Faculty / Section of Genetics, Cell & Developmental Biology
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology
Office location: 2nd floor
Email: ikazanis@upatras.gr
Telephone: +30 2610 997650
Website: https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Ilias-Kazanis-Lab
Education
- Degree in Biology (1997), University of Patras, Department of Biology
- Doctorate (2013), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Medicine
Educational activities
- Undergraduate Courses: Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, Bioethics, General Biology (Department of Physics and Department of Primary Education)
- Postgraduate Courses: Special Topics in Developmental Biology, Molecular Physiology/ Neurobiology, Βiology of Neural Stem Cells (Department of Medicine)
Research and other activities
- Biology of embryonic and postnatal neural stem cells.
- Structure and function of cytogenic zones (stem cell niches) in the postnatal brain (extracellular matrix, blood vessels, ependymal cells).
- Ageing, hypoxic/ ischemic injury, demyelinating diseases.
Funding
- From blood to brain: Platelets as novel regulators of brain stem cells in their niches, in neurodegeneration and in remyelinaton”. ELIDEK (March 2020- March 2023) https://www.elidek.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/KAZANIS_ENG.pdf
- “Investigation of the beneficial effects of the microneurotrophin BNN-20 in neurons derived from induced Pluripotent Stem Cells of patients with Parkinson’s disease and in the success of neural stem cell transplantations in an animal model of the disease”, ΕΣΠΑ (March 2020- December 2021)
- “Cellular senescence in populations of postnatal brain Neural Stem Cells (pbNSCs). Controlled by the microenvironment and controlling neurogenesis versus oligodendrogenesis”, Fondation Sante (Feb 2019- April 2021) http://fondationsante.org/research-support/biomedical-research-grants/grant-recipients/
- “Demyelinating disorders – neural stem cell therapy for leukodystrophies”, Action Medical Research (Dec. 2014- May 2018) http://www.action.org.uk/our_research/demyelinating_disorders_%E2%80%93_neural_stem_cell_therapy_leukodystrophies
- “Do all brain neural stem cells age at the same rate?” from BBSRC (Aug. 2011- July 2014) http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/pa/grants/AwardDetails.aspx?FundingReference=BB/I013210/1
- “The role and mechanisms of asymmetric cell divisions in the differentiation of stem cells” (ADiSC). Θαλής, (2012- 2015) http://excellence.minedu.gov.gr/thales/en/thalesprojects/380249
Representative Publications
- Anesti M, Magkafa S, Prantikou E, Kazanis I. (2022) Divergence between Neuronal and Oligodendroglial Cell Fate, in Postnatal Brain Neural Stem Cells, Leads to Divergent Properties in Polymorphic In Vitro Assays. Cells, 11, 1743. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells1111174
- McClenahan F*, Dimitriou C*, Koutsakis C, Dimitrakopoulos D, Arampatzis A, Kakouri P, Kourla M, Oikonomou S, Andreopoulou E, Patsoni M, Meri DK, Rasool RT, Franklin RJM, Kazanis I. (2021) Isolation of neural stem and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from the brain of live rats. Stem Cell Reports, 16(10):2534-2547. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.08.015
- Mourtzi T, Dimitrakopoulos D, Kakogiannis D, Salodimitris C, Botsakis K, Meri D-K, Anesti M, Dimopoulou A, Charalampopoulos I, Gravanis A, Matsokis N, Angelatou F, Kazanis I. (2021) Characterization of substantia nigra neurogenesis in homeostasis and dopaminergic degeneration: beneficial effects of the microneurotrophin BNN-20. Stem Cell Research and Therapy, 12(1), Article number 335, 10.1186/s13287-021-02398-3
- Kazanis, I., Evans, K., Andreopoulou, E., Dimitriou, D., Koutsakis, C., Karadottir, T., Franklin, R. J. (2017) Subependymal Zone-Derived Oligodendroblasts Respond to Focal Demyelination but Fail to Generate Myelin in Young and Aged Mice. Stem Cell Reports, e-pub 9 Feb. 2017, 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.01.007
- Kazanis, I., Feichtner, M., Lange, S., Rotheneichner, P., Hainzl, S., Öller, M., Schallmoser, K., Rohde, E., Reitsamer, H. A., Couillard-Despres, S., Bauer, H. C., Franklin, R. J., Aigner, L., Rivera, F. J. (2015) Lesion-induced accumulation of platelets promotes survival of adult neural stem / progenitor cells. Exp Neurol, 269, 75-89. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.03.018.
- Chandran, J. S., Kazanis, I., Clapcote, S. J., Ogawa, F., Millar, J. K., Porteous, D. J., & ffrench –Constant, C. (2014). Disc1 variation leads to specific alterations in adult neurogenesis. PLoS One, 9(10):e108088. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108088
- Kazanis, I., Gorenkova, N., Zhao, J-W., Franklin, R. J., Modo, M., & ffrench-Constant, C. (2013). The late response of rat subependymal zone stem and progenitor cells to stroke is restricted to directly affected areas of their niche. Exp Neurol, 248, 387- 397. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.06.025
- Kazanis, I., & ffrench-Constant, C. (2012). The number of stem cells in the subependymal zone of the adult rodent brain is correlated with the number of ependymal cells and not with the volume of the niche. Stem Cells Dev, 21(7), 1090-1096. doi:10.1089/scd.2011.0130
- Kazanis, I. Can adult neural stem cells create new brains? Plasticity in the adult mammalian neurogenic niches: realities and expectations in the era of regenerative biology. (2012). Neuroscientist, 18(1), 15-27. doi:10.1177/1073858410390379
- Kazanis, I., Lathia, J. D., Vadakkan, T. J., Raborn, E., Wan, R., Mughal, M. R., et al., & ffrench-Constant, C. (2010). Quiescence and activation of stem and precursor cell populations in the subependymal zone of the mammalian brain are associated with distinct cellular and extracellular matrix signals. J Neurosci, 30(29), 9771-9781. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0700-10.2010
- Kazanis, I. (2009). The subependymal zone neurogenic niche: a beating heart in the centre of the brain: how plastic is adult neurogenesis? Opportunities for therapy and questions to be addressed. Brain, 132(Pt 11), 2909-2921. doi:10.1093/brain/awp237
- Kazanis, I., Belhadi, A., Faissner, A., & ffrench-Constant, C. (2007). The adult mouse subependymal zone regenerates efficiently in the absence of tenascin-C. J Neurosci, 27(51), 13991-13996. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3279-07.2007
- Ekonomou, A.*, Kazanis, I.*, Malas, S., Wood, H., Alifragis, P., Denaxa, M., et al., & Episkopou, V. (2005). Neuronal migration and ventral subtype identity in the telencephalon depend on SOX1. PLoS Biol, 3(6), e186. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030186 (*authors equally contributing)