Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Dr Margariti has developed significant expertise in stem cell biology, with particular emphasis on cell reprogramming, chromatin remodelling, cell signalling and endothelial cell biology. She had received her postdoctoral training in the Cardiovascular Division of the BHF Centre of Excellence at King’s College London (KCL). In 2013 Dr Margariti was appointed as a Lecturer in the Centre for Experimental Medicine (CEM), in Queen’s University Belfast (QUB). She has received a BBSRC New Investigator award to study the mechanisms of endothelial cell direct reprogramming and a range of BHF grants to study the endothelial cell dysfunction. Dr Margariti and her team have worked extensively to elucidate the underlying mechanism of endothelial cell reprogramming and they have generated functional endothelial cells based on a fully defined environment. In 2017 the team has published that the RNA binding protein QKI is a key player on endothelial cell reprogramming inducing neovascularisation and angiogenesis, while more recently they have shown the mechanism whereby FSTL3 enhances the function of iPS-ECs. In parallel, Dr Margariti’s laboratory has invested on their unique expertise on cell reprogramming and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technologies and they have developed patient- specific cells lines from diabetic donors (patient specific iPS cell lines in a petri dish) based on fast and highly efficient approaches. To date, the group has generated more than 90 diabetic specific iPS cell lines from small volumes of patient blood based on highly novel and robust protocols. These patient-specific cells are now valuable tools to study the underlying causes and mechanisms of the pathogenesis of the endothelial cell dysfunction and develop new knowledge, biomarker of diabetes and vascular complications, and discover effective therapies. Dr Margariti has been promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2017 and she is leading the iPS cells facilities in CEM in QUB, where iPS cells are generated and differentiated towards vascular cells (including ECs, Smooth Muscle Cells and Pericytes) and human blood vessel organoids, Cardiomyocyes, Neurons, Retina pigment epithelial cells and many other cell types. The team is located in the CEM which provides a vibrant and growing research centre focused on vascular biology. The Centre has moved into a purpose-designed £32M Research building (~4,742m2) partly funded by a Wellcome Trust-Wolfson Capital Award. Dr Margariti has published a number of high-quality papers, and the impact of her research has been recognised by several prestigious awards, including the PAPANIKOLAOU Prize from the Hellenic Medical Society for significant contribution to medical research and the prize for outstanding performance and scientific research awarded by the KCL. She has also established collaborations with two of the leading cell reprogramming laboratories in the world. Prof Deepak Srivastava in University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), who is internationally renowned for his studies in cell reprogramming, and Prof George Daley, the Director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Children’s Hospital Boston in Harvard Medical School, whose group are world leaders in the studies in development and cellular reprogramming.
Dr Margariti’s research is demonstrating that the therapeutic potential of “re-born” reprogrammed endothelial cells have transforming consequences for regenerative and personalised medicine.
The road to novel regenerative therapy using direct reprogramming approaches will be challenging and hard, but the journey has already begun...
Selected Awards
- 2014 BBSRC NEW INVESTIGATOR AWARD
- 2013 First Contact Initiative Grant from the European Society of Cardiology.
- 2012 Prize for outstanding performance and scientific research awarding from the Cardiovascular Division, BHF Centre King’s College London UK.
- 2012 PAPANIKOLAOU Prize for significant contribution to Medical research awarding from the Hellenic Medical Society in London, UK.
- 2011 Travel award for best abstract submitted, from the ESC council, 6th European Meeting for Vascular Biology & Medicine 21-24 September Krakow, Poland.
- 2008 Michael Davies Young Investigator Award Finalist presenter. Spring Meeting 3-4 April Oxford, UK.
- 2007 First prize for best poster presentation, European Vascular Genomic Network (EVGN), Sweden.
- 2006 First prize for best poster presentation, European Vascular Genomic Network (EVGN), Sicily.
- 2006 Best Log Book during PhD studies, St. George’s University of London, UK.
Invited Speaker
- 2018 Invited Speaker on 2nd International Conference in Splicing, 16th 19th July, Caparica, Portugal.
