In the media
Pomegranates, turmeric and red grapes: the key to long life?
Article in The Guardian covering Professor Nezis' research in autophagy and links to disease and ageing.
Lab web page: https://nezislab.wordpress.com
In my group we are interested in the role of autophagy in health and disease. Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process that involves the degradation of cytoplasmic material through the lysosomal pathway. Autophagy is a cellular response in nutrient starvation but it is also responsible for the removal of aggregated proteins, damaged organelles and developmental remodeling. Recent studies have shown that dysfunction in autophagy has been implicated in an increasing number of diseases from bacterial and viral infections to cancer and more recently in neurodegeneration and other ageing-related diseases. Interestingly, it has been shown that induction of autophagy can increase longevity in multiple animal species. Although it was initially believed that autophagy occurs randomly inside the cell, during the last years there is growing evidence that sequestration and degradation of cytoplasmic material by autophagy can be selective through receptor and adaptor proteins. It is therefore important to identify the proteins required for recognition and targeting of the various autophagic cargo for degradation and to elucidate the role of selective autophagy in normal and pathological conditions, especially at the organismal level. We are using mammalian cells in vitro and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, as a genetically modifiable model organism to investigate the mechanisms of autophagy in the context of the physiology of the cell, the system and the living organism. We have developed several molecular markers for monitoring autophagy in vivo.
The major aims of our research are:
- To identify novel selective autophagy receptors and adaptors
- To understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autophagy during ageing
- To elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of autophagy in diseases such as neurodegeneration, obesity, bacterial and viral infections and tumorigenesis
The long term goal of our research is to develop therapeutic strategies for these diseases.
We are studying the function of autophagy genes using a combination of RNAi mediated knock down, targeted gene expression, conditional knock out and we use a wide range of approaches, including confocal microscopy, live cell imaging, conventional electron microscopy, immuno-gold electron microscopy, biochemical methods and bioinformatics.
Post Docs and PhD students
Motivated Post Docs and PhD students that want to join the lab are very welcome throughout the year. Please contact Dr Nezis for details.
PhD studentships available through MIBTP-DTC (http://warwick.ac.uk/mibtp)
2020 - : Professor of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, UK
2018 - 2020: Reader in Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, UK
2012 - 2017: Associate Professor of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, UK
2009-2012: Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Department of Biological Applications & Technology, University of Ioannina, Greece
2007-2009: Post-doctoral research fellow in Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
2005-2007: Post-doctoral research fellow in Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece
2004-2005: Post-doctoral research fellow in Institute of Biological Research and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
2002-2004: National military service, Greece
1998-2002: PhD Thesis, Cell Biology, Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece
1993-1997: BSc, Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Gohel, Raksha, Hussain, Zunoon, Varga, Agnes, Maruzs, Tamas, Eddison, Mark, Sica, Margaux, Jain, Ashish, Moffat, Kevin G., Johansen, Terje, Jenny, Andreas, Juhasz, Gabor, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2021. Degradation of arouser by endosomal microautophagy is essential for adaptation to starvation in Drosophila. Life Science Alliance, 4 (2)
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Petridi, Stavroula, Di Monaco, Marisa, Bhujabal, Zambarlal, Jain, Ashish, Mulakkal, Nitha Charles, Palara, Anthimi, Powell, Emma L., Chung, Bonita, Zampronio, Cleidiane, Jones, Alexandra M., Cameron, Alexander, Johansen, Terje, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2020. Regulation of expression of autophagy genes by Atg8a-interacting partners Sequoia, YL-1 and Sir2 in Drosophila. Cell Reports, 31 (8)
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2020. Selective autophagic degradation of the IKK complex in Drosophila is mediated by Kenny/IKKy to control inflammation. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 7 (1)
- Chang, Kai, Kang, Ping, Liu, Ying, Huang, Kerui, Miao, Ting, Taylor, Erika, Sagona, Antonia P., Nezis, Ioannis P., Bodmer, Rolf, Ocorr, Karen, Bai, Hua, 2020. TGFB-INHB/activin signaling regulates age-dependent autophagy and cardiac health through inhibition of MTORC2 Autophagy. Autophagy, 16 (10), pp. 1807-1822
- Sarkar, Sovan, Vaccaro, Maria I., Nezis, Ioannis P., 2020. Editorial : Autophagy : from big data to physiological significance. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 7
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Petridi, Stavroula, Di Monaco, Marisa, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2020. A nuclear role for Atg8-family proteins. Autophagy, 16 (9), pp. 1721-1723
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Petridi, Stavroula, DiMonaco, Marisa, Jain, Ashish, Bhujabal, Zambarlal, Mulakkal, Nitha Charles, Palara, Anthimi, Powell, Emma L., Chung, Bonita, Zampronio, Cleidiane G., Jones, Alexandra M., Cameron, Alexander, Johansen, Terje, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2019. Atg8a interacts with transcription factor Sequoia to control the expression of autophagy genes in Drosophila.
