HBA-USA members that conduct research on "Metabolic Diseases"
- Cancer
Nektarios Barabutis, MSc, PhD
Miami MIller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Postdoctoral fellow
Modifications of erythrocyte membrane proteins in patients with hereditary spaerocytosis.
Oxidative alterations of erythrocyte proteins in diabetic patients
The role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) in cell physiology and metabolism.
The role and Signaling of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) in cancer.
Effect of GHRH in ROS/RNS metabolism.
The role of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) in cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The role of GHRH agonistic and antagonistic analogs in human metabolism and disease.
nbarabutis@gmail.com
Kyriakos D. Economides
Sanofi-Aventis, Senior Research Investigator
I am primarily interested in generating mouse models for hematological malignancies
kyriakos.economides@sanofi-aventis.com
- Cardiovascular system
Maria Irene Kontaridis
Harvard/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine
Understanding the signaling pathways that mediate cardiac developmental processes may reveal important clues into the
cellular and molecular pathogenesis of heart disease. Specifically, we want to understand how protein-tyrosine
phosphatases (PTPs) relate to cardiac development and disease. Our lab's research efforts focus on developmental
biology, in vivo analysis of in mouse systems, including disease models, and cardiac biology and stem cell research
using primary cultures. Currently, we are studying mouse models in which we can assess the molecular pathogenesis of
the cardiac defects associated with Noonan (NS) and LEOPARD (LS) Syndromes, pediatric disorders both attributed
primarily to mutations in Shp2, the SH2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase
mkontari@bidmc.harvard.edu
Stephanos Pavlides
Thomas Jefferson University, PhD candidate
Animal Science, Metabolic Diseases, Pulmonary Diseases, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Muscle research,
Pharmacology
spavlidescy@gmail.com
Artin A. Shoukas
The Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine
Professor Biomedical Engineering, Professor Physiology, Professor Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Director Emeritus, BME Undergraduate Program
Director, BME Cardiovascular Systems Group
Team Leader, CV Alterations Team, NSBRI-NASA
ashoukas@jhu.edu
- Diabetes
Nektarios Barabutis, MSc, PhD
Miami MIller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Postdoctoral fellow
Modifications of erythrocyte membrane proteins in patients with hereditary spaerocytosis.
Oxidative alterations of erythrocyte proteins in diabetic patients
The role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) in cell physiology and metabolism.
The role and Signaling of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) in cancer.
Effect of GHRH in ROS/RNS metabolism.
The role of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) in cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The role of GHRH agonistic and antagonistic analogs in human metabolism and disease.
nbarabutis@gmail.com
Nick Giannoukakis
Diabetes gene therapy
ngiann1+@pitt.edu
Anastasia Kalea
Feinberg School of Medicine-Northwestern University, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Diabetes complications; Trace minerals; Functional Foods; Vascular structure and function; Cancer, Public Health
a-kalea@northwestern.edu
Aliki Kostelli
Columbia University, PhD student
Obesity, Inflammation, Diabetes
ak2303@columbia.edu
Angela Merges
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Epidemiologist-Data analyst
Diabetes
amerges007@hotmail.com
Constantine Londos
LCDB, NIDDK, NIH, Chief, Membrane Regulation Section
All cells contain spherical structures that house neutral lipids, known as Intracellular Neutral Lipid Storage Droplets.
We have provided them with some definition, beginning in the 1990s with our discovery of Perilipin, a protein that coats
lipid droplets in adipocytes and steroidogenic cells. In ensuing years, we found that perilipin was only one of a family of
what are now known as PAT (perilipin/ADRP/TIP-47) proteins. These related proteins all coat lipid droplets in all types of
mammalian cells examined. Homologs are also found in Drosophila and Dictyostelium. All of these proteins are related by
sequence and they derive from a common ancestral gene. Perilipin is known to regulate lipolysis in adipocytes; the
functions of the remaining PAT proteins remain unknown, but all are known to regulate lipid deposition. We use knock-out
models and transgenesis to study the functions of PAT proteins in mouse models, and molecular biological techniques to
study the proteins in cultured cell models.
DeanL@intra.niddk.nih.gov
Dimitra Skondra
Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Angiogenesis Laboratory, Research Fellow
Pathogenetic mechanisms of age related macular degeneration and blood retina barrier breakdown in diabetic retinopathy
and uveitis
Dimitra_Skondra@meei.harvard.edu
Helen Vlassara
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Professor and Director
Department of Diabetes & Aging
helen.vlassara@mssm.edu
- Drug design
Mattheos Koffas
State University of New York, Buffalo
Metabolic Engineering, In Vitro Protein Evolution, Genome Profiling, Industrial Microbiology
mkoffas@eng.buffalo.edu
- Endocrinology
Kyriakie Sarafoglou
University of Minnesota Medical School, Attending Physician
Director, Leo Fung Center for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
Disorders of Sex Development
The Leo Fung Center is the first CAH/DSD multidisciplinary clinical care and research facility in the country where all
healthcare providers are onsite for each clinic. The Center is built upon a unique collaboration between healthcare
professionals from various departments at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health Newborn
Screening program (MDH-NBS). The Center addresses the varied and long-term spectrum of clinical needs for patients
with CAH and other rare DSD.
