Dr Anestis Tsakiridis

School of Biosciences

Senior Lecturer

Profile photo of Anestis Tsakiridis
Profile picture of Profile photo of Anestis Tsakiridis
a.tsakiridis@sheffield.ac.uk
Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Dr Anestis Tsakiridis
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • 2025-present: Senior Lecturer
  • 2020-2024: Lecturer
  • 2016-2019: Vice Chancellor's Fellow
  • 2009-2015: Post-doctoral researcher, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh (Advisor: Prof. Val Wilson)
  • 2006-2009: Post-doctoral researcher, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh (Advisor: Prof. Josh Brickman)
  • 2002-2006: PhD, University of Edinburgh (Advisors: Prof. Lesley Forrester, Prof. Josh Brickman)
  • 2001-2002: MSc (Res), University of Edinburgh
  • 1998-2001: BSc (Hons), University of Edinburgh
Research interests

We aim to understand how