Education
MD, University of Patras, School of Medicine, Patras, Greece, 2000
PhD, Boston University; School of Medicine, Boston MA, 2006
Biography

Research

Lab Website

Our lab aims to elucidate the epigenetic mechanisms that drive human malignancies by using newly developed genetically engineered mouse models and high-throughput approaches.

1. Epigenetic progression model of pancreatic cancer: We seek to define the core epigenetic programs that co-operate with genetic alterations to drive pancreatic cancer initiation and maintenance.

2. Epigenetic regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells: Using new genetically engineered mouse models we are studying the role of KDM2B in leukemias and in the self-renewal and differentiation potential of hematopoietic stem cells.

Publications
  • Tzatsos A*, Paskaleva P, Ferrari F, Deshpande V, Stoykova S, Contino G, Wong KK, Lan F, Trojer P, and Bardeesy N*. KDM2B controls tumorigenesis in pancreatic cancer via Polycomb-dependent and -independent transcriptional programs. J Clin Invest. 2013 Feb 1;123(2):727-39. *corresponding author
  • Tzatsos A*, Paskaleva P, Lymperi S, Contino G, Stoykova S, Chen Z, Wong KK, Bardeesy N*. Lysine-specific demethylase 2B (KDM2B)-let-7-enhancer of zester homolog 2 (EZH2) pathway regulates cell cycle progression and senescence in primary cells. J Biol Chem. 2011 Sep 23;286(38):33061-9. *corresponding author
  • Tzatsos A*. Raptor binds the SAIN (Shc and IRS-1 NPXY binding) domain of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and regulates the phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser-636/639 by mTOR. J Biol Chem. 2009 Aug 21;284(34):22525-34. *corresponding author
  • Tzatsos A, Pfau R, Kampranis SC, Tsichlis PN. Ndy1/KDM2B immortalizes mouse embryonic fibroblasts by repressing the Ink4a/Arf locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Feb 24;106(8):2641-6.
  • Pfau R, Tzatsos A, Kampranis SC, Serebrennikova OB, Bear SE, Tsichlis PN. Members of a family of JmjC domain-containing oncoproteins immortalize embryonic fibroblasts via a JmjC domain-dependent process. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Feb 12;105(6):1907-12.
  • Tzatsos A, Tsichlis PN. Energy depletion inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling and induces apoptosis via AMP-activated protein kinase-dependent phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser-794. J Biol Chem. 2007 Jun 22;282(25):18069-82.
  • Tzatsos A*, Kandror KV*. Nutrients suppress phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling via raptor-dependent mTOR-mediated insulin receptor substrate 1 phosphorylation. Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Jan;26(1):63-76.*corresponding author