- Sudhakar, Padhmanand, Claire-Jacomin, Anne, Hautefort, Isabelle, Samavedam, Siva, Fatemian, Koorosh, Ari, Eszter, Gul, Leila, Demeter, Amanda, Jones, Emily, Korcsmaros, Tamas, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2019. Targeted interplay between bacterial pathogens and host autophagy. Autophagy, 15 (9), pp. 1620-1633
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Geraki, Kalotina, Tjendana-Tjhin, Vindy, Collingwood, Joanna F., Nezis, Ioannis P., 2019. Impact of autophagy and ageing on iron load and ferritin in Drosophila brain. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 7
- Gohel, Raksha, Kournoutis, Athanasios, Petridi, Stavroula, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2019. Molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy in Drosophila. International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology
- Tsapras, P., Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2018. Assays to monitor mitophagy in Drosophila. Methods in Molecular Biology
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Gul, Lejla, Sudhakar, Padhmanand, Korcsmaros, Tamas, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2018. What we learned from big data for autophagy research. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 6
- Tsapras, Panagiotis, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2017. Caspase involvement in autophagy. Cell Death & Differentiation, 24 (8), pp. 1369-1379
- Tusco, Radu, Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Jain, Ashish, Penman, Bridget S., Bowitz Larsen, Kenneth, Johansen, Terje, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2017. Kenny mediates selective autophagic degradation of the IKK complex to control innate immune responses. Nature Communications, 8
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Samavedam, Siva, Charles, Hannah, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2017. iLIR@viral : a web resource for LIR motif-containing proteins in viruses. Autophagy, 13 (10), pp. 1782-1789
- Klionsky, Daniel J., Abdelmohsen, Kotb, Abe, Akihisa, Abedin, Md Joynal, Abeliovich, Hagai, Acevedo Arozena, Abraham, Adachi, Hiroaki, Adams, Christopher M., Adams, Peter D, Adeli, Khosrow et al., Nezis, Ioannis, 2016. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy. Autophagy, 12 (1), pp. 1-222
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Samavedam, Siva, Promponas, Vasilis, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2016. iLIR database : a web resource for LIR motif-containing proteins in eukaryotes. Autophagy, 12 (10), pp. 1945-1953
- Eikenes, Åsmund H., Malerød, Lene, Christensen, Anette Lie, Steen, Chloé B., Mathieu, Juliette, Nezis, Ioannis P., Liestøl, Knut, Huynh, Jean-René, Stenmark, H., Haglund, Kaisa, 2015. ALIX and ESCRT-III coordinately control cytokinetic abscission during germline stem cell division in vivo. PLoS Genetics, 11 (1), pp. 1-7
- Mulakkal, Nitha Charles, Nagy, Péter, Takats, Szabolcs, Tusco, Radu, Juhász, Gábor, Nezis, I. P., 2014. Autophagy in Drosophila : from historical studies to current knowledge. BioMed Research International, 2014
- Kalvari, Ioanna, Tsompanis, Stelios, Mulakkal, Nitha Charles, Osgood, Richard, Johansen, Terje, Nezis, I. P., Promponas, Vasilis J., 2014. iLIR : a web resource for prediction of Atg8-family interacting proteins. Autophagy, 10 (5)
- Sagona, Antonia, Nezis, Ioannis P., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2014. Association of CHMP4B and autophagy with micronuclei : implications for cataract formation. BioMed Research International, 2014
