Photo Dr. Vassiliki Iconomidou, Assistant Professor

Department of Cell Biology & Biophysics
Faculty of Biology
University of Athens

Panepistimiopolis
Athens
GR-15701 GREECE

tel: 30-2107274 871
fax: 30-2107274 254
email: veconombiol.uoa.gr

EDUCATION
1996-2002  PhD, Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece.

Title: "Studies of Structural Protein Organization in Extracellular Systems with Helicoidal Architecture and Analogues"
Supervisor: Professor Stavros J. Hamodrakas

1991-1995 BSc Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Crete, Greece.

APPOINTMENTS
2009-today Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece.

2007-2008 TUTOR (P.D. 407), Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Greece.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
My scientific research interests are focused in the fields of Structural Biology / Molecular Biophysics. More specifically, I am dealing with:

1. Structural and self-assembly studies of silkmoth chorion peptide analogues as novel self-assembled polymers with amyloid properties. These studies may lead to the construction of novel biomaterials with extraordinary physical properties. We determined that silkmoth chorion is a natural, protective amyloid and we proposed, for the first time worldwide, the existence of natural, functional amyloids. Currently, we are also experimentally studying the role of a great variety of amyloidogenic ('aggregation-prone')-peptides, predicted by our AMYLPRED prediction algorithm, in several widespread and also rare pathological amyloidoses. We are particularly interested to 'hack' the amyloid code, if such a code exists.

2. Structural and self-assembly studies of fibrous proteins, which form extracellular, proteinaceous structures of physiological importance like lepidopteran, dipteran and fish chorions. Model structures of silkmoth chorion proteins and their interactions have been proposed. Also, we are studying chitin-protein interactions for the formation of arthropod cuticle. We have recently proposed a model structure of cuticular proteins and we developed a universal, freely available through the Internet, cuticular protein relational database.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

2002-2009 (Postdoctoral Research)

- University of Athens, Faculty of Biology, Department of Cell Biology and Biophsyics, Athens, Greece

- EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany

- University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Boulder, USA

PUBLICATIONS Search in
  1. Nastou, K.C., Nasi, G.I., Tsiolaki, P.L., Litou, Z.I., Iconomidou V.A. (2019) AmyCo: the amyloidoses collection. Amyloid May 16:1-6 [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [Full Text] doi: 10.1080/13506129.2019.1603143.
  2. Baltoumas, F.A., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2019) The Gram-Negative Outer Membrane Modeler: automated building of lipopolysaccharide-rich bacterial outer membranes in four force fields J. Comput. Chem. Jul 5; 40(18): 1727-1734 [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [Full Text] doi:10.1002/jcc.25823.
  3. Tsiolaki, P.L., Katsafana, A.D., Baltoumas, F.A., Louros, N.N., Iconomidou, V.A. (2019) Hidden Aggregation Hot-Spots on Human Apolipoprotein E: A Structural Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 20(9):E2274. [Abstract] [Full Text] doi:10.3390/ijms20092274.
  4. Nastou, K.C., Batskinis, M.A., Litou, Z.I., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2019) Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in human Voltage-Gated Ion Channels. J. Proteome Res. 18(5):2310-2320 [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [Full Text] doi:10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00121.
  5. Giannopoulou, A.D., Velentzas, A.D., Konstantakou, E.G., Avgeris, M., Katarachia, S.A., Papandreou, N.C., Kalavros, N.I., Mpakou, V.E.,Iconomidou, V., Anastasiadou, E., Kostakis, I.K., Papassideri, I.S., Voutsinas, G.E., Scorilas, A., Stravopodis, D.J. (2019) Revisiting Histone Deacetylases in Human Tumorigenesis: The Paradigm of Urothelial Bladder Cancer. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 20(6):E1291. [Abstract] [Full Text] doi:10.3390/ijms20061291.
  6. Valassakis, C., Dervisi, I., Agalou, A., Papandreou,N., Kapetsis, G., Podia, V., Haralampidis, K., Iconomidou, V.A., Spaink, H.P., Roussis, A. (2019) Novel interactions of Selenium Binding Protein family with the PICOT containing proteins AtGRXS14 and AtGRXS16 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Sci. Apr;281:102-112. [Abstract] [Full Text] doi:10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.01.021.
  7. Giannopoulou, A.D., Konstantakou, E.G., Velentzas, A.D., Avgeris, S.N., Avgeris, M., Papandreou, N.C., Zoi, I., Filippa, V., Katarachia, S., Lampidonis, A.D., Prompona, A., Syntichaki, P., Piperi, P., Basdra, E.K., Iconomidou, V., Papadavid, E., Anastasiadou, E., Papassideri, I.S., Papavassiliou, A.G., Voutsinas, G.E., Scorilas, A., Stravopodis, D.J. (2019) Gene-Specific Intron Retention Serves as Molecular Signature that Distinguishes Melanoma from Non-Melanoma Cancer Cells in Greek Patients. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 20(4):E937. [Abstract] [PDF] doi:10.3390/ijms20040937.
  8. Tsiolaki, P.L., Louros N.N., Iconomidou V.A. (2018) Hexapeptide Tandem Repeats Dictate the Formation of Silkmoth Chorion, a Natural Protective Amyloid. J. Mol. Biol. 430 (20): 3774-3783. [Abstract] [PDF] doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.042.
  9. Tsiolaki, P.L., Nasi, G.I., Baltoumas, F.A., Louros N.N., Magafa, V., Hamodrakas S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2018) αCGRP, another amyloidogenic member of the CGRP family. J. Struct. Biol. Jul;203(1):27-36 [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [PDF] doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2018.02.008.
  10. Tsiolaki P.L, Nastou K.C., Hamodrakas S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2017) Mining databases for protein aggregation: a review. Amyloid Sep;24(3):143-152. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1080/13506129.2017.1353966
  11. Louros N.N., Tsiolaki P.L, Baltoumas F.A., Chryssikos G.D., Gionis V., Hamodrakas S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2017) Tracking the amyloidogenic core of IAPP amyloid fibrils: Insights from micro-Raman spectroscopy. J. Struct. Biol. Aug;199(2):140-152 [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2017.06.002.
  12. Biza, K.V.*, Nastou, K.C.*, Tsiolaki, P.L.*, Mastrokalou, C.V., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2017) The amyloid interactome: Exploring protein aggregation. PLoS ONE Mar 1;12(3):e0173163. [Abstract] [PDF] (*: Equally contributing authors) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0173163.
  13. Tsiolaki, P.L., Louros, N.N., Zompra, A.A.,Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2016) Unraveling the aggregation propensity of human insulin C-peptide. Biopolymers. 2016 Jun 3. [Epub ahead of print] [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1002/bip.22882.
  14. Louros, N.N., Bolas, G.M., Tsiolaki, P.L., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2016) Intrinsic Aggregation Propensity of the CsgB Nucleator Protein is Crucial for Curli Fiber Formation. J. Struct. Biol. Aug;195(2):179-89. Epub 2016 May 28. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.05.012.
