Department of Biology

Name:	Alex Georgakilas
Title:	Associate Professor
Area of Study:	Biology/Cancer Biology/Radiation Biology
Phone:	252-328-5446
Fax:	252-328-4178
E-mail:	georgakilasa@ecu.edu
Office:	N418 Howell Science
Address:	Department of Biology
	East Carolina University
	Greenville, NC 27858

alex georgakilas

Research Program

Human beings are daily exposed to background radiation. My research has focused the last twelve years on the effects of ionizing radiation on DNA which is considered as the key target of radiation in the cell. Ionizing radiation and endogenous cellular oxidative stress can also induce closely spaced oxidatively-induced DNA lesions called 'clusters' of DNA damage or Locally Multiple Damage Sites (LMDS) as first introduced by John Ward.

I am now interested in the repair mechanisms of clustered DNA damage which is considered as the most difficult for the cell to repair. A main part of my research is devoted on evaluating the role of clustered DNA damage in the promotion of Carcinogenesis. Currently in my laboratory I have two main ongoing projects:

1. Role of BRCA1 and DNA-PKcs repair proteins in the processing of clustered DNA damage in human breast cancer. For this project we use several tumor cell lines like the the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and HCC1937 (BRCA1 deficient) and the human glioblastoma cells MO59J/K.

2. Possible use of DNA damage clusters as novel cancer/radiation biomarkers for prognostic and therapeutic applications. In this project human tumor and mice tissues are being used.

Education

1987-1992 : Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Physics with Honors, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

1991-1992 : Diploma thesis with Honors: "The Effects of alpha-Irradiation on the DNA macromolecule"

1992-1993 : Post-Graduate Studies in molecular and cellular biology, Institute of Biology, NCSR "Demokritos"

1993-1998 : Ph.D in Biology with Honors: "Effects of alpha-Particles radiation on mammalian DNA".

Publications during my ECU period

1. Stewart, R. D., V.K., Y., Georgakilas, A. G., Koumenis, C., Park, J. H., & Carlson, D. J. (2011). Effects of radiation quality and oxygen on clustered DNA lesions and cell death. Radiat. Res., 175, DOI:10.1667/RR2663.1661.

2. Martin, O. A., Redon, C., Nakamura, A. J., Dickey, J. S., Georgakilas, A. G., & Bonner, W. M. (2011). Systemic DNA damage related to cancer. Cancer Res., 71, 3437-3441.

3. Kryston, T. B., Georgiev, A., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2011). Role of oxidative stress and DNA damage in human carcinogenesis. Mutat. Res., 711, 193-201.

4. Georgakilas, A. G. (2011). From chemistry of DNA damage to repair and biological significance. Comprehending the future. Mutat. Res., 711, 1-2.

5. Georgakilas, A. G. (2011). Detection of clustered DNA lesions: Biological and clinical applications. World J. Biol. Chem., 2, 173-176.

6. Ziech, D., Franco, R., Pappa, A., Malamou-Mitsi, V., Georgakila, S., Georgakilas, A. G., & Panayiotidis, M. I. (2010). The role of epigenetics in environmental and occupational carcinogenesis. Chem. Biol. Interact., 188, 334-339.

7. Ziech, D., Franco, R., Georgakilas, A. G., Georgakila, S., Malamou-Mitsi, V., Schoneveld, O., Pappa, A., & Panayiotidis, M. I. (2010). The role of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in environmental carcinogenesis and biomarker development. Chem. Biol. Interact., 188, 334-339.

8. Sedelnikova, O. A., Redon, C. E., Dickey, J. S., Nakamura, A. J., Georgakilas, A. G., & Bonner, W. M. (2010). Role of oxidatively induced DNA lesions in human pathogenesis. Mutat. Res., 704, 152-159.

9. Redon, C., Dickey, J. S., Nakamura, A. J., Naf, D., Nowsheen, S., Kalogerinis, P., Bonner, W. M., Georgakilas, A. G., & Sedelnikova, O. A. (2010). Tumors induce complex DNA damage in distant proliferative tissues in vivo Cancer Res., 70 (8 Supplement) 2287-2288.

