Curriculum Vitae

Dimitra J. Mitsiou , PhD,  Research Assistant Professor

Address
Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology
Division of Biological Research and Biotechnology (BRB)
National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF)
48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 116 35 Athens, Greece
Telephone: +30.210.7273.742
Fax: +30.210.7273.677
e-mail: dmitsiou

Degrees
1989:Diploma in Biology from the University of Athens.
1996:PhD in Biology from the University of Athens.

Research experience
1988-1989: Diploma thesis (research), NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
1990-1995: PhD student, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
1995-1996: Postdoctoral fellow, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
1997-2001: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Nijmegen (KUN), Department of Molecular Biology.
2001-2002: Postdoctoral fellow, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
2003-2005: Research scientist, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
2006-2009: Research Lecturer, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.
2009-         : Research Assistant Professor, NHRF, IBRB, Molecular Endocrinology Programme.

Research accomplishments
PhD and postdoctoral research was on transcriptional regulation mediated by nuclear hormone receptors (glucocorticoid, estrogen and retinoic acid receptors), cell-type specific roles of general transcription factors (TBP and TFIIA), identification of a novel transcription complex (TAC), transcriptional coactivators (p300), protein modifications that play important roles in transcription (acetylation and ubiquitination) and regulation of gene expression in embryonal cells.
Her current research focuses on the identification of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) target genes and binding site repertoires on a genome-wide scale by ChIP-sequencing (in collaboration with Prof. H.G. Stunnenberg). The aim of this study is to analyze the cross-talk between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways with a systems biology approach. Extending this analysis to non-hormone-binding isoforms of glucocorticoid receptor is expected to reveal their role in glucocorticoid-resistant asthma and similar glucocorticoid resistance syndromes.

Her work has been/is supported by:

• NHRF PhD Programme studentship award
• NHRF postdoctoral fellowship in the context of the GSRT Programme PENED784
• EU Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship in the Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR) Work Programme (ERB-FMBI-CT97-2728)
• EU Marie Curie postdoctoral Return fellowship in the Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR-Return) Work Programme (HPMF-CT-2000-00904).
• EU "Marie Curie Development Host-Transfer of Knowledge (ToK)" Work Programme (MTKD-CT-2004-509836).

Publications
1. Alexis, M.N., Mavridou, I., and Mitsiou, D.J., (1992). Subunit composition of the untransformed glucocorticoid receptor in the cytosol and in the cell. Eur. J. Biochem. 204, 75-84. 
2. Mitsiou, D.J., and Alexis, M. N., (1995). Temporary loss of glucocorticoid receptor-mediated regulation of gene expression in heat-shocked cells. FEBS Letters 362, 309-315.
3. Mitsiou, D.J., and Stunnenberg, H. G., (2000). TAC, a TBP-sans TAFs complex containing the unprocessed TFIIAab precursor and the TFIIAg subunit. Molecular Cell 6, 527-537.
4. Mitsiou, D.J., Siriani, D., Katsanou, F., Florentin, I., Georgakopoulos, A., and Alexis, M.N. (2003). Maintenance of glucocorticoid receptor function following severe heat-shock of heat-conditioned cells. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 201, 97-108.
5. Siriani, D., Mitsiou, D.J., and Alexis, M.N. (2003). Overexpressed glucocorticoid geceptor negatively regulates gene expression under normal growth conditions. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 84, 171-180.
6. Mitsiou, D.J., and Stunnenberg, H.G., (2003). p300 is involved in formation of the TBP-TFIIA-containing basal transcription complex, TAC. EMBO J. 22, 4501-4511.
7. Fokialakis, N., Lambrinidis, G., Mitsiou, D.J., Aligiannis, N., Mitakou, S., Skaltsounis, A.L., Pratsinis, H.Mikros, E., and Alexis,M.N. (2004). A New Class of Phytoestrogens: Evaluation of the Estrogenic Activity of deoxybenzoins. Chemistry and Biology 11, 397-406.
8. Hoiby, T., Mitsiou, D.J., Zhou, H., Erdjument-Bromage, H., Tempst, P., and Stunnenberg, H.G. (2004). Cleavage and proteasome-mediated degradation of the basal transcription factor TFIIA. EMBO J. 23, 3083-3091.
9. Mitsiou, D.J., Florentin, I., Baki L., Georgakopoulos, A., and Alexis, M.N. (2005). Pronounced enhancement of glucocorticoid-induced gene expression following severe heat shock of heat conditioned cells hints to intricate cell survival tactics. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 94, 209-217.
10. Siriani, D., Mitsiou, D.J., and Alexis, M.N. (2005). Heat-induced degradation of overexpressed glucocorticoid receptor. Separate protective roles of hsp90 and hsp70. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 94, 93-101.
11. Zhou, H., Spicuglia, S., Hsieh, J.J., Mitsiou, D.J., Hoiby, T., Veenstra, G.J., Korsmeyer, S.J., and Stunnenberg, H.G. (2006). Uncleaved TFIIA is a substrate for taspase1 and active in transcription. Mol. Cell. Biol. 26, 2728-2735.
12. Hoiby, T., Zhou, H., Mitsiou, D.J., and Stunnenberg HG. (2007). A facelift for the general transcription factor TFIIA. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1769, 429-436.
13. Skretas, G., Meligova, A.K., Villalonga-Barber, C., Mitsiou, D.J., Alexis, M.N., Micha-Screttas, M., Steele, B.R., Screttas, C.G., and Wood, D.W. (2007). Engineered chimeric enzymes as tools for drug discovery: generating reliable bacterial screens for the detection, discovery and assessment of estrogen receptor modulators. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 8443-8457.
14. Chantzi, N.I., Meligova, A.K., Dhimolea, E., Petrou, C.C., Mitsiou, D.J., Vassiliki Magafa, V., Pechtelidou, A., Florentin, I., Kitraki, E., Cordopatis, P., Tiniakos, D.G., Alexis, M.N. (2011). Insights into ectopic estrogen receptor expression, nucleocytoplasmic distribution and interaction with chromatin obtained with new antibodies to estrogen receptors a and b. Steroids 76, 974-85.
15. Rao, N.R.A., McCalman, M.T., Moulos, P., Francoijs, K.J., Chatziioannou, A., Kolisis, F.N., Alexis, M.N., Mitsiou, D.J., and Stunnenberg, H.G. (2011). Co-activation of GR and NFKB alters the repertoire of their binding sites and target genes. Genome Research Jul 12.