  15. Louros, N.N., Baltoumas, F.A., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2016) A beta-solenoid model of the Pmel17 repeat domain: insights to the formation of functional amyloid fibrils. J. Comput. Aided. Mol. Des. Feb;30(2):153-64. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1007/s10822-015-9892-x.
  16. Louros, N.N., Chrysina, E.D., Baltatzis, G.E., Patsouris, E.S., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2016) A common "aggregation-prone" interface possibly participates in the self-assembly of human zona pellucida proteins. FEBS Letters, 590: 619-630. [Abstract] [PDF]doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.12099.
  17. Louros, N.N., Iconomidou, V.A. (2016) Identification of an amyloid fibril forming segment of human Pmel17 repeat domain (RPT domain). Biopolymers. 2016 Jan;106(1):133-9. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1002/bip.22746.
  18. Tsiolaki, P.L., Louros, N.N., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2015) Exploring the 'aggregation-prone' core of human Cystatin C: A structural study. J. Struct. Biol. Sep;191(3):272-80. Epub 2015 Jul 31. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.07.013
  19. Louros, N.N., Tsiolaki, P.L., Griffin, M.D., Howlett, G.J., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A.(2015) Chameleon 'aggregation-prone' segments of apoA-I: A model of amyloid fibrils formed in apoA-I amyloidosis. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. Volume 79, pp. 711-718, August 2015. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.05.032
  20. Louros, N.N., Tsiolaki, P.L., Zompra, A.A., Pappa, E.V., Magafa, V., Pairas, G., Cordopatis, P., Cheimonidou, C., Trougakos, I.P., Iconomidou, V.A., Hamodrakas, S.J.(2015) Structural Studies and Cytotoxicity Assays of "Aggregation-Prone" IAPP8-16 and its Non-Amyloidogenic Variants Suggest its Important Role in Fibrillogenesis and Cytotoxicity of Human Amylin (hIAPP). Biopolymers Volume 104, Issue 3, pp. 196-205, May 2015. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1002/bip.22650
  21. Tsiolaki, P.L., Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2015) The pentapeptide LQVVR plays a pivotal role in human cystatin C fibrillization. FEBS Lett. 2015 Jan 2;589(1):159-64. Epub 2014 Dec 3. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.11.041
  22. Louros, N.N., Petronikolou N., Karamanos T., Cordopatis P., Iconomidou, V.A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2014) Structural studies of 'aggregation-prone' peptide-analogues of teleostean egg chorion ZPB proteins. Biopolymers [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1002/bip.22563
  23. Louros, N.N., Iconomidou, V.A., Tsiolaki, P.L., Chrysina, E.D., Baltatzis, G.E., Patsouris, E.S., Hamodrakas, S.J.(2014) An N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) 'aggregation-prone' segment involved in isolated atrial amyloidosis. FEBS Lett., 588: 52-57. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.10.049
  24. Iconomidou, V.A., Leontis, A., Hoenger, A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2013) Identification of a novel 'aggregation-prone'/'amyloidogenic determinant' peptide in the sequence of the highly amyloidogenic human calcitonin. FEBS Lett., 587: 569-574. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.01.031.
  25. Giannopoulos, N.G., Michalopoulos, I., Papandreou, N.C., Malatras, A., Iconomidou, V.A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2013) LepChorionDB, a database of Lepidopteran chorion proteins and a set of tools useful for the identification of chorion proteins in Lepidopteran proteomes. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. , 43: 189-196. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.12.001.
  26. Tsolis, A.C., Papandreou, N.C., Iconomidou, V.A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2013) A Consensus Method for the Prediction of "Aggregation-Prone" Peptides in Globular Proteins. PLoS ONE, 8(1): e54175. [Abstract] [PDF] doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054175.
  27. Iconomidou, V.A., Pheida, D., Hamodraka, E.S., Antony, C., Hoenger, A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2012) An amyloidogenic determinant in N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP): Implications for cardiac amyloidoses., 98(1): 67-75. doi: 10.1002/bip.21698. Biopolymers: Peptide Science[Abstract] [PDF]
  28. Iconomidou, V.A., Cordopatis, P., Hoenger, A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2011) The silkmoth eggshell as a natural amyloid shield for the safe development of insect oocyte and embryo: Insights from studies of silkmoth chorion protein peptide-analogues of the B family. Peptide Science,Biopolymers, 96(6): 723-733. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1002/bip.21606.
  29. Srivastava, A.K., Iconomidou, V.A., Chryssikos, G.D., Gionis, V., Kumar, K., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2011) Secondary structure of chorion proteins of the Lepidoptera Pericallia ricini and Ariadne merione by ATR FT-IR and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Int J Biol Macromol, 49(3): 317-22. [Abstract] [PDF] doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2011.05.006.
