Personal Details

Name: Anna Charalambous

Date of Birth: 11/11/1978

Address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, 1 Paneistimiou Avenue, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia

E-mail: [email protected]

Education

2001-2006 PhD, The Rockefeller University.

Improved immunity to tumor antigens following their delivery to maturing dendritic cells in mice (advisor: Professor Ralph Steinman, Nobel Laureate)

1997-2001 B.Sc. Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics, Yale University.

Cum Laude and Highest Honors

Professional Profile

2010-now Teaching Staff, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus

2008-2010 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus

2006-2008 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. R. Steinman, The Rockefeller University

2001-2002 Research Associate, Laboratory of Dr. Karayiorgou, The Rockefeller University

Participation in Research Programs

2022 Collaborator in Research and Innovation Foundation Grant, “Exploring the anti-metastatic potential of a novel strategy of dual FAK/Pyk2 inhibition, using rationally designed peptidomimetic compounds ”, CONCEPT/0521/0103 (ranked 1st)

2020 Collaborator in Research Infrastructure Project from Research and Innovation Foundation “The center for mechanobiology research”, INFRASTRUCTURE 1216/0046

2020 Collaborator in Research and Innovation Foundation Grant, “Motile ciliopathies: Understanding the molecular basis and introducing new technologies towards diagnosis and treatment”, EXCELLENCE/0918/0227

2018 Collaborator in Research and Innovation Foundation Grant, “Exploring the role of ciliary adhesion complexes in multi- ciliated cell differentiation and function” POST-DOC/0916/0141 which ranked 1^st amongst 44 applications in the field of Health Sciences and 2^nd amongst 193 applications in all fields

2018 Collaborator in Research Promotion Foundation Grant “Ciliary adhesions and their role in ciliogenesis and ciliary function", EXCELLENCE/1216/0236

2013 Collaborator in Research Promotion Foundation Grant "Novel nanomaterials and methodologies for diagnostic and biotechnological applications" ΤΕΧΝΟΛΟΓΙΑ/ΥΛΙΚΑ/0311(ΒΙΕ)/10

2009 Research Promotion Foundation Grant (Collaborator in Research Infrastructure Project for the first Multi Photon Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy System in Cyprus”)

2008 Research Promotion Foundation Grant (Collaborator in Strategic Infrastructure Project: “The Center for the Study of Hematological Malignancies”)

Achievements/ Awards

2022 Best Teacher Award (University of Cyprus)

2011 Cover of Journal of Nanobiotechnology for article ¨Split-Inteins for Simultaneous, Site-Specific Conjugation of Quantum Dots to Multiple Protein Targets In vivo. J Nanobiotechnology Sep 15;9(1):37.

2001 -2006 Graduate Fellowship by The Rockefeller University

2004 -2006 Fellowship supported by the Cancer Research Institute's Training Grant: “Emphasis on Pathways in Tumor Immunology”, led by Dr. Michel Nussenzweig, The Rockefeller University

2001 Member of the New York Academy of Sciences

2001 Graduated Cum Laude from Yale University and with Distinction in the Major (Molecular Biochemistry & Biophysics)

2000 Selected amongst 130 applicants for Competitive Summer Internship in the Laboratory of Dr. Eric Kandel (Nobel Laureate 2000), Columbia University

2000 Award of Excellence for Organic Chemistry, Yale University

1997 CASP (Cyprus American Scholarship Program) – Evie Sofianou Full Expense Undergraduate Scholarship awarded by the Fulbright Commission (single scholarship awarded annually)

1997 Ambassador of Cyprus to the European Youth Parliament, funded by the European Union and hosted in Nicosia, Cyprus

1991 -1997 Merit-Based Full Scholarship from The Grammar School, Nicosia, Cyprus

Reviewer Duties

2006- present Immunology Letters
2011-present PLOS Computational Biology

Membership in Professional Organizations

New York Academy of Sciences

List of Publications

Accumulated number of citations: 1753

h-index: 10

Peer Reviewed Original Articles

1. Charalambous A.*, Kotronarou K.*, Evangelou A., Georgiou O., Demetriou A. and Apidianakis Y. “Dietary stimuli, intestinal bacteria and peptide hormones regulate female Drosophila defecation rate”, Metabolites 2023, 13(2), 264. *Equal Contribution

2. Charalambous A.*, Grivogiannis E.*, Dieronitou I., Michael C., Rahme L. and Apidianakis Y. “Proteobacteria and Firmicutes Secreted Factors Exert Distinct Effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosaInfection under Normoxia or Mild Hypoxia”, Metabolites2022, 12(5), 449. *Equal Contribution

3. Antoniades, I*., Kyriakou M.*, Charalambous A, Kalalidou, K., Christodoulou, A., Christoforou, M. and Skourides P “FAK Displacement from Focal Adhesions: A Promising strategy to target processes implicated in cancer and metastasis”, Cell Commun Signal. 2021 Jan 7;19(1):3. *Equal Contribution

