STAVROS TOPOUZIS, B.Pharm., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology
Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences School
University of Patras, Rio 26504 GREECE
work phone: (+30) 2610-962364 | (+30) 2610 962365
e-mail: Αυτή η διεύθυνση ηλεκτρονικού ταχυδρομείου προστατεύεται από κακόβουλη χρήση. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε την Javascript για να τη δείτε.  

Scopus Author ID: 6602769500

Google Scholar ID: Go to Link

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5443-5016    

Πρόσφατο Βιογραφικό Σημείωμα 

EDUCATION

1985: Bachelor of Pharmacy, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece
1986: Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (DEA) de Pharmacologie et Pharmacochimie, Université Louis Pasteur I, Strasbourg, France.
1989: Doctorat de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Louis Pasteur I, Strasbourg, France.

PROFESSIONAL / RESEARCH CAREER

• 1985-1990 Lab.de Pharmacol. Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Faculte de Pharmacie, U. Louis Pasteur and Merrel-Dow Research Institute, Strasbourg, FRANCE
  Doctoral student / Researcher
  Biology of Nitric Oxide and Endothelin, Molecular Mechanisms of Arterial Contractility
• 1990-1992 Dept. of Pharmacology/Toxicology, Medical College of GA, Augusta, Georgia USA
  Research Fellow and Graduate School Lecturer
  Endothelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle cell Biology, ACE activity in the vessel wall
• 1992-1998 Dept. of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
  Research Associate (Junior Faculty)
  Vascular Wall Morphogenesis, Smooth Muscle Cell Lineage Diversity, TGF-β biology
• 1998-1999 Cell Biology/Discovery, MetaMorphix, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland USA
  Research Scientist
  Myostatin (GDF-8) biology, Skeletal Muscle growth and Glucose homeostasis
• 1999-2006 Discovery Biology, ZymoGenetics Inc., Seattle, Washington, USA
  Senior Scientist / Project Leader
  Protein-based Therapeutics for Cancer, Vascular and Immune Diseases, and Regenerative Medicine
• 2006- now Molecular Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacy Univeristy of Patras, Patras, GREECE
  Current position: Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
  Research in Vascular, Inflammatory and Fibroproliferative diseases

FINANCIAL SUPPORT at the University of Patras

1. Principal Investigator: K. Karatheodori Research Excellence Grant, "Modulation of the smooth muscle cell phenotype by alpha-1 adrenergic receptors", (30,000 €, U of Patras, 2009-12)
2. Co-Investigator, Synergasia Consortium Grant (Academia-Industry cooperation) "Discovery of Plant-Derived Angiogenesis-Modulating Molecules" (Total Budget: 1,000,000 € - 380,000 € budgeted to the Lab. of Mol. Pharmacology, U of Patras - Coordinator: Lab. of Pharmacognosy, U of Athens, 2011-14)
3. National Representative and MC Member, FP7 COST EU-Consortium grant "ENOG – European Network on Gasotransmitters: from basic science to therapeutic application", (Budget: 600,000 €, Coordinator: Lab of Mol. Pharmacology, U of Patras, 2011-15, Grant Holder: A. Pyriohou)
4. Co-Investigator and Work Package Leader, REGPOT EU Project (started 01/2011) "ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR STRUCTURE-BASED DRUG TARGET CHARACTERIZATION: STRENGTHENING THE RESEARCH CAPACITY OF SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE" ("SEE-DRUG"), Total Budget: 3,000,000 €, of which ~2,9000,000 € to the Dept. of Pharmacy (Coordinator: G.A. Spyroulias, Dept. of Pharmacy, U of Patras, 2011-15)
5. Principal Investigator, Greece-Slovakia Cooperation "Study of the molecular mechanisms of action and functions of the novel endogenous gasotransmitter, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), in arterial cells (Total budget: 15,000 €, Coordinator: Lab. of Mol. Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacy, U of Patras, 2014-15)
6. Co-Principal Investigator, THALIS Consortium "Hydrogen sulfide, a new endogenous regulator of angiogenesis: signaling, physiology/pathophysiology and development of pharmacological inhibitors" (Total budget: 500,00 €, Coordinator: Lab. of Mol. Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacy, U of Patras, 2011-15)
7. Co-Investigator, «THE NATIONAL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES ON INTEGRATED STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY, DRUG SCREENING EFFORTS AND DRUG TARGET FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION - INSPIRED» 5002550 (Total budget ~3,800,000 €, Coordinator for RISF-UPATRAS: G.A Spyroulias, Dept of Pharmacy, U of Patras, Greece, 2018-21)
8. Principal Investigator/Academic Advisor: "Reduced risk nicotine products: Comparative studies of their effects in respiratory and adipose tissue", (code ΕΔΒΜ34), ΟΠΣ 5006015, (Total Budget: 50,050 €, 2018-2019)
9. Principal Investigator/Academic Advisor: "New functional activators of the soluble guanylate cyclase", (code ΕΔΒΜ34), ΟΠΣ 5005921, (Total Budget: 72,100 €, 2018-2019)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Makrynitsa GI et al., (2019) Therapeutic Targeting of the Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Curr Med Chem Jan 7. doi: 10.2174/0929867326666190108095851
• Glynos et al., (2018) Comparison of the effects of e-cigarette vapor with cigarette smoke on lung function and inflammation in mice Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 315(5):L662-L672
• Spathis AD et al., (2017) Nurr1:RXRα heterodimer activation as monotherapy for Parkinson's disease Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 114(15):3999-4004
• II Alexandropoulos et al., (2016) (1)H, (13)C, (15)N backbone and side-chain resonance assignment of Nostoc sp. C139A variant of the heme-nitric oxide/oxygen binding (H-NOX) domain Biomol NMR Assign, 10(2):395-400
• B Umaru et al., (2015) KATP channel activation mediates angiogenic responses in vivo and in vitro J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 354:79-87
• S-I Bibli et al., (2015) Role of cGMP in hydrogen sulfide signaling Nitric Oxide, 46:7-13
• A Papapetropoulos et al., (2015) Extending the translational potential of targeting nitric oxide/cGMP-regulated pathways in the cardiovascular system Br J Pharmacol, 172(6):1397-414
• C Glynos et al., (2015) Guanylyl cyclase activation reverses resistive breathing-induced lung injury and inflammation Am J Resp Cell Mol Biol, 52(6):762-71
• SR Dillon et al., (2004) Interleukin 31, a cytokine produced by T cells, induces dermatitis in mice Nature Immunol, 5, 752-760
• W Xu et al., (2001) A soluble class II cytokine receptor, IL-22RA2, is a naturally occurring IL-22 antagonist Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98, 9511-9116