- Eskelinen, Eeva-Liisa, Liton, Paloma B., Nezis, I. P., Piacentini, Mauro, 2013. Autophagy researchers. Autophagy, 9 (10), pp. 1451-1454
- Klionsky, Daniel J., Abdalla, Fabio C., Abeliovich, Hagai, Abraham, Robert T., Nezis, Ioannis. et al, 2012. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy. Autophagy, Vol.8 (No.4), pp. 445-544
- Nezis, I. P., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2012. p62 at the Interface of Autophagy, Oxidative Stress Signaling, and Cancer. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, Vol. 17 (No. 5), pp. 786-793
- Nezis, I. P., 2012. Selective Autophagy in Drosophila. International Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 2012, pp. 1-9
- Nezis, I. P., 2012. The selectivity and specificity of autophagy in drosophila. Cells, 1 (3), pp. 248-262
- Sagona, Antonia, P., Nezis, I. P., Bache, Kristi G., Haglund, Kaisa, Bakken, Anne Cathrine, Skotheim, Rolf I., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2011. A Tumor-Associated Mutation of FYVE-CENT Prevents Its Interaction with Beclin 1 and Interferes with Cytokinesis. PLoS ONE, Vol. 6 (No. 3)
- Bartlett, Bryan J., Isakson, Pauline, Lewerenz, Jan, Sanchez, Heriberto, Kotzebue, Roxanne W., Cumming, Robert C., Harris, Greg L., Nezis, I. P., Schubert, David R., Simonsen, Anne, Finley, Kim D., 2011. Ref(2)P and ubiquitinated proteins are conserved markers of neuronal aging, aggregate formation and progressive autophagic defects. Autophagy, Vol. 7 (No. 6), pp. 572-583
- Haglund, Kaisa, Nezis, I. P., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2011. Structure and functions of stable intercellular bridges formed by incomplete cytokinesis during development. Communicative & Integrative Biology, Vol. 4 (No. 1), pp. 1-9
- Nezis, I. P., Shravage, Bhupendra V., Sagona, Antonia, P., Lamark, Trond, Bjorkoy, G., Johansen, Terje, Rusten, Tor Erik, Brech, Andreas, Baehrecke, Eric H., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. Autophagic degradation of dBruce controls DNA fragmentation in nurse cells during late Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis. The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 190 (No. 4), pp. 523-531
- Malagoli, Davide, Abdalla, Fabio C., Cao, Yang, Feng, Qili, Fujisaki, Kozo, Gregorc, Ales, Matsuo, Tomohide, Nezis, I. P., Papassideri, Issidora S., Sass, Miklós, Silva-Zacarin, Elaine C. M., Tettamanti, Gianluca, Umemiya-Shirafuji, Rika, 2010. Autophagy and its physiological relevance in arthropods: Current knowledge and perspectives. Autophagy, Vol. 6 (No. 5), pp. 575-588
- Nezis, I. P., Shravage, Bhupendra V., Sagona, Antonia, P., Johansen, Terje, Baehrecke, Eric H., Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. Autophagy as a trigger for cell death : autophagic degradation of inhibitor of apoptosis dBruce controls DNA fragmentation during late oogenesis in Drosophila. Autophagy, Vol. 6 (No. 8), pp. 1214-1215
- Haglund, Kaisa, Nezis, I. P., Lemus, Dafne, Grabbe, Caroline, Wesche, Jørgen, Liestøl, Knut, Dikic, Ivan, Palmer, Ruth, Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. Cindr Interacts with Anillin to Control Cytokinesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Current Biology, Vol. 20 (No. 10), pp. 944-950
-
Shimokawa, Noriaki, Haglund, Kaisa, Hölter, Sabine M, Grabbe, Caroline, Kirkin, Vladimir, Koibuchi, Noriyuki, Schultz, Christian, Rozman, Jan, Hoeller, Daniela, Qiu, Chun-Hong, Londoño, Marina B, Ikezawa, Jun, Jedlicka, Peter, Stein, Birgit, Schwarzacher, Stephan W, Wolfer, David P, Ehrhardt, Nicole, Heuchel, Rainer, Nezis, I. P., Brech, Andreas et al (Select to open full list), 2010.