- 2018 Invited Speaker to give a talk in Imperial College London on 5th July, London, UK.
- 2018 Invited Speaker to give a talk in Yachay Tech on 25th January, Ecuador.
- 2017 Invited Speaker, 27th October at King’s College London, UK.
- 2017 9th Annual Conference on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Sep 25-26, 2017, Berlin, Germany.
- 2017 Invited Speaker, 22nd August at National University of Ireland, Galway.
- 2016 Small Artery Network (SmArt) Vascular Progenitors in Biology and Medicine conference, November 7th to 9th University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
- 2016 Invited speaker to 2nd Annual International Symposium of Diabetes in ATINER, 2nd May, Athens Greece.
- 2015 Invited Speaker to BHF Panel in King’s College London, 15th December.
- 2015 Invited Speaker at University of Strathclyde, 30th September.
- 2014 St George’s London University, Lecture on Stem Cells, Cardiovascular Disease and Regenerative Medicine, 12h March 2014, London, UK
- 2013 in Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Research in University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), 15th November 2013, a talk “on Cell Reprogramming and Regenerative Medicine”.
- 2013 Atherosclerosis Gordon Research Conference (GRC) in Stowe, Vermont, USA, at the Stoweflake Resort and Conference Center, June 16-21, a talk on “Epigenetic therapies in cardiovascular disease”.
- 2013 St George’s London University, Lecture on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, 20th March 2013, London, UK
- 2013 BHF Centres of Excellence Synergy Meeting, 4th February 2013, Oxford, UK. A talk on “Cell Reprogramming”.
- 2012 Guest invitation in 3rd Annual “Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Production and Utility in Regenerative Medicine 2nd Oct, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevanage, UK.
- 2012 Small Artery Network (SmArt) Vascular Progenitors in Biology and Medicine conference, September 13-15, University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
- 2012 European Workshop on Proteomics and Vascular Biology, March 27th-29th, King’s College London, UK.
Professional Registration
2018-present Panel Member of the Biochemical Society
2012-present Member of International Society of Stem cell Research
2009-present Member of British Society for Cardiovascular Research
2008-present Early Career member of American Heart Association
2004-present Member of Institute of Biomedical Science
2003-present Associate member of Royal Society of Chemistry
2003-present Member of the Biochemical Society
Education:
Professional Development:
- PGCHET
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA); Recognition Reference: PR064209 17/12/2013
- Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education Module Enhancing Academic Practice (7TTY0023) awarded from King’s College London November 2013.
- GMO Health and Safety Advisor
Education Contribution:
Developmental Studies BMS3003
- Stem cells
- Epigenetics
- Short and Long Non-Coding RNAs
MED1013 Foundations of Clinical Practise I
- Lectures on Metabolism
- Catalysis and Energy: An overview
- Metabolism and glucose
- Amino acid and nucleotide metabolism
- Lipid metabolism and Formation
- Mitochondria and ATP production
- Regulation of Metabolism
Tutorials
- Problem solving with Genes, Molecules and Processes
- Problems in Clinical Genetics
- Problems in Biochemical Medicine
Vascular Biology BMS3027
- Pluripotent Stem Cells: Biology and Generation
- Pluripotent Stem Cells: Therapeutic tools
MSc in Experimental Medicine
Program Co-ordinator
MSc in Experimental Medicine: Research Projects (SCM8146)
Module Co-ordinator
MSc SCM8110: Cardiovascular Biology and Disease
- Genetically Modified Animals in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Research
- Atherosclerosis
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Stem-Cell based therapies in diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
MSc SCM8111: Diabetes and Cardiovascular Medicine: Clinical Translation
- Advanced Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- iPSC Genome Engineering
MSc SCM8062: Inflammation and Immunology; from Cell to Clinic
- Novel Immunological Therapies (CAR-Ts, IPSCs, other therapies)
Current Projects in our Lab
1. Elucidate the Endothelial Cell dysfunction using Induced Pluripotent Stem cells from Blood cells based on Novel Methods
a. From Healthy Donors
b. From Patient-Specific Groups
2. Elucidation of the Mechanisms of Vascular Cell Differentiation and human blood vessel organoids
a. RNA Binding Proteins
b. Regulation of mRNA Splicing
c. Small Peptides
3. Establishing Robust Direct Reprogramming approaches towards Vascular Cell lineages
a. Transcriptional Regulation
b. Epigenetic Modulation
c. Metabolic Switch
4. Regenerative Medicine; Test the functional Properties of the Reprogrammed Vascular Cells in vivo and propose potential therapeutic strategies to treat Vascular Disease
a. Angiogenesis
b. Ischemia
c. Vascular Injury/ Myocardial Infarction
d. In vivo Reprogramming
Group Members
Research Fellows
- Dr Thomas Morrison 2019-today
Project: Generation of human blood vessel Organoids using iPS cells from non-diabetic and diabetic donors.