4. Charalambous A.*, Antoniades, I*., Christodoulou, N., Zanardelli, S. and Skourides P “Determining the temporal and spatial expression of Calpains in amphibians”, Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1915:67-79, *Equal Contribution

5. Antoniades, I*., Charalambous A.*, Christodoulou, N., Zanardelli, S. and Skourides P “Determining the role of Calpains in embryo development in amphibians”, Methods Mol Biol. 2019;1915:249-259.*Equal Contribution

6. Charalambous A., Koyioni M, Antoniades I, Pegeioti D, Eleftheriou I, Michaelidou S, Amelichev A, Konstantinova L, Rakitin O, Koutentis P* and Skourides P.* “1,2,3-Dithiazoles-new reversible melanin synthesis inhibitors: a chemical genomics study”, Med. Chem. Commun., 2015,6, 935-946

7. Charalambous A., Andreou M., Antoniades, I., Christodoulou, N. and Skourides P. “In vivo, site-specific covalent conjugation of Quantum Dots to proteins via split-intein splicing” (2012) Methods in Molecular Biology 906, p. 157-169

8. Charalambous A.*, Antoniades, I*., Christodoulou, N. and Skourides P. “Split-Inteins for Simultaneous, site-specific conjugation of Quantum Dots to multiple protein targets In vivo” Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2011, 9:37 (15 September 2011) *Equal Contribution

9. Charalambous A., Andreou M. and Skourides P. “Intein-mediated site-specific conjugation of Quantum Dots to proteins in vivo” Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2009, 7:9 (10 December 2009)

10. Radek S.*, Charalambous A.*, Mazumder A., Vesole D., Jagannath S. Dhodapkar M. Bortezomib enhances dendritic cell (DC) mediated induction of immunity to human myeloma via exposure of cell surface heat shock protein 90 on dying tumor cells: Therapeutic implications. Blood. E-pub 2007 Feb 13. *Equal Contribution

11. Charalambous A., Oks M., Nchinda G., Yamazaki S., Steinman RM. Dendritic Cell targeting of survivin protein in a xenogeneic form elicits CD4⁺ T cell immunity to mouse survivin. J Immunol. 2006 Dec 15;177(12):8410-21

12. Liu K., Idoyaga J., Charalambous A., Fujii S., Bonito A., Oks M., Mordoh J., Wainstok R., Bai XF., Liu Y., Steinman RM. Innate NKT Lymphocytes Confer Superior Adaptive Immunity Via Tumor Capturing Dendritic Cells. J Exp Med. 2006 202(11):1507-116.

13. Bonifaz LC, Bonnyay DP, Charalambous A, Darguste DI, Fujii S, Soares H, Brimnes MK, Moltedo B, Moran TM, Steinman RM. In Vivo Targeting of Antigens to Maturing Dendritic Cells via the DEC-205 Receptor Improves T Cell Vaccination. J Exp Med. 2004 Mar 15;199(6):815-24.

Book Contributions

1. Ioannou, A., Eleftheriou, I., Charalambous, A., Skourides, P.A. “Single and multiplexed fluorescent in-situ hybridization using quantum dots nanocrystals in Xenopus” (2015) In situ Hybridization Methods, p.451-462

2. Charalambous, A., Andreou, M., Antoniades, I., Christodoulou, N., Skourides, P.A. In vivo, site-specific, covalent conjugation of quantum dots to proteins via split-intein splicing (2012) Methods in Molecular Biology 906, p. 157 - 169

3. Liu K., Charalambous A., Steinman R. Some biological features of dendritic cells in mouse. In The Mouse in Biomedical Research, Volume 3: Normative Biology, Immunology and Husbandry, 2^nd Ed, Elsevier, San Diego, eds JG Fox, C Newcomer, A Smith, S. Barthold, F Quimby, and M Davisson. 2006

Τα ερευνητικά μου ενδιαφέροντα εστιάζονται σε διερεύνηση της μοριακής βάσης της καρκινικής μετάστασης και στην ανάπτυξη στοχευμένων αναστολέων που να δρούν ως αντι-καρκινικοί ή αντι-μεταστατικοί παράγοντες.

Peer Reviewed Original Articles

1. Charalambous A.*, Kotronarou K.*, Evangelou A., Georgiou O., Demetriou A. and Apidianakis Y. “Dietary stimuli, intestinal bacteria and peptide hormones regulate female Drosophila defecation rate”, Metabolites 2023, 13(2), 264. *Equal Contribution

2. Charalambous A.*, Grivogiannis E.*, Dieronitou I., Michael C., Rahme L. and Apidianakis Y. “Proteobacteria and Firmicutes Secreted Factors Exert Distinct Effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosaInfection under Normoxia or Mild Hypoxia”, Metabolites2022, 12(5), 449. *Equal Contribution.