ISSUED USA PATENTS:

• United States Patent 7,172,757 February 6, 2007 Method of treating fibroproliferative disorders Inventors: Hart; Charles E. (Woodinville, WA); Topouzis; Stavros (Seattle, WA), Gilbertson; Debra G. (Seattle, WA) Assignee: ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
• United States Patent 7,045,498 May 16, 2006 Soluble Zcytor11 cytokine receptors Inventors: Kindsvogel; Wayne R. (Seattle, WA); Topouzis; Stavros (Seattle, WA) Assignee: ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
• United States Patent 6,827,938 December 7, 2004 Compositions and methods for improving kidney function Inventors: Hart; Charles E. (Woodinville, WA); Topouzis; Stavros (Seattle, WA) Assignee: ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
• United States Patent 6,630,142 October 7, 2003 Method of treating fibroproliferative disorders Inventors: Hart; Charles E. (Woodinville, WA); Topouzis; Stavros (Seattle, WA), Gilbertson; Debra G. (Seattle, WA) Assignee: ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
• United States Patent 6,368,597 April 9, 2002 Methods of treating diabetes Inventors: Strassmann; Gideon (Washington, DC), Liang; Li-fang (Elkridge, MD); Topouzis; Stavros (Elkridge, MD Assignee: MetaMorphix, Inc. (Baltimore, MD)

Listed as Inventor in >13 Published Patent Applications

RESEARCH FOCUS

Pharmacology of Vascular, Inflammatory and Fibroproliferative diseases

• Past and present investigations address the molecular pathways operating in endothelial and smooth muscle cells and which are amenable to targeting by novel or optimized therapeutics.
• These pathways control blood pressure and vascular resistance, inflammatory and thrombotic processes, solid tumor/wound angiogenesis, and are critically involved in the onset and progress of chronic cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis, arterial calcification, restenosis).
• At the cellular and molecular levels, past research has addressed a) critical aspects of phenotypic determination and functional control of vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, triggered by morphogenetic cues (e.g. TGF-β and PDGF) and transcriptional regulators (e,g, SRF, Myocardins, COUP-TF II), and b) modulation of the interaction of the blood vessel wall with circulating cells such as monocytes/macrophages, platelets and T-cells (e.g. IL-22Rα2, TFPI-2, CNP, IL-31).

Topics of current research are shown below