- Dr Chunbo Yang 2017-2019
Project: Endothelial dysfunction in Diabetic patients and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
- Dr Letizia Gulino 2015-2016
Project: Investigate the Underlying Mechanisms of Direct Reprogramming towards Vascular Cell Lineages
- Dr Sophia Kelaini 2014-Present
Project: Direct reprogramming towards Vascular Cell lineages; A Merging Approach
PhD Students
- Miss Magdalini Eleftheriadou 2017-Present
Project: Investigate the role of non-coding RNAs during Endothelial cells differentiation from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.
- Dr Rachel Caines 2015-2019
Project: Dedifferentiated or re-Born Again? Elucidating the chromatin remodelling mechanisms during endothelial cell reprogramming for cardiovascular therapy (BHF Studentship)
- Dr Marta Vilà-González 2014-2017
Project: Diabetic macular oedema: insight into the disease and iPSC for the stratifications of its treatment based on novel technologies
- Dr Amy Cochrane 2013-2016
Project: Mechanisms of vascular cell differentiation from induced Pluripotent stem Cells (iPS cells); RNA binding Proteins
MSc Students
- Miss Victoria Cornelius 2019-2020
- Miss Shonagh Flanagan 2018-2019
- Mr Andrew Yacoub 2017-2018
Project: Discovery of novel therapies for Diabetic and Cardiovascular disease patients through the powerful approach of Cell Repogramming in a petri-dish
- Mr Corey Magee 2016-2017
Project: Combining Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and RNA Sequencing Technologies to Identify Novel Mediators of Endothelial Differentiation and Dysfunction
- Mr Thomas Noteman 2014-2015
Project: Elucidate the Unique Epigenetic Signature of reprogramming endothelial cells derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for use in Cardiovascular Therapy and Personalised Medicine
- Mr Philip McCaughey 2013-2014
Project: Mechanisms of vascular cell differentiation; Regenerative Medicine
MSci Students
- Mr Garrett Carney 2019-2020
- Miss Grace Todd 2018-2019
- Miss Olivia Sharpe 2018-2019
- Miss Wiktoria Ratajczak 2017-2018
- Miss Anya Harris 2016-2017
- Miss Charlotte McBrien 2016-2017
Undergraduate Supervision
- Mr David Barr 2019-2020
- Miss Sarah Fairley 2018-2019
- Miss Jasmyn Ferson 2017-2018
- Miss Shannon O' Doherty (Intercalated BSc) 2017-2018
- Mr Ryan Sterritt (Intercalated BSc) 2016-2017
- Miss Marianna Tsifaki Erasmus / Technician 2016-2018
- Miss Fiona Cunningham 2015-2016
- Miss Emma Martelli 2015-2016
- Miss Daiana Drehmer (Science-without Borders programme) 2015-2016
- Mr Andrew Carmichael 2015-2016
- Mr Peter Crossley (Intercalated BSc) 2015-2016
- Mr Sean Mc Mahon (Intercalated BSc) 2014-2015
- Miss Karin Yeoh 2014-2015
- MrWilson Cheah (Intercalated BSc) 2013-2014
Summer Students
- Miss Lisa Benrejdal University of Rennes France 2018
- Mr Michael Breen (Nuffield Research Placement) 2017
- Miss Azah Kadir 2015
- Miss Medine Gumustas (Erasmus Student) 2015
- Mr Gabriel Pena Machado (Science without Borders programme) 2015
- Miss Rachel Caines 2014
- Miss Rebekah Craig (Nuffield Research Placement) 2014
Collaborators
- Prof Alan Stitt Centre for Experimental Medicine Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Prof David Grieve Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Prof Noemi Lois Clinical Professor Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Dr Sandra McAllister Clinical Lecturer Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Prof George Daley Boston Children’s Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Dr Thorsten Schlaeger Head of pluripotent stem cells Core Facility Boston Children’s Hospital Harvard Medical School, USA