The Center's multidisciplinary health care team, which includes a pediatric endocrinologist/geneticist, pediatric urologic
surgeons, OB-GYNs, psychologists specializing in sexual health, advanced practice and research nurses, genetic
counselors, child-life specialists, and a public healthcare coordinator/newborn screening follow up specialist from the
Minensota Department of Health.
Clinical research participation opportunities are available to eligible subjects for new monitoring and treatment
modalities. The Center also serves as a resource for educational materials geared toward patients, parents and primary
care providers.
saraf010@umn.edu
Gerasimos Sykiotis
Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Clinical & Research Fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology
I have broad interests in the genetics of endocrine diseases, and especially in metabolism and reproduction. I am
particularly interested in the role of cellular stress response pathways in the homeostasis of the endocrine system
gsykiotis@partners.org
- Gene Therapy
Maria Hatzoglou
Case Western Reserve University, Professor
Our laboratory is interested in exploring ways of retrovirus mediated genetic treatment of inborn errors in metabolism in
the prenatal liver which carries a genetic defect. There are two major areas of focus in our lab:
1. Study the regulation of expression of the genes which encode for the ecotropic retroviral receptor, such as to develop
more efficient strategies for retrovirus mediated gene transfer into somatic cells.
2. Study the regulation of expression of the viral receptor gene focusing on the function of the protein as an amino acid
transporter
mxh8@case.edu
- Metabolic Sundrome
Dimitra Chalkia
University of California, Irvine, Post-doctoral scholar
Role of naturally occurring human mitochondrial DNA variation in human health and disease; theoretical studies on the
evolution of mitochondrial genes
dchalkia@uci.edu
Elias K. Spanakis
Beth Israel Medical Center, Post-doctoral fellow
Metabolic Syndrome, Hypelipidemia and Diabetes Mellitus Type II
ispanaki@bidmc.harvard.edu
- Neurology
Dimitrios Arkilo, MD
Tufts, Floating Hospital for Children, Fellow, Pediatric Neurology
Hypothermia in neuroprotection. Neuronal migration defects
arkdimi@hotmail.com
- Nuclear receptor regualtion
Anastasia Kralli
The Scripps Research Institute, Assistant Professor
Our studies focus on the receptor cofactors that modulate steroid signaling and can confer specificity and/or regulation.
Using genetic screens in yeast, we have identified proteins that downregulate hormone response (e.g. Pdr5p, Lem3p, and
Erg6p), as well as mammalian modulators that enhance glucocorticoid signaling (e.g. the molecular chaperone p23, the
chromatin assembly factor ASF1, and the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1).
Understanding the mechanism of action of modulators may reveal novel intervention ways for activating, suppressing or
altering the specificity of hormone action.
kralli@scripps.edu
- Nutrition-Exercise
Theodore J. Angelopoulos
University of Central Florida, Professor and Research Director
tangelop@mail.ucf.edu
Dorothy Klimis-Zacas
University of Maine, Professor of Clinical Nutrition
Cardiovascular Disease, Nutrition, Cholesterol, Lipids, Minerals
dorothy_klimis@umenfa.maine.edu
- Obesity
Eleftheria Maratos-Flier
Harvard University, Associate Professor of Medicine
Melanin Concentrating Hormone: Physiology and Mechanism of Action Hypothalamic peptides and appetite regulation
Interaction of leptin with other regulators of eating behavior
Obesity and glucose tolerance
emaratos@bidmc.harvard.edu
George Stratigopoulos
Columbia University, Post-doctoral Research Scientist
Obesity, SMA, human genetics
gs2172@columbia.edu
- Osteoporosis & Hormone Regulation
Stavros C. Manolagas
University of Arkansas for medical Sciences, Professor of Medicine
He is the founder and director of the Center and director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at UAMS.
He has spent his entire research career to studying the interactions between the endocrine, hematolymphopoietic, and s
keletal systems. His current research focus is on the actions of estrogens and androgens on bone and the development
of new bone anabolic therapeutics.
manolagasstavros@uams.edu
- Oxidative stress
Fanis Missirlis
NIH, Post-doctoral fellow
missirlf@mail.nih.gov
- Preadipocyte Development
Thomas Thomou
Mayo Clinicy,Research fellow
vp@hba-usa.org
- Cancer
Nektarios Barabutis, MSc, PhD
Miami MIller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Postdoctoral fellow
Modifications of erythrocyte membrane proteins in patients with hereditary spaerocytosis.
