Biomedical Research Foundation Academy Of AthensAcademy Of Athens
Scientific Personnel

Epaminondas Epaminondas Doxakis, PhD, MBA
Researcher C'

Telephone : +30 210 6597 479
Fax : +30 210 6597 545
e-mail : edoxakis@bioacademy.gr


Center :

Basic Research

Lab Site :

Doxakis Lab


Brief Bio

Dr. Epaminondas Doxakis received his Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Bute Medical School at St-Andrews University, Scotland, in 1999 and stayed on until 2000. He studied target field innervation and the mechanisms underlying neurotrophic factor dependence and responsiveness in the ganglia of the peripheral nervous system. He identified novel roles for depolarization in the regulation of neurotrophic factor receptors and participated in identifying the GFRa-4 receptor and the neurotrophic properties of the macrophage-stimulating protein, MSP, in motor neurons. After completing his home service in 2001, he moved to Royal Veterinary College at Edinburgh University, Scotland, for three years of postdoctoral work into the versatile serine/threonine kinase HIPK2 signaling, during which he identified pro-apoptotic roles in both sensory and sympathetic neurons. At the same time, he was seconded to VA Medical Center, UCSF, USA, for work on the HIPK2 transgenic mice. Between 2002 and 2005, Nondas studied part-time at the Edinburgh Management School, Scotland, from which he received an MBA focusing on setting up biotech companies. In 2004, he moved to the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University, Wales, to work on the role of calponin family member NP25 in neuronal differentiation. In September 2005, he was offered a tenure-track research position at the Center of Basic Sciences at BRFΑΑ. Nondas has actively participated in the teaching curricula of the institutes above, EMBL, and Greek universities.

His continued research interests aim at understanding the regulatory mechanisms that shape brain development. His current focus is on 1) identifying RNA biomarkers (microRNA, circular RNA, tRNA-fragments) for Parkinson's disease, 2) deciphering the post-transcriptional regulation of alpha-synuclein and calcium channels expression in the brain, and 3) testing antisense oligonucleotide-based therapies for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Selected Publications

Paschou M, Papazafiri P, Charalampous C, Zachariadis M, Dedos SG, Doxakis E (2022) Neuronal microRNAs safeguard ER Ca2+ homeostasis and attenuate the unfolded protein response upon stress. Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 79: 373.

Naki M, Gourdomichali O, Zonke K, Kattan FG, Makridakis M, Kontostathi G, Vlahou A, Doxakis E (2022) APEX2-Mediated Proximity Labeling Resolves the DDIT4-Interacting Proteome. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 23: 5189.

Ravanidis S, Bougea A, Karampatsi D, Papagiannakis N, Maniati M, Stefanis L, Doxakis E (2021) Differentially expressed circular RNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with Parkinson's disease. Mov. Disord., 36: 1170-1179.

Doxakis E (2020) Therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides for movement disorders. Med. Res. Rev., 41: 2656-2688. doi: 10.1002/med.21706.

Ravanidis S, Bougea A, Papagiannakis N, Maniati M, Koros C, Simitsi AM, Bozi M, Pachi I, Stamelou M, Paraskevas GP, Kapaki E, Moraitou M, Michelakakis H, Stefanis L, Doxakis E (2020) Circulating brain-enriched microRNAs for detection and discrimination of idiopathic and genetic Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord 35(3):457‐467.

Fragkouli A, Koukouraki P, Vlachos IS, Paraskevopoulou MD, Hatzigeorgiou AG, Doxakis E (2017) Neuronal ELAVL proteins utilize AUF-1 as a co-partner to induce neuron-specific alternative splicing of APP. Scientific Reports 7:44507.

Koukouraki P, Doxakis E (2016) Constitutive translation of human alpha-synuclein is mediated by the 5' untranslated region. Open Biology 6(4). pii: 160022.

Fragkouli A, Doxakis E (2014) miR-7 and miR-153 protect neurons against MPP+-induced cell death via upregulation of mTOR pathway. Front Cell Neurosci 8:182.

Paschou M, Paraskevopoulou MD, Vlachos IS, Koukouraki P, Hatzigeorgiou AG, Doxakis E (2012) miRNA regulons associated with synaptic function. PLoS One 7: e46189.

Doxakis E (2010) Post-transcriptional regulation of alpha-synuclein expression by mir-7 and mir-153. JBC 285: 12726-34.

PubMed:

PubMed Link