10. Redon, C., Dickey, J. S., Nakamura, A., Kareva, I., Naf, D., Nowsheen, S., Kryston, T. B., Bonner, W. M., Georgakilas, A. G., & Sedelnikova, O. A. (2010). Tumors induce complex DNA damage in distant proliferative tissues in vivo. Proc. NatI. Acad. Sci. USA, 107, 17992-17997.

11. Peddi, P., Loftin, C. W., Dickey, J. S., Hair, J. M., Burns, K. J., Aziz, K., Francisco, D. C., Panayiotidis, M. I., Sedelnikova, O. A., Bonner, W. M., Winters, T. A., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2010). DNA-PKcs deficiency leads to persistence of oxidatively-induced clustered DNA lesions in human tumor cells. Free Rad. Biol. Med., 48, 1435-1443.

12. Peddi, P., Loftin, C. W., Dickey, J. S., Hair, J. M., Burns, K. J., Aziz, K., Francisco, D. C., Panayiotidis, M. I., Sedelnikova, O. A., Bonner, W. M., Winters, T. A., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2010). DNA-PKcs deficiency leads to persistence of oxidatively induced clustered DNA lesions in human tumor cells. Free Radic Biol Med, 48, 1435-1443.

13. Kalogerinis, P., Poulos, J., Morfesis, A., Daniels, A., Georgakila, S., Daignualt, T., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2010). Duodenal carcinoma at the ligament of Treitz. A molecular and clinical perspective. BMC Gastroenterology, 10, 109.

14. Hair, J. M., Terzoudi, G. I., Hatzi, V. I., Lehockey, K. A., Srivastava, D., Wang, W., Pantelias, G. E., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2010). BRCA1 role in the mitigation of radiotoxicity and chromosomal instability through repair of clustered DNA lesions. Chem. Biol. Interact., 188 350-358.

15. Georgakilas, A. G., Mosley, W., Georgakila, S., Zeich, D., & Panayiotidis, M. I. (2010). Viral-induced human carcinogenesis: an oxidative stress perspective. Mol. Biosyst., 6, 1162-1172.

16. Georgakilas, A. G., Holt, S. M., Hair, J. M., & Loftin, C. W. (2010). Measurement of oxidatively-induced clustered DNA lesions using a novel adaptation of single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet Assay). Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol., 47 6.11.11-16.11.17.

17. Baird, B. J., Dickey, J. S., Nakamura, A. J., Redon, C. E., Parekh, P., Griko, Y. V., Aziz, K., Georgakilas, A. G., Bonner, W. M., & Sedelnikova, O. A. (2010). Hypothermia postpones DNA damage repair in irradiated cells and protects against cell killing. Mutat. Res., 711, 142-149.

18. Aziz, K., Nowsheen, S., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2010). Nanotechnology in cancer therapy: targeting the inhibition of key DNA repair pathways. Curr. Mol. Med., 10, 626-639.

19. P.T. Kalogerinis, A.F. Morfesis, S. Georgakila and A.G. Georgakilas, Correction of anal prolapse associated with resolution of cloacogenic polyp lesions. Implications to anorectal cancer., J. Biochem. Tech. 1 (2009) 62-65.

20. C. Redon, J.S. Dickey, A. Nakamura, I. Kareva, D. Naf, S. Nowsheen, T.B. Kryston, W.M. Bonner, A.G. Georgakilas and O.A. Sedelnikova, Tumors induce complex DNA damage in distant proliferative tissues in vivo, Proc. NatI. Acad. Sci. USA 10.1073/pnas.1008260107 (2010).

21. Georgakilas, A. G., Aziz, K., Ziech, D., Georgakila, S., and Panayiotidis, M. I. BRCA1 involvement in toxicological responses and human cancer etiology. Toxicolοgy Letters 188: 77-83, 2009 (Review).

22. Kalogerinis, P. T., Morfesis, A. F., Georgakila, S., and Georgakilas, A. G. Correction of anal prolapse associated with resolution of cloacogenic polyp lesions. Implications to anorectal cancer. J. Biochemical. Technology 1: 62-65, 2009.