Oxidative alterations of erythrocyte proteins in diabetic patients
The role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) in cell physiology and metabolism.
The role and Signaling of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) in cancer.
Effect of GHRH in ROS/RNS metabolism.
The role of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) in cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The role of GHRH agonistic and antagonistic analogs in human metabolism and disease.
nbarabutis@gmail.com
Kyriakos D. Economides
Sanofi-Aventis, Senior Research Investigator
I am primarily interested in generating mouse models for hematological malignancies
kyriakos.economides@sanofi-aventis.com
- Cardiovascular system
Maria Irene Kontaridis
Harvard/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine
Understanding the signaling pathways that mediate cardiac developmental processes may reveal important clues into the
cellular and molecular pathogenesis of heart disease. Specifically, we want to understand how protein-tyrosine
phosphatases (PTPs) relate to cardiac development and disease. Our lab's research efforts focus on developmental
biology, in vivo analysis of in mouse systems, including disease models, and cardiac biology and stem cell research
using primary cultures. Currently, we are studying mouse models in which we can assess the molecular pathogenesis of
the cardiac defects associated with Noonan (NS) and LEOPARD (LS) Syndromes, pediatric disorders both attributed
primarily to mutations in Shp2, the SH2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase
mkontari@bidmc.harvard.edu
Stephanos Pavlides
Thomas Jefferson University, PhD candidate
Animal Science, Metabolic Diseases, Pulmonary Diseases, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Muscle research,
Pharmacology
spavlidescy@gmail.com
Artin A. Shoukas
The Johns Hopkins University-School of Medicine
Professor Biomedical Engineering, Professor Physiology, Professor Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Director Emeritus, BME Undergraduate Program
Director, BME Cardiovascular Systems Group
Team Leader, CV Alterations Team, NSBRI-NASA
ashoukas@jhu.edu
- Diabetes
Nektarios Barabutis, MSc, PhD
Miami MIller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Postdoctoral fellow
Modifications of erythrocyte membrane proteins in patients with hereditary spaerocytosis.
Oxidative alterations of erythrocyte proteins in diabetic patients
The role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) in cell physiology and metabolism.
The role and Signaling of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) in cancer.
Effect of GHRH in ROS/RNS metabolism.
The role of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) in cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The role of GHRH agonistic and antagonistic analogs in human metabolism and disease.
nbarabutis@gmail.com
Nick Giannoukakis
Diabetes gene therapy
ngiann1+@pitt.edu
Anastasia Kalea
Feinberg School of Medicine-Northwestern University, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Diabetes complications; Trace minerals; Functional Foods; Vascular structure and function; Cancer, Public Health
a-kalea@northwestern.edu
Aliki Kostelli
Columbia University, PhD student
Obesity, Inflammation, Diabetes
ak2303@columbia.edu
Angela Merges
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Epidemiologist-Data analyst
Diabetes
amerges007@hotmail.com
Constantine Londos
LCDB, NIDDK, NIH, Chief, Membrane Regulation Section
All cells contain spherical structures that house neutral lipids, known as Intracellular Neutral Lipid Storage Droplets.
We have provided them with some definition, beginning in the 1990s with our discovery of Perilipin, a protein that coats
lipid droplets in adipocytes and steroidogenic cells. In ensuing years, we found that perilipin was only one of a family of
what are now known as PAT (perilipin/ADRP/TIP-47) proteins. These related proteins all coat lipid droplets in all types of
mammalian cells examined. Homologs are also found in Drosophila and Dictyostelium. All of these proteins are related by
sequence and they derive from a common ancestral gene. Perilipin is known to regulate lipolysis in adipocytes; the
functions of the remaining PAT proteins remain unknown, but all are known to regulate lipid deposition. We use knock-out
models and transgenesis to study the functions of PAT proteins in mouse models, and molecular biological techniques to
study the proteins in cultured cell models.
DeanL@intra.niddk.nih.gov
Dimitra Skondra
Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Angiogenesis Laboratory, Research Fellow
Pathogenetic mechanisms of age related macular degeneration and blood retina barrier breakdown in diabetic retinopathy
and uveitis
Dimitra_Skondra@meei.harvard.edu
Helen Vlassara
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Professor and Director
Department of Diabetes & Aging
helen.vlassara@mssm.edu
- Drug design
Mattheos Koffas
State University of New York, Buffalo
Metabolic Engineering, In Vitro Protein Evolution, Genome Profiling, Industrial Microbiology
mkoffas@eng.buffalo.edu
- Endocrinology
Kyriakie Sarafoglou
University of Minnesota Medical School, Attending Physician
Director, Leo Fung Center for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) and Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
Disorders of Sex Development
The Leo Fung Center is the first CAH/DSD multidisciplinary clinical care and research facility in the country where all
healthcare providers are onsite for each clinic. The Center is built upon a unique collaboration between healthcare
professionals from various departments at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health Newborn
Screening program (MDH-NBS). The Center addresses the varied and long-term spectrum of clinical needs for patients
with CAH and other rare DSD.
