Faculty Staff / Section of Genetics, Cell & Developmental Biology
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Office location: 2nd floor
Email: gkallergi@upatras.gr, kalergi@med.uoc.gr
Telephone: +30 2610 969248
References: Research Hub for the European Liquid Biopsy Society

Curriculum vitae

Education

  • 1995 BSc in Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece.
  • 1997 MSc in Cell Biology, Laboratory of Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Crete, Greece.
  • 2003 PhD in Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
  • 2003-2006 Postdoctoral Research in Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
  • 2006-2015 Senior Researcher in Laboratory of Tumor Biology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece.
  • 2015 Visitor scientist/international Collaboration in «The microtubule, signal transduction lab», Medicine, Division of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College 1300 York Avenue. (Head of the lab Prof. Paraskevi Giannakakou) and in Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum NCI Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine (Head of the lab Prof. Stuart S. Martin)

Educational activities

  • Undergeaduate courses: Biochemistry I, Biochemistry II
  • Postgraduate courses: Cancer Biology/Biomarkers

Research and other activities

  • Investigation of new signaling pathways in cancer cells related to the metastatic procedure.
  • Detection and characterization of circulating cancer cells (CTCs) isolated from the blood stream of cancer patients.
  • Development of new liquid biopsy diagnostic tools for patients with breast, prostate, and lung cancer.
  • Study of micrometastatic disease in the bone marrow of cancer patients.
  • Investigation of the interaction among cancer cells, tumor microenvironment and immune system.
  • Development of new 3D culture methods for cancer cells and CTCs.

Active Research programs:

  • Caratheodori 2020 Basic Research: Phenotypic and Functional characterization of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) isolated from Triple Negative Breast cancer (TNBC) patients
  • International collaboration with King Saud University 2020: The novel oncogene KDM2B in the epigenetic regulation of the cytoskeleton
  • ESPA 2019: RESEARCH-CREATION-INNOVATION: Development of innovative diagnostic tools for the detection and characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients’ blood.
  • ESPA 2017: RESEARCH-CREATION-INNOVATION: Hyperspectral Artificial Vision-Guided Robotic Microscope.