3. Antoniades, I*., Kyriakou M.*, Charalambous A, Kalalidou, K., Christodoulou, A., Christoforou, M. and Skourides P “FAK Displacement from Focal Adhesions: A Promising strategy to target processes implicated in cancer and metastasis”, Cell Commun Signal. 2021 Jan 7;19(1):3. *Equal Contribution.

4. Charalambous A*, Antoniades, I*., Christodoulou, N., Zanardelli, S. and Skourides P “Determining the temporal and spatial expression of Calpains in amphibians”, accepted in Methods in Molecular Biology in May 2018, *Equal Contribution.

5. Antoniades, I*., Charalambous A*, Christodoulou, N., Zanardelli, S. and Skourides P “Determining the role of Calpains in embryo development in amphibians”, accepted in Methods in Molecular Biology in May 2018 *Equal Contribution.

6. Charalambous A, Koyioni M, Antoniades I, Pegeioti D, Eleftheriou I, Michaelidou S, Amelichev A, Konstantinova L, Rakitin O, Koutentis P* and Skourides P.* “1,2,3-Dithiazoles-new reversible melanin synthesis inhibitors: a chemical genomics study”, Chem. Commun., 2015,6, 935-94.

7. Ioannou, A., Eleftheriou, I., Charalambous, A.,Skourides, P.A. “Single and multiplexed fluorescent in-situ hybridization using quantum dots nanocrystals in Xenopus” (2015) Neuromethods 99, 451-46.

8. Charalambous A, Andreou M., Antoniades, I., Christodoulou, N. and Skourides P. “In vivo, site-specific covalent conjugation of Quantum Dots to proteins via split-intein splicing” (2012) Methods in Molecular Biology 906, p. 157-169.

9. Ioannou, A., Eleftheriou, I., Lubatti, A., Charalambous, A.,Skourides, P.A. “High-resolution whole mount in-situ hybridization using quantum dot nanocrystals” (2012) Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2012

10. Charalambous A*, Antoniades, I*., Christodoulou, N. and Skourides P. “Split-Inteins for Simultaneous, site-specific conjugation of Quantum Dots to multiple protein targets In vivo” Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2011, 9:37 (15 September 2011) *Equal Contribution.

11. Charalambous A, Andreou M. and Skourides P. “Intein-mediated site-specific conjugation of Quantum Dots to proteins in vivo” Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2009, 7:9 (10 December 2009)

12. Wang, B., Kuroiwa, J., He, L., Charalambous, A., Keler, T., Steinman, RM. The human cancer antigen mesothelin is more efficiently presented to the mouse immune system when targeted to the DEC205 receptor on Dendritic Cells. Annals of the NYAS, 2009, Volume 1174 Issue Cancer Vaccines Sixth International Symposium, Pages 6-17

13. Radek S.*, Charalambous A.*, Mazumder A., Vesole D., Jagannath S. Dhodapkar M. Bortezomib enhances dendritic cell (DC) mediated induction of immunity to human myeloma via exposure of cell surface heat shock protein 90 on dying tumor cells: Therapeutic implications. E-pub 2007 Feb 13. *Equal Contribution

14. Charalambous A., Oks M., Nchinda G., Yamazaki S., Steinman RM. Dendritic Cell targeting of survivin protein in a xenogeneic form elicits CD4⁺ T cell immunity to mouse survivin. J Immunol. 2006 Dec 15;177(12):8410-21

15. Liu K., Idoyaga J., Charalambous A., Fujii S., Bonito A., Oks M., Mordoh J., Wainstok R., Bai XF., Liu Y., Steinman RM. Innate NKT Lymphocytes Confer Superior Adaptive Immunity Via Tumor Capturing Dendritic Cells. J Exp Med. 2006 202(11):1507-116.

16. Bonifaz LC, Bonnyay DP, Charalambous A, Darguste DI, Fujii S, Soares H, Brimnes MK, Moltedo B, Moran TM, Steinman RM. In Vivo Targeting of Antigens to Maturing Dendritic Cells via the DEC-205 Receptor Improves T Cell Vaccination. J Exp Med. 2004 Mar 15;199(6):815-24.

17. Kang YS, Kim JY, Bruening SA, Pack M, Charalambous A, Pritsker A, Moran TM, Loeffler JM, Steinman RM, Park CG. The C-type lectin SIGN-R1 mediates uptake of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae in the marginal zone of mouse spleen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004; 101(1):215-20. Epub 2003 Dec 23.

18. Hall D, Dhilla A, Charalambous A, Gogos JA, Karayiorgou M. Sequence variants of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene are strongly associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Hum Genet. 2003 Aug;73(2):370-6. Epub 2003 Jun 27.