Dr Elisa Vasilopoulou
PhD, PGCHE
Lecturer in Basic Sciences
Department: Comparative Biomedical Sciences
Campus: Camden
Research Groups: Cardiovascular and Renal Biology
Elisa Vasilopoulou is a lecturer in Basic Sciences with a research interest in renal biology and physiology.
Elisa Vasilopoulou obtained a 1st class BSc (Hons) from Aston University in 2006. She completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2010, supervised by Dr Shiao-yng Chan and Professor Mark Kilby. Subsequently she undertook postodoctoral research at the University of Birmingham and at UCL with Professor David Long, followed by the award of fellowship funding by Kidney Research UK in 2015. In 2017, she joined the Medway School of Pharmacy as research fellow, followed by appointment to lecturer in 2018. In 2021, Elisa was appointed lecturer in basic sciences in the department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the RVC.
Elisa’s research aims to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie kidney disease progression to develop new therapeutic targets. She uses a combination of in vitro and in vivo models to investigate the role of inflammation in kidney injury and repair.
1. Mason, WJ, Jafree, DJ, Pomeranz, G, Kolatsi-Joannou, M, Rottner, AK, Pacheco, S, Moulding, DA, Wolf, A, Kupatt, C, Peppiatt-Wildman, C, Papakrivopoulou, E, Riley, PR, Long, DA, Vasilopoulou, E. (2022) Systemic gene therapy with thymosin-b4 alleviates glomerular injury in mice. Scientific Reports. 12:12172
2. Vasilopoulou E. (2020) Isolating and culturing podocyte cells to study diabetic nephropathy. In: Molecular Methods in Diabetic Nephropathy, Methods in Molecular Biology. Springer Nature: 2067:53-59
3. Papakrivopoulou, E, Vasilopoulou, E, Lindenmeyer, MT, Pacheco, S, Brzóska, HL, Price, KL, Kolatsi-Joannou, M, White, KE, Henderson, DJ, Dean, CH, Cohen, CD, Salama, AD, Woolf, AS, Long DA. (2018) Vangl2, a planar cell polarity molecule, is implicated in irreversible and reversible kidney glomerular injury. Journal of Pathology. 246(4):485-496
4. Vasilopoulou E*, Riley PR, Long DA. (2018) Thymosin-b4: a key modifier of renal disease. Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 18(sup1):185-192 (*corresponding author)
5. Vasilopoulou E, Kolatsi-Joannou M, White KE, Robson MG, Sebire NJ, Riley PR, Winyard PJ, Long DA. (2016) Loss of endogenous thymosin-β4 accelerates glomerular disease. Kidney Int. 90(5): 1056-1070
6. Vasilopoulou E, Winyard PJ, Riley PR, Long DA (2015) The role of thymosin-β4 in kidney disease. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 15 Suppl 1:187-90
7. Chan SY, Susarla R, Canovas D, Vasilopoulou E, Ohizua O, McCabe CJ, Hewison M, Kilby MD (2015) Vitamin D promotes human extravillous trophoblast invasion in vitro. Placenta 36(4):403-9
8. Vasilopoulou E, Loubière LS, Lash GE, Ohizua O, McCabe CJ, Franklyn JA, Kilby MD, Chan SY (2014) Triiodothyronine regulates angiogenic growth factor and cytokine secretion by isolated human decidual cells in a cell-type specific and gestational age-dependent manner. Hum Reprod. 26(6):1161-72
9. Vasilopoulou E, Loubière LS, Heuer H, Trajkovic-Arsic M, Darras VM, Visser TJ, Lash GE, Whitley GS, McCabe CJ, Franklyn JA, Kilby MD, Chan SY (2013) Monocarboxylate transporter 8 modulates the viability and invasive capacity of human placental cells and fetoplacental growth in mice. PLOS One 12;8(6):e65402
10. Loubière LS, Vasilopoulou E, Glazier JD, Taylor PM, Franklyn JA, Kilby MD, Chan SY (2012) Expression and function of thyroid hormone transporters in the microvillous plasma membrane of human term placental syncytiotrophoblast. Endocrinology 153: 6126-6135
11. Vasilopoulou E, Loubiere LS, Martin-Santos A, McCabe CJ, Franklyn JA, Kilby MD, Chan SY (2010) Differential triiodothyronine responsiveness and transport by human cytotrophoblasts from normal and growth-restricted pregnancies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 95:4762-4770
12. Loubière LS*, Vasilopoulou E*, Bulmer JN, Taylor PM, Stieger B, Verrey F, McCabe CJ, Franklyn JA, Kilby MD, Chan SY (2010) Expression of thyroid hormone transporters in the human placenta and changes associated with intrauterine growth restriction. Placenta 31:295-304 (*joint first authors)
13. Chan SY, Vasilopoulou E, Kilby MD (2009) The role of the placenta in thyroid hormone delivery to the fetus. Nat Clin Pract Endocrinol Metab 5:45-54
Elisa is a tutor for BSc and BVetMed students and teaches Cell Biology, Endocrinology and Renal Physiology on the BSc and BVetMed courses.