Representative Publications

  • Evangelia Pantazaka, Vasileios Vardas, Argyro Roumeliotou, Stavros Kakavogiannis, Galatea Kallergi. Clinical Relevance of Mesenchymal- and Stem-Associated Phenotypes in Circulating Tumor Cells Isolated from Lung Cancer Patients, Cancers (Basel) 2021 Apr 29;13(9):2158
  • G. Kallergi, O. Hoffmann, AK. Bittner, L. Papadimitriou, N Zacharopoulou, M. Zervakis, S. Sfakianakis, C. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias, R. Kimmig, S. Kasimir-Bauer. CXCR4 and JUNB double positive disseminated tumor cells are frequently detected in breast cancer patients at primary diagnosis (Under press in Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology)
  • N. Zacharopoulou, G. Kallergi, S. Alkahtani, A. Tsapara, S. Alarifi, E. Schmid, S. Kampranis, F. Lang and C. Stournaras. The histone demethylase KDM2B activates FAK and PI3K that control tumor cell motility (Under press in Cancer Biology & Therapy) Jun 2;21(6):533-540
  • G. Kallergi, V. Tsintari, S Sfakianakis, E.S. Bei, N. Zacharopoulou, C. Stournaras, M. Zervakis and V. Georgoulias The prognostic value of JUNB-positive CTCs in metastatic breast cancer; from bioinformatics to immunophenotype. Breast Cancer Res. 2019 Aug 1;21(1):86.
  • Kotsakis, G. Kallergi, D. Agouraki, Lyristi, Zaharoula, E. Lagoudaki, A. Koutsopoulos, V. Georgoulias E.K. Vetsika,. CD8+PD-1+T cells and PD-L-1+ CTCs in chemotherapy naïve NSCLC: Towards their clinical relevance Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2019 Jun 12;11
  • G. Kallergi, D. Aggouraki, N. Zacharopoulou, C. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias, S.S. Martin. Evaluation of microtentacles on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs); Interaction between CTCs and blood cells through cytoskeletal proteins. Breast Cancer Res. 2018 Jul 5;20(1):67.
  • N. Zacharopoulou, A. Tsapara, G. Kallergi, E. Schmid, S. Alkahtani, , S. C. Kampranis, and Ch. Stournaras. The epigenetic factor KDM2B regulates EMT and small GTPases in colon tumor cells. Cell Physiol Biochem, 2018 May 14;47(1):368-377
  • G. Kallergi, E.K. Vetsika, D. Agouraki, E. Lagoudaki, A. Koutsopoulos, F. Koinis , P. Katsarlinos, M. Trypaki, I. Messaritakis, C. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias, A. Kotsakis. Evaluation of PD-L1/PD-1 on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology Journal, 2018 Jan 15;10
  • N. Zacharopoulou, A.Tsapara, G.Kallergi, E. Schmid, P.N. Tsichlis, S. C Kampranis& C. Stournaras RhoA/B-GTPases-governed actin cytoskeleton signaling regulates KDM2B-induced motility in prostate cancer cells Biochim Biophys Acta. 2018 Apr;1865(4):587-597.
  • E. Politaki, S. Agelaki, S. Apostolaki, D. Hatzidaki, Areti Strati, F. Koinis, M. Perraki, G. Saloustrou, G. Stoupis, G. Kallergi, M. Spiliotaki, T. Skaltsi, E. Lianidou, V. Georgoulias, D. Mavroudis.A comparison of three methods for the detection of circulating tumor cells in patients with early and metastatic breast cancer. Cell Physiol Biochem, 2017;44(2):594-606.
  • M. J. Stagno, A. Tsapara, N. Zacharopoulou, J. Bochem, L. Pelzl, T. Maghout, G. Kallergi, S. Alkahtani, K. Alevizopoulos, K. Dimas, T. Calogeropoulou, S. W. Warmann, F. Lang, E. Schmid, Ch. Stournaras. Istaroxime inhibits motility and down-regulates Orai1 expression, SOCE and FAK phosphorylation in prostate cancer cells. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2017 Jul 14;42(4):1366-1376.
  • Messaritakis, E. Politaki, A. Kotsakis, K. Dermitzaki, P. Koinis, E. Lagoudaki, A. Koutsopoulos, G. Kallergi, J. Souglakos, V. Georgoulias. Phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). PLoS One. 2017 Jul 18;12(7)
  • M. Spiliotaki, D. Mavroudis, M. Kokotsaki, E. K. Vetsika, I Stoupis, A. Matikas, G. Kallergi, V. Georgoulias, S. Agelaki. Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression in circulating tumor cells of patients with breast cancer is associated with E-cadherin expression and patients’ outcome (Mol Oncol. 2017 Aug 2doi: 10.1002/1878-0261.12114.)
  • S. Agelaki, Melina Dragolia, H. Markonanolaki, S. Alkahtani, Ch. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias, G. Kallergi, Phenotypic characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in triple negative breast cancer patients (TNBC), Oncotarget 2017 Jan 17;8(3):5309-5322
  • G. Kallergi, E. Politaki, S. Alkahtani, C. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias. Evaluation of Isolation methods for Circulating Tumor Cells. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2016;40(3-4):411-419.