The Center's multidisciplinary health care team, which includes a pediatric endocrinologist/geneticist, pediatric urologic
surgeons, OB-GYNs, psychologists specializing in sexual health, advanced practice and research nurses, genetic
counselors, child-life specialists, and a public healthcare coordinator/newborn screening follow up specialist from the
Minensota Department of Health.
Clinical research participation opportunities are available to eligible subjects for new monitoring and treatment
modalities. The Center also serves as a resource for educational materials geared toward patients, parents and primary
care providers.
saraf010@umn.edu
Gerasimos Sykiotis
Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Clinical & Research Fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology
I have broad interests in the genetics of endocrine diseases, and especially in metabolism and reproduction. I am
particularly interested in the role of cellular stress response pathways in the homeostasis of the endocrine system
gsykiotis@partners.org
- Gene Therapy
Maria Hatzoglou
Case Western Reserve University, Professor
Our laboratory is interested in exploring ways of retrovirus mediated genetic treatment of inborn errors in metabolism in
the prenatal liver which carries a genetic defect. There are two major areas of focus in our lab:
1. Study the regulation of expression of the genes which encode for the ecotropic retroviral receptor, such as to develop
more efficient strategies for retrovirus mediated gene transfer into somatic cells.
2. Study the regulation of expression of the viral receptor gene focusing on the function of the protein as an amino acid
transporter
mxh8@case.edu
- Metabolic Sundrome
Dimitra Chalkia
University of California, Irvine, Post-doctoral scholar
Role of naturally occurring human mitochondrial DNA variation in human health and disease; theoretical studies on the
evolution of mitochondrial genes
dchalkia@uci.edu
Elias K. Spanakis
Beth Israel Medical Center, Post-doctoral fellow
Metabolic Syndrome, Hypelipidemia and Diabetes Mellitus Type II
ispanaki@bidmc.harvard.edu
- Neurology
Dimitrios Arkilo, MD
Tufts, Floating Hospital for Children, Fellow, Pediatric Neurology
Hypothermia in neuroprotection. Neuronal migration defects
arkdimi@hotmail.com
- Nuclear receptor regualtion
Anastasia Kralli
The Scripps Research Institute, Assistant Professor
Our studies focus on the receptor cofactors that modulate steroid signaling and can confer specificity and/or regulation.
Using genetic screens in yeast, we have identified proteins that downregulate hormone response (e.g. Pdr5p, Lem3p, and
Erg6p), as well as mammalian modulators that enhance glucocorticoid signaling (e.g. the molecular chaperone p23, the
chromatin assembly factor ASF1, and the transcriptional coactivator PGC-1).
Understanding the mechanism of action of modulators may reveal novel intervention ways for activating, suppressing or
altering the specificity of hormone action.
kralli@scripps.edu
- Nutrition-Exercise
Theodore J. Angelopoulos
University of Central Florida, Professor and Research Director
tangelop@mail.ucf.edu
Dorothy Klimis-Zacas
University of Maine, Professor of Clinical Nutrition
Cardiovascular Disease, Nutrition, Cholesterol, Lipids, Minerals
dorothy_klimis@umenfa.maine.edu
- Obesity
Eleftheria Maratos-Flier
Harvard University, Associate Professor of Medicine
Melanin Concentrating Hormone: Physiology and Mechanism of Action Hypothalamic peptides and appetite regulation
Interaction of leptin with other regulators of eating behavior
Obesity and glucose tolerance
emaratos@bidmc.harvard.edu
George Stratigopoulos
Columbia University, Post-doctoral Research Scientist
Obesity, SMA, human genetics
gs2172@columbia.edu
- Osteoporosis & Hormone Regulation
Stavros C. Manolagas
University of Arkansas for medical Sciences, Professor of Medicine
He is the founder and director of the Center and director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at UAMS.
He has spent his entire research career to studying the interactions between the endocrine, hematolymphopoietic, and s
keletal systems. His current research focus is on the actions of estrogens and androgens on bone and the development
of new bone anabolic therapeutics.
manolagasstavros@uams.edu
- Oxidative stress
Fanis Missirlis
NIH, Post-doctoral fellow
missirlf@mail.nih.gov
- Preadipocyte Development
Thomas Thomou
Mayo Clinicy,Research fellow
vp@hba-usa.org
Hellenic Bioscientific Association in the USA
HBA-USA
HBA-USA
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