- Nezis, I. P., Sagona, Antonia P., Schink, Kay Oliver, Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. Divide and ProsPer: The emerging role of PtdIns3P in cytokinesis. Trends in Cell Biology, Vol. 20 (No. 11), pp. 642-649
- Nezis, I. P., Sagona, Antonia, P., Schink, Kay Oliver, Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. Divide and ProsPer : the emerging role of PtdIns3P in cytokinesis. Trends in Cell Biology, 20 (11), pp. 642-649
- Sagona, Antonia, P., Nezis, I. P., Pedersen, Nina Marie, Liestøl, Knut, Poulton, John, Rusten, Tor Erik, Skotheim, Rolf I., Raiborg, Camilla, Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2010. PtdIns(3)P controls cytokinesis through KIF13A-mediated recruitment of FYVE-CENT to the midbody. Nature Cell Biology, Vol. 12 (No. 4), pp. 362-371
- Nezis, I. P., Lamark, Trond, Velentzas, Athanassios D., Rusten, Tor Erik, Bjørkøy, Geir, Johansen, Terje, Papassideri, Issidora S., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Stenmark, H. (Harald), Brech, Andreas, 2009. Cell death duringDrosophila melanogasterearly oogenesis is mediated through autophagy. Autophagy, Vol. 5 (No. 3), pp. 298-303
- Vaccari, Thomas, Rusten, Tor Erik, Menut, L., Nezis, I. P., Brech, Andreas, Stenmark, H. (Harald), Bilder, David, 2009. Comparative analysis of ESCRT-I, ESCRT-II and ESCRT-III function in Drosophila by efficient isolation of ESCRT mutants. Journal of Cell Science, 122 (14), pp. 2413-2423
- Nezis, I. P., Papassideri, Issidora, 2008. Chapter Thirty-Seven Monitoring Autophagy in Insect Eggs. Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 451, pp. 669-683
- Mpakou, Vicky E., Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Papassideri, Issidora S., 2008. Different modes of programmed cell death during oogenesis of the silkmoth Bombyx mori. Autophagy, Vol. 4 (No. 1), pp. 97-100
- Nezis, I. P., Simonsen, Anne, Sagona, Antonia, P., Finley, Kim D., Gaumer, S., Contamine, D., Rusten, Tor Erik, Stenmark, H. (Harald), Brech, Andreas, 2008. Ref(2)P, the Drosophila melanogaster homologue of mammalian p62, is required for the formation of protein aggregates in adult brain. The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 180 (No. 6), pp. 1065-1071
- Velentzas, Athanassios D., Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Margaritis, Lukas H., 2007. Apoptosis and autophagy function cooperatively for the efficacious execution of programmed nurse cell death during Drosophila virilis oogenesis. Autophagy, 3 (2), pp. 130-132
- Panagopoulos, Dimitris J., Chavdoula, Evangelia D., Nezis, I. P., Margaritis, Lukas H., 2007. Cell death induced by GSM 900-MHz and DCS 1800-MHz mobile telephony radiation. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 626 (1-2), pp. 69-78
- Rusten, Tor Erik, Vaccari, Thomas, Lindmo, Karine, Rodahl, Lina M.W., Nezis, I. P., Sem-Jacobsen, Catherine, Wendler, Franz, Vincent, Jean-Paul, Brech, Andreas, Bilder, David, Stenmark, H. (Harald), 2007. ESCRTs and Fab1 regulate distinct steps of autophagy. Current Biology, 17 (20), pp. 1817-1825
- Velentzas, Athanassios D., Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Margaritis, Lukas H., 2007. Stage-specific regulation of programmed cell death during oogenesis of the medfly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae). The International Journal of Developmental Biology, 51 (1), pp. 57-66
- Hatziantoniou, Sophia, Nezis, I. P., Margaritis, Lukas H., Demetzos, Costas, 2007. Visualisation of liposomes prepared from skin and stratum corneum lipids by transmission electron microscopy. Micron, 38 (8), pp. 777-781
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Papassideri, Issidora S., 2006. Autophagy is required for the degeneration of the ovarian follicular epithelium in higher diptera. Autophagy, 2 (4), pp. 297-298
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Papassideri, Issidora S., 2006. Chromatin condensation of ovarian nurse and follicle cells is regulated independently from DNA fragmentation during Drosophila late oogenesis. Differentiation, 74 (6), pp. 293-304
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Papassideri, Issidora S., 2006. Follicular atresia during Dacus oleae oogenesis. Journal of Insect Physiology, 52 (3), pp. 282-290
- Velentzas, Athanassios D., Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Margaritis, Lukas H., 2006. Mechanisms of programmed cell death during oogenesis in Drosophila virilis. Cell and Tissue Research, 327 (2), pp. 399-414