  • G. Kallergi, S. Agelaki, M. A. Papadaki, D. Nasias, A. Matikas, D. Mavroudis, V.Georgoulias. Expression of truncated HER2 receptor (p95HER2) in Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) of breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res. 2015 Aug 19;17:113.
  • Agelaki S, Kalykaki A, Markomanolaki H, Papadaki MA, Kallergi G, Hatzidaki D, Kalbakis K, Mavroudis D, Georgoulias. Efficacy of Lapatinib in Therapy-Resistant HER2-Positive Circulating Tumor Cells in Metastatic Breast Cancer. PLoS One. 2015 Jun 17;10(6)
  • M Spiliotaki, D Mavroudis, K Kapranou, H Markomanolaki, G Kallergi, Filippos Koinis, Kostas Kalbakis, Vassilis Georgoulias, Sofia Agelaki Evaluation of proliferation and apoptosis markers in circulating tumor cells of women with early breast cancer who are candidates for tumor dormancy. Breast Cancer Res. 2014 Nov 29;16(6):485.
  • *G Kallergi, M.A.Papadaki Z Zafeiriou, L Manouras, P.A. Theodoropoulos, D Mavroudis, V Georgoulias, S Agelaki. Co-expression of putative stemness and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers on single circulating tumour cells from patients with early and metastatic breast cancer. BMC Cancer. 2014 Sep 3; 14:651.
  • A Kalykaki, S Agelaki, G Kallergi, A Xyrafas, D Mavroudis, V Georgoulias. Elimination of EGFR-expressing circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with gefitinib. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2014 Apr;73(4):685-93.
  • G Kallergi, M. Chimonidou, E. Stathopoulos, V. Georgoulias, D. Welch and E. S. Lianidou. Prognostic significance of BRMS1 promoter methylation in operable breast cancer Mol Cancer Res. 2013 Oct;11(10):1248-57
  • *G. Kallergi, G. Konstantinidis, H.Markomanolaki, M. A. Papadaki, D. Mavroudis, C. Stournaras, V. Georgoulias, S. Agelaki Apoptotic Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in early and metastatic breast cancer patients Mol Cancer Ther. 2013 Sep;12(9):1886-95
  • V Georgoulias, V Bozionelou, S Agelaki, M Perraki, S Apostolaki, G Kallergi, K Kalbakis, A Xyrafas, D Mavroudis. Trastuzumab decreases the incidence of clinical relapses in patients with early breast cancer presenting chemotherapy-resistant CK19 mRNA-positive circulating tumor cells: results of a randomized phase II study.Ann Oncol. 2012 Feb 29.
  • G. Kallergi, M. A. Papadaki, E. Politaki, D. Mavroudis, V. Georgoulias, S. Agelaki, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition markers expressed in CTCs of early and metastatic breast cancer patients Breast Cancer Res. 2011 10;13(3):R59.
  • E. Saloustros, M. Perraki, S. Apostolaki, G. Kallergi, K. Kalbakis, S. Agelaki, N. Vardakis, A. Kalykaki, A. Xyrafas, V. GeorgouliasD. Mavroudis Cytokeratin-19 mRNA-positive circulating tumor cells during follow up of patients with early breast cancer: prognostic relevance for late relapse. Breast Cancer Res. 2011 10;13(3):R60
  • G. Kallergi, Η Markomanolaki, V. Giannoukaraki, M. A. Papadaki, A. Strati, E. Lianidou, V. Georgoulias D. Mavroudis, S. Agelaki. Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in CTCs of breast cancer patients. (2009) Breast Cancer Res 11(6):R84.
  • Kallergi G, Agelaki S., Kalykaki A., Stournaras C., Mavroudis, D. Georgoulias V. (2008) Phosphorylated EGFR and PI-3K/Akt signaling kinases are expressed in circulating tumor cells of breast cancer patients Breast Cancer Res.;10(5):R80. Highly accessed
  • M Ιgnatiadis, G Kallergi, M Ntoulia, M Perraki, S Apostolaki, M Kafousi, G Chlouverakis, E Stathopoulos, E Lianidou, V Georgoulias, D Mavroudis. (2008) Prognostic Value of the Molecular Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells Using a Multimarker Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay for Cytokeratin 19, Mammaglobin A, and HER2 in Early Breast. Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 14(9):2593-600
  • G.Kallergi, S Agelaki, H Markomanolaki, V Georgoulias, C Stournaras.(2007) Activation of FAK/PI3K/Rac1 signaling controls actin reorganization and inhibits cell motility in human cancer cells Cell. Phys. Biochem. Cell Physiol Biochem. 20(6):977-86.
  • G.Kallergi, D Mavroudis, V. Georgoulias and C. Stournaras (2007) Phosphorylation of FAK, PI-3K, and Impaired Actin Organization in CK-positive Micrometastatic Breast Cancer Cells. Mol. Med. 13: 79-88
  • G Kallergi, A Tsapara, M Kampa, EA Papakonstanti, K Krasagakis, E Castanas, C Stournaras (2003) Distinct signaling pathways regulate differential opioid effects on actin cytoskeleton in malignant MCF7 and nonmalignant MCF12A human breast epithelial cells. Exp Cell Res. 288:94-109