23. Georgakilas, A. G. A possible role of repair proteins BRCA1 and DNA-PK in the processing of oxidative DNA damage. J. Biochemical. Technology1:9-11, 2008 (Mini Review).

24. Νowsheen, S., Wukovich, R. L., Aziz, K., Kalogerinis, P. T., Richardson, C. C., Panayiotidis, M. I., Bonner, W. M., Sedelnikova, O. A., and Georgakilas, A. G. Accumulation of oxidatively-induced clustered DNA lesions in human tumor tissues. Mutation Research 674:131-136, 2009.

25. Holt, S. M., Scemama, J. L., Panayiotidis, M. I., and Georgakilas, A. G. Compromised repair of clustered DNA damage in the human acute lymphoblastic leukemia MSH2-deficient NALM-6 cells. Mutation Research 674:123-130, 2009.

26. Poulos, J. E.; Georgakilas, A. G.; Kalogerinis, P. T.; Daignaut, T.; Lujan, G. A Patient with Granular Cell Tumor of the Colon. Practical Gastroenterology XXXII: 51-53; 2008.

27. Peddi, P.; Francisco, D. C.; Cecil, A.; Hair, J. M.; Panayiotidis, M. I. and Georgakilas, A. G. Deficient processing of clustered DNA damage in human breast cancer cells MCF-7 with silenced DNA-PKcs expression. Cancer Letters 269:174-183; 2008.

28. Franco, R.; Schoneveld, O.; Georgakilas, A. G.; Panayiotidis, M. I. Oxidative stress, DNA methylation and carcinogenesis. Cancer Letters 266:6-12; 2008 (Review).

29. Hada, M.; Georgakilas, A. G. Formation of clustered DNA Damage after High-LET Irradiation: A review. J. Radiation Research 49:203-210; 2008 (Review).

30. Georgakilas, A. G. Processing of DNA damage clusters in human cells: Current status of knowledge Mol. Biosyst.4:30-35; 2008 (Review).

31. Francisco, D. C.; Peddi, P.; Hair, J. M.; Flood, B. A.; Cecil, A. M.; Kalogerinis, P. T.; Sigounas, G.; Georgakilas, A. G. Induction and processing of complex DNA damage in human breast cancer cells MCF-7 and non-malignant MCF-10A cells. Free Radic. Biol. Med.44:558-569; 2008.

32. Lally, B. E.; Geiger, G. A.; Kridel, S.; Arcury-Quandt, A. E.; Robbins, M. E.; Kock, N. E.; Wheeler, K.; Peddi, P.; Georgakilas, A. G.; Kao, G. D.; Koumenis, C. Identification and biological evaluation of a novel and potent small molecule radiation sensitizer via an unbiased screen of a chemical library. Cancer Res.67:8791-8799; 2007.

33. Holt, S. M.; Georgakilas, A. G. Detection of complex DNA damage in γ-irradiated acute lymphoblastic leukemia pre-B NALM-6 cells. Radiat. Res.168:527-534; 2007.

34. D. Tsao, P. Kalogerinis, I. Tabrizi, M. Dingfelder, R.D. Stewart and A.G. Georgakilas (2007) "Induction and processing of oxidative clustered DNA lesions and double strand breaks induced by high-LET ⁵⁶Fe space radiation in human monocytes". Radiat. Res.168, 87-97.

35. Gollapalle, E., Wong, R., Adetolu, R., Tsao, D., Francisco, D., Sigounas, G. and Georgakilas, A.G. (2007) "Detection of oxidative clustered DNA lesions in X-irradiated mouse skin tissues and human MCF-7 breast cancer cells". Radiat. Res. 167, 207-216.

36. A.G. Georgakilas, P. V. Bennett and B. M. Sutherland (2004) "Processing of Bistranded Abasic DNA Clustered Damages in γ-Irradiated Human Hematopoietic Cells". Nucleic Acids Res. 32, 5609-5620.

Laboratory Personnel

Nicholas Ferguson

Nicholas Ferguson, Graduate student

Deno Kalogerinis (Undergraduate student)

Jason Hance (Undergraduate student)