  30. Papandreou, N.C., Iconomidou, V.A., Willis, J.H., Hamodrakas, S.J.(2010) A possible structural model of members of the CPF family of cuticular proteins implicating binding to components other than chitin. J Insect Physiol., 56, 1420-1426. [Abstract] [PDF].
  31. Frousios, K.K., Iconomidou, V.A., Karletidi, C.M. and Hamodrakas, S.J. (2009) Amyloidogenic determinants are usually not buried. BMC Struct Biol. 9(1): 44. [Abstract] [PDF].
  32. Skopeliti, M., Iconomidou, V.A., Derhovanessian, E., Pawelec, G., Voelter, W., Kalbacher, H., Hamodrakas, S.J. and Tsitsilonis, O.E. (2009) Prothymosin alpha immunoactive carboxyl-terminal peptide TKKQKTDEDD stimulates lymphocyte reactions, induces dendritic cell maturation and adopts a beta-sheet conformation in a sequence-specific manner. Mol Immunol. 46(5): 784-792. [Abstract] [PDF].
  33. Iconomidou, V.A. and Hamodrakas, S.J. (2008) Natural Protective Amyloids. Curr. Prot. Pept. Sci. 9(3): 291-309.[Abstract].
  34. Karouzou, M.V., Spyropoulos, Y., Iconomidou, V.A., Cornman, R.S., Hamodrakas, S.J., Willis, J.H. (2007) Drosophila cuticular proteins with the R&R Consensus: annotation and classification with a new tool for discriminating RR-1 and RR-2 sequences. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. , 37(8): 754-60.[Abstract] [PDF].
  35. Hamodrakas, S.J., Christina Liappa, C. Iconomidou, V.A. (2007) Consensus prediction of amyloidogenic determinants in amyloid fibril-forming proteins.Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 41(3): 295-300. [Abstract][PDF].
  36. Iconomidou, V.A., Georgaka, M.E., Chryssikos, G.D., Gionis, V., Megalofonou, P., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2007) Dogfish egg case structural studies by ATR FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy.Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 41(1): 102-108. [Abstract][PDF].
  37. Iconomidou, V.A., Chryssikos, G.D., Gionis V, Galanis, A.S., Cordopatis, P., Hoenger, A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2006) Amyloid fibril formation propensity is inherent into the hexapeptide tandemly repeating sequence of the central domain of silkmoth chorion proteins of the A-family. J. Struct. Biol., 156, 480-488. [Abstract] [PDF].
  38. Iconomidou, V.A., Willis, J.H. and Hamodrakas, S.J. (2005) Unique features of the structural model of hard cuticle proteins: implications for chitin-protein interactions and cross-linking in cuticle. Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 35(6):553-60. [Abstract][PDF]
  39. Hamodrakas S.J., Hoenger A., Iconomidou V.A. (2004) Amyloid fibrillogenesis of silkmoth chorion protein peptide-analogues via a liquid-crystalline intermediate phase. J Struct Biol., 145, 226-35. [Abstract] [PDF].
  40. Magkrioti CK, Spyropoulos IC, Iconomidou VA, Willis JH, Hamodrakas SJ. (2004) cuticleDB: a relational database of Arthropod cuticular proteins.BMC Bioinformatics. 5(1):138. [Abstract] [PDF].
  41. Hadjidakis D, Tsagarakis S, Roboti C, Sfakianakis M, Iconomidou V, Raptis SA, Thalassinos N. (2003) Does subclinical hypercortisolism adversely affect the bone mineral density of patients with adrenal incidentalomas? Clin Endocrinol(Oxf).,58(1), 72-7 [Abstract]
  42. Iconomidou, V.A., Chryssikos, G.D., Gionis, V., Hoenger, A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2003) FT-Raman spectroscopy as diagnostic tool of Congo red binding to amyloids. Biopolymers (Biospectroscopy), 72, 185-192 [Abstract] [PDF].
  43. Hamodrakas S.J., Willis J.H., Iconomidou V.A. (2002) A structural model of the chitin-binding domain of cuticle proteins, Insect Biochem Mol Biol, 32, 1577-1583. [Abstract] [PDF].
  44. Iconomidou, V. A., Chryssikos, G. D., Gionis, V., Willis, J. H. and Hamodrakas, S. J. (2001) "Soft"-cuticle protein secondary structure as revealed by FT-Raman, ATR FT-IR and CD spectroscopy, Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 31, 877-885. [Abstract] [PDF].
  45. Iconomidou, V. A., Chryssikos, G. D., Gionis, V., Vriend, G., Hoenger, A. and Hamodrakas, S. J. (2001) Amyloid-like fibrils from an 18-residue peptide-analogue of a part of the central domain of the B-family of silkmoth chorion proteins, FEBS Letters, 499, 268-273. [Abstract][PDF].
  46. Iconomidou, V. A.; Vriend, G.A. and Hamodrakas, S. J. (2000) Amyloids protect the silkmoth oocyte and embryo, FEBS Letters, 479, 141-5. [Abstract] [PDF].
  47. Iconomidou, V. A., Chryssikos, G. D., Gionis, V., Pavlidis, M. A., Paipetis, A. and Hamodrakas, S. J. (2000) Secondary structure of chorion proteins of the teleostean fish Dentex dentex by ATR FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy, J. Struct. Biol., 132, 112-122. [Abstract] [PDF].
  48. Iconomidou, V. A., Willis, J. H. and Hamodrakas, S. J. (1999) Is beta-pleated sheet the molecular conformation which dictates formation of helicoidal cuticle? Insect Biochem. Mol. Biol., 29(3), 285-92. [Abstract] [PDF].
  49. Athanassakis I, Iconomidou B.(1996) Cytokine production in the serum and spleen of mice from day 6 to 14 of gestation: cytokines/placenta/spleen/serum. Dev Immunol., 4(4), 247-55. [Abstract] [PDF].

