Georgios Alkis Zisiadis
Phd Student
E-mail: georgios.alkis.zisiadis@ki.se
Visiting address: Bioclinicum J9:30, Akademiska stråket 1, 17164 Solna
Postal address: K6 Kvinnors och barns hälsa, K6 Barnonkologi och Barnkirurgi Blomgren, 171 77 Stockholm
About me
- I am a PhD candidate in the fields of Neurogenesis and Radiation Biology,
working in the Klas Blomgren Laboratory in the Department of Women's and
Children's Health. I completed my Bachelor's studies in Biology with a
scpecialization in Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and I received my Master's of
Medical Science in Biotechnology at Karolinska Institutet, where I had the
opprtunity to be part of several groups over the years.
PhD in Medical Science, Karolinska institutet, Department of Women's and
Children's Health, Klas Blomgren group, 2020-currently
Master of Medical Science (MMedSc) with a Major in Biomedicine, Karolinska
institutet, 2017-2019
Bachelor’s in Science (BSc), Degree in Biology, Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki (AUTH), Specialisation Track: Genetics, Developmental and
Molecular Biology, 2011-2015
Research
- Radiation therapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of high-grade pediatric
brain tumors. While lifesaving, these childhood cancer survivors will
potentially experience progressive cogntive dysfuntions, which result from
permanent disruptions in brain development and manifest primarily as
difficulties in information processing, learning, memory acquisition and
psychosocial distress. One hypothesis behind these late complications is the
ablation of hippocampal neurogensis that is observed after brain irradiation.
My aim is to understand this phenomenon and prevent and/or reverse the loss
of newborn neurons in the juvenile brain. Throughout my studies, I focus on
memantine, a clinically approved drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's
disease, as a potential therapeutic agent. At the same, I am exploring the
role of microglia in the chronic neuroinflammation that follows radiotherapy
and their implication in the process of neurogensis. I am also particularly
interested in how astrocytes react after irradiation and the changes that can
be observed in their physiology across time.