- Prof Deepak Srivastava Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Research in University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Dr Alisha Holloway (Bioinformatics Core) Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Research in University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Prof Qingbo Xu BHF Centre of Excellence King’s College London, UK
- Dr Lingfang Zeng BHF Centre of Excellence King’s College London, UK
- Dr Anna Zampetaki BHF Centre of Excellence King’s College London, UK
- Prof John McCarron University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
- Dr Steve Shnyder Institute of Cancer Therapeutics University of Bradford, UK
- Dr David Simpson Centre for Experimental Medicine Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Dr Guillermo Lopez Campos Centre for Experimental Medicine Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Dr Jose Sousa Queen’s University Belfast, UK
- Dr Fionna Wilkinson Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
- Prof Yvonne Alexander Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
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Projects 2014 2019
R1096GFS: Exploiting stem cell biology for liver fluke control
Maule, A., Margariti, A. & Marks, N.
11/08/2019 → …
Project: Research
R1437CEM: Stratifying treatment for diabetic macular oedema using induced plurlpotent stem cells
Stitt, A., Lois, N. & Margariti, A.
21/07/2014 → …
Project: Research
R1750CEM: A novel, fast, highly efficient and safe method for inducing pluripotency from blood cells
20/03/2017 → 31/12/2017
Project: Research
Research Output 2006 2019
A histone deacetylase 7-derived peptide promotes vascular regeneration via facilitating 14-3-3γ phosphorylation
Yang, J., Moraga, A., Xu, J., Zhao, Y., Luo, P., Lao, K. H., Margariti, A., Zhao, Q., Ding, W., Wang, G., Zhang, M., Zheng, L., Zhang, Z., Hu, Y., Wang, W., Shen, L., Smith, A., Shah, A. M., Wang, Q. & Zeng, L., 13 Nov 2019, In : Stem Cells.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Fibre Laser Treatment of Beta TNZT Titanium Alloys for Load-Bearing Implant Applications: Effects of Surface Physical and Chemical Features on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Response and Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Attachment
Donaghy, C. L., McFadden, R., Smith, G. C., Kelaini, S., Carson, L., Malinov, S., Margariti, A. & Chan, C-W., 12 Mar 2019, In : Coatings. 9, 3, 20 p., 186.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
NOX4 is a major regulator of cord blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells which promotes postischaemic revascularisation
O'Neill, K. M., Campbell, D. C., Edgar, K. S., Gill, E. K., Moez, A., McLoughlin, K. J., O'Neill, C. L., Dellett, M., Hargey, C. J., Abudalo, R. A., O'Hare, M., Doyle, P., Toh, T., Khoo, J., Wong, J., McCrudden, C. M., Meloni, M., Brunssen, C., Morawietz, H., Yoder, M. C. & 6 others , 01 Apr 2019, In : Cardiovascular Research.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
The RNA-binding protein QKI controls alternative splicing in vascular cells, producing an effective model for therapy
Caines, R., Cochrane, A., Kelaini, S., Gonzalez, M. V., Yang, C., Eleftheriadou, M., Moez, A., Stitt, A. W., Zeng, L., Grieve, D. J. & Margariti, A., 15 Aug 2019, In : Journal of Cell Science.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Constitutively active SMAD2/3 facilitates efficient transcription factor-mediated cell conversion
Kelaini, S. & Margariti, A., 22 Aug 2018, In : Stem cell investigation. 5, p. 1-3Research output: Contribution to journal › Article