Research output per year
Research output per year
Research activity per year
My research is focused at studying transcript expression during T cell activation upon chemical and mechanical stimuli. Just like all mammal cells, immune cells are also responsive to mechanical forces applied on them. Altered physical parameters in disease states have shown to enhance immune cell recruitment and activation, resulting in inflammation. This inflammation can be benefitial short term as the combination of the chemical and mechanical stimuli enhances the immune responses. However, since the scarred tissues and damaged organs have permanent alterations of their physical properties ( e.g. increased Young's modulus), such mechanical perturbations could result in persiting inflammation and chronic disease states.
Throughout my PhD project I investigated the expression pattens of genes encoding the professional mechanosensor PIEZO1, as well as genes encoding for mechanosensory proteins polycystin 1 and polycystin 2. Recently, PIEZO1 was identified as a crucial channel involved in mechanotransduction which regulates cytoskeleton via Ca2+ signalling, and thus contributes to the stabilisation of the immune synapse and optimisation of TCR activation. In addition, the project studied the expression of many transcription factors, such as those of the TCF/LEF family, in Jurkat, CD8 T cells and monocytes.
As part of my project, I also investigated whether nanovibrational stimulation could be used to influence T cell activation and monocyte to macrophage differentiation. Such stimulus was tested in vitro to assess if it could be used as alternative treatment for alopecia areata.
Technician , West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre
Jun 2016 → Sep 2016
Trainee Biomedical Scientist, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Jan 2016 → Jun 2016
Trainee Biologist, Laiko General Hospital of Athens
Jun 2014 → Aug 2014
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Theodoros Simakou (Invited speaker) & Lin Khoo (Speaker)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Theodoros Simakou (Examiner)
Activity: Other
Theodoros Simakou (Speaker)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
Theodoros Simakou (Speaker)
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
Alicia Ware (Speaker), Theodoros Simakou (Speaker) & Kiri Rodgers (Speaker)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course