzi K*, Zhao D*, Zhan Y, Zeng H, Koon HW, and Pothoulakis C. | JBC | 286 | 6092-9 |
| 2009 | Cerebellar neurons possess a vesicular compartment structurally and functionally similar to Glut4-storage vesicles from peripheral insulin-sensitive tissues. | Bakirtzi K, Belfort G, Lopez-Coviella I, Kuruppu D, Cao L, Abel DE, Brownell AL, Kandror KV. | J Neurosci. | 29 | 5193-201 |
Exhibitions
| Date | Topic | International / Local | Location* | Role in Exhibition |
| 2019 September 9-13 | 30th Annucal Conference of the European Society of Biomaterials "Investigating the Role of Exosomes in Modeled Osteoporosis". | International | Dresden, Germany, EU | co-PI |
| 2017 May 6-9 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW), Basic Science Plenary session. “Substance P-induced colonic epithelial cell-secreted Exosomes exacerbate Experimental Colitis and regulate Cell Proliferation and Migration via exosomal MiR-21.” | International | Chicago, IL, USA | Key Note Plenary Session Speaker (highest scoring scientific work for DDW 2017) |
| 2016 May 21-24 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW) “Identification and characterization of colonic-exosomes: micro-RNA mediated horizontal gene transfer within the colonic epithelia in vitro and in vivo.” | International | San Diego, CA, USA | Speaker |
| 2015 May 16-19 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW) “Identification and characterization of IBD associated exosomal miRNAs: horizontal gene transfer in the pathophysiology of intestinal inflammation.” | International | Washington, DC, USA | Poster Presentation |
| 2014 October 11 | Department of Medicine Research Day (DOM) “Neurotensin-HIF-1α-microRNA 210 axis orchestrates hypoxia, colonic inflammation and intestinal Angiogenesis.” | International | Los Angeles, CA, USA | Poster Presentation of Poster of Distinction, DOM Research Day Award recipient |
| 2014, May 2-6 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW) "Neurotensin-HIF-1α-microRNA-210 axis orchestrates hypoxia, colonic inflammation and intestinal Angiogenesis." | International | Chicago, IL, USA | Poster Presentation of Poster of Distinction |
| 2011, May 7-10 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW) Basic Science Plenary session: “Neurotensin (NT) receptor 1 (NTR1)-microRNA networks in human colon epithelial cells.” Characterization of novel pathways connecting neurotensin and tumor growth.” | International | Chicago, IL, USA | Plenary Session Speaker (3rd highest scoring scientific work for DDW 2011) |
| 2010, May 1-5 | Digestive Disease Week (DDW) “Neurokinin-1Receptor (NK-1R) deficiency is associated with reduced weight gain and improved glucose metabolic responses in mice.” | International | New Orleans, LA, USA | Poster Presentation of Poster of Distinction |
| 2007, August 4-9 | Glucose Transporter Biology, FASEB “The insulin-responsive glucose transporter Glut4: Expression, distribution and function in the Central Nervous System.” | International | Snowmass Village, CO, USA | Poster Presentation of Poster of Distinction |
| 1999, March 29-31 | The Society of Physiology Manchester UK, “The effect of nitric oxide on the permeability of nasal epithelial cells from healthy and asthmatic donors.” | International | London, UK | Poster Presentation |
Research Projects
| Date | Title | Funded by | Project Role* |
| 2015-2019 | MiRNA-cargo (miR-21) in exosomes, Substance P-signaling and human colonic epithelial cell proliferation and migration (colon cancer). | NIH | Scientific/Project Coordinator |
| 2014-2017 | Neurotensin-signaling, colitis, intestinal angiogenesis via HIF-1α-miR-210 axis. | NIH, CCFA | Scientific/Project Coordinator |
| 2012-2017 | Neurotensin-signaling, hypoxia, colonic inflammation, intestinal angiogenesis via the HIF-1α-VEGFα axis. | NIH, CCFA | Scientific/Project Coordinator |
| 2011-2017 | IBD-related horizontal gene transfer via exosomes. | NIH-CURE | Scientific/Project Coordinator |
| 2009-2017 | Development of protocols for human, mouse and rat pre-adipocyte isolation and culturing. | NIH, CCFA | Primary Researcher |
| 2009-2011 | Neurotensin Receptor 1-microRNA Networks and Colon Cancer. | NIH | Primary Researcher |
| 2009-2011 | Development of animal models for colon cancer (mice). | NIH | Researcher |
| 2005-2009 | Cerebellar neurons, Glut-4 carrying vesicle regulation and function: CNS glucose homeostasis. | NIH | Scientific/Project Coordinator |
| 2005-2009 | Primary neuron cell culture protocols. | NIH | Researcher |
| 2005-2009 | High purity, subcellular compartment isolation and characterization (physical and qualitative analysis). | NIH | Researcher |
Academic Consulting Services/Councils/Boards/Editorial Committees
Awards/International Recognition
| Date | Title | Awarded by: |
| 2017 | Key note speaker as the author of the highest scoring scientific work for DDW 2017 | Digestive Disease Week World Conference |
| 2014 | Junior Faculty Award | Day of Medical Research Committee for California State Schools of Medicine |
| 2011 | Research Fellowship Award | Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) |
| 2011 | Key note speaker as third place highest scoring scientific work for DDW 2011 | Digestive Disease Week World Conference |