Faculty / Section of Genetics, Cell & Developmental Biology
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology
Office location: 2nd Floor
Email: candrikou@upatras.gr
Phone number: +30 2610 969251

Curriculum vitae

Education

  • 2005 BSc in Nursery, Technological University of Patras, Greece.
  • 2009 BSc in Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece.
  • 2013 PhD in Developmental Biology at Open University of London, UK and Stazione Zoologica ‘Anton Dohrn’ di Napoli, Italy.
  • 2013-2014 Postdoctoral Research at Stazione Zoologica ‘Anton Dohrn’ di Napoli, Italy.
  • 2014-2018 Postdoctoral Research at Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, Bergen, Norway.
  • 2019-2022 Senior Researcher in Department of Comparative Developmental Biology, University of Bergen, Norway.

Educational Activities

  • Undergraduate courses: Developmental Biology

Research interests

  • Evolution of Development of mesoderm specification and differentiation in organ systems
  • Comparison of Gene Regulatory Networks underlying organogenesis
  • The evolutionary relationship of hematopoiesis and blood cell types in animals

Representative publications

  • Andrikou C., Pang K., Børve A., Lu T.M. and A. Hejnol. Molecular evidence from xenacoelomorph gonopore formation supports homology with the bilaterian anus. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2025, doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02866-6
  • Schwaiger M.*, Andrikou C.*, Dnyansagar R., Ferrer Murguia P., Paganos P., Voronov D., Zimmermann B., Lebedeva T., Schmidt H., Genikhovich G., Benvenuto G., Arnone I.M. and U. Technau. An ancestral Wnt-Brachyury feedback loop in axial patterning and recruitment of mesoderm-determining target genes. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2022. doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01905-w
  • Gąsiorowski L., Andrikou C., Janssen, R., Gonzalez, P., Budd, G., Lowe C., and A. Hejnol. Molecular evidence for a single origin of ultrafiltration-based excretory organs. Current Biology 2021. doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.057
  • Andrikou C. and A. Hejnol. FGF signaling acts on different levels of mesoderm development within Spiralia. Development 2021. doi.org/10.1242/dev.196089
  • Andrikou C., Lowe C., Passamaneck Y., Martindale M. and A. Hejnol. Molecular patterning during the development of Phoronopsis harmeri reveals similarities to rhynchonelliform brachiopods EvoDevo 2019. doi.org/10.1186/s13227-019-0146-1
  • Annunziata R.*, Andrikou C.*, Perillo M., Cuomo C. and M.I. Arnone. Development and evolution of gut structures: from molecules to function. Cell and Tissue Research 2019. doi.org/10.1007/s00441-019-03093-9
  • Andrikou C., Thiel D., Ruiz-Santiesteban J.A. and A. Hejnol. Active mode of excretion across digestive tissues predates the origin of excretory organs. PLoS Biology 2019. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000408
  • Arnone M.I., Andrikou C. and R. Annunziata. Echinoderm systems for gene regulatory studies in evolution and development. Current Opinion in Genetics and Development (COGEDE) 2016. doi.org/10.1016/j.gde.2016.05.027
  • Andrikou C., Pai C.Y., Su Y.H. and M.I. Arnone. Logics and properties of a genetic regulatory program that drives embryonic muscle development in an echinoderm. Elife 2015. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07343
  • Andrikou C. and M.I. Arnone. Too many ways to make a muscle; evolution of GRNs driving myogenesis. Zoologischer Anzeiger 2015. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2015.03.005
  • Annunziata R., Perillo M., Andrikou C., Cole G.A., Martinez P. and M.I. Arnone. Pattern and Process During Sea Urchin Gut Morphogenesis: The Regulatory Landscape. Genesis 2013. doi.org/10.1002/dvg.22738
  • Andrikou C., Iovene E., Rizzo F., Oliveri P. and M.I. Arnone. Myogenesis in the sea urchin embryo: the molecular fingerprint of the myoblast precursors. EvoDevo 2013. doi.org/10.1186/2041-9139-4-33