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Margaritis, Lukas H., Papassideri, Issidora S., 2006. Programmed cell death of follicular epithelium during the late developmental stages of oogenesis in the fruit flies Bactrocera oleae and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera, Tephritidae) is mediated by autophagy. Development, Growth and Differentiation, 48 (3), pp. 189-198
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Stergiopoulos, Costas, Margaritis, Lukas H., 2005. Morphological irregularities and features of resistance to apoptosis in thedcp-1/pita double mutated egg chambers during Drosophila oogenesis. Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton, 60 (1), pp. 14-23
- Chondrogianni, N., Tzavelas, C., Pemberton, A. J., Nezis, I. P., Rivett, A. J., Gonos, E. S., 2005. Overexpression of proteasome 5 assembled subunit increases the amount of proteasome and confers ameliorated response to oxidative stress and higher survival rates. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280 (12), pp. 11840-11850
- Nezis, I. P., Modes, Vassilis, Mpakou, Vicky, Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Mammali, Ioanna, Margaritis, Lukas H., 2003. Modes of programmed cell death during Ceratitis capitata oogenesis. Tissue and Cell, 35 (2), pp. 113-119
- Sideratou, Zili, Foundis, John, Tsiourvas, Dimitris, Nezis, I. P., Papadimas, Georgios, Paleos, Constantinos M., 2002. A novel dendrimeric ?glue? for adhesion of phosphatidyl choline-based liposomes. Langmuir, 18 (13), pp. 5036-5039
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios, Papassideri, Issidora, Robert-Nicoud, Michel, Margaritis, Lukas, 2002. Dynamics of apoptosis in the ovarian follicle cells during the late stages of Drosophila oogenesis. Cell and Tissue Research, 307 (3), pp. 401-409
- Nezis, I. P., Stravopodis, Dimitrios J., Papassideri, Issidora S., Robert-Nicoud, Michel, Margaritis, Lukas H., 2000. Stage-specific apoptotic patterns during oogenesis. European Journal of Cell Biology, 79 (9), pp. 610-620
- Xanthou, G., Tapinos, N. I., Polihronis, M., Nezis, I. P., Margaritis, L. H., Moutsopoulos, H. M., 1999. CD4 cytotoxic and dendritic cells in the immunopathologic lesion of Sjögren's syndrome. Clinical & Experimental Immunology, 118 (1), pp. 154-163
- Petridi, Stavroula, Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Bhujabal, Zambarla, Johansen, Terje, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2020. Exploring selective autophagy in Drosophila : methods to identify Atg8-interacting proteins. Methods in Cell Biology, Elsevier
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2017. Assays to monitor aggrephagy in Drosophila brain. In Turksen, K. (ed.), Autophagy in Differentiation and Tissue Maintenance, New York, NY, Humana Press, pp. 147-157
- Jacomin, Anne-Claire, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2016. Using fluorescent reporters to monitor autophagy in the female germline cells in Drosophila melanogaster. In Oogenesis : Methods and Protocols, Springer, pp. 69-78
- Palara, Anthimi, Sagona, Antonia, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2016. Preparation of Drosophila follicles for transmission electron microscopy. In Oogenesis : Methods and Protocols, Springer, pp. 105-110
- Tsapras, Panagiotis, Sagona, Antonia, Nezis, Ioannis P., 2016. Immuno-gold labeling of Drosophila follicles for transmission electron microscopy. In Oogenesis : Methods and Protocols, Springer, pp. 97-103
- Shultz, Sebastian Wolfgang, Brech, Andreas, Nezis, I. P., 2013. Time flies : autophagy during ageing in Drosophila. Bailly, Yannick (ed.), Autophagy : a double-edged sword : cell survival or death?, Croatia, In-Tech
- Nezis, I. P., Vaccaro, Maria I., Devenish, Rodney J., Juhász, Gábor, 2014. Autophagy in development, cell differentiation, and homeodynamics: from molecular mechanisms to diseases and pathophysiology. BioMed Research International, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, pp. 1-2
Title | Funder | Award start | Award end |
---|---|---|---|
What is the function of a protein that controls cytoplasmic self-eating in the nucleus? | Leverhulme Trust | 01 Jul 2017 | 30 Sep 2020 |
Elucidating novel roles of selective autophagy in inflammation during ageing | BBSRC | 01 Apr 2017 | 30 Jun 2020 |
Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Selective Autophagy and their relevance to ageing | BBSRC | 24 Mar 2014 | 23 Apr 2017 |
Elucidating the function of a new selective autophagy-associated protein in the regulation of immune signalling in vivo in Drosophila | Wellcome Trust | 06 Jul 2015 | 05 Sep 2015 |