BOOK CHAPTERS
  1. Tsiolaki, P.L., Nastou K.C., Louros N.N., Hamodrakas S.J., Iconomidou V.A. (2017) Exploring amyloidogenicity of Clusterin: a structural and bioinformatics analysis. Adv. Exp. Med. and Biol.: GeNeDis 2016, 2017;989:93-107
  2. Iconomidou, V.A. and Hamodrakas, S.J.  (2010) Chorion proteins: a protective role for amyloid in ‘Functional Amyloid Aggregation’,  (S. Rigacci and M. Bucciantini, Eds.), Ch. 5, Research Signpost.

  3. Hamodrakas, S.J., Iconomidou, V.A. (2010) Silkmoth Chorion in ‘THE FUNCTIONAL FOLD Amyloid Structures in Nature’, (S. Jarvis and A. Mostaert, Eds.), Pan Stanford Publishing.

  4. Willis, J.H., Papandreou, N.C., Iconomidou, V.A., Hamodrakas, S.J. (2010) Cuticular proteins. Chapter 5 in ‘Insect Molecular Biology and Biochemistry’ (L.I. Gilbert ed.) Academic Press, Elsevier (publishers), pp. 134-166.

  5. Willis, J.H., Iconomidou, V.A., Smith, R.F. and Hamodrakas, S.J. (2005) Cuticular Proteins in ‘Comprehensive Insect Science’, (L. I. Gilbert, K. Iatrou, and S. Gill, Eds.), Ch. 2, 79-110, Elsevier.

  6. Iconomidou, V.A. and Hamodrakas, S.J. (2001) Amyloid-like fibrils from a peptide-analogue of silkmoth chorion proteins, in "Self-Assembling Peptide Systems in Biology, Medicine, and Engineering" (A. Aggeli, N. Boden, S, Zhang, Eds.), 161-169, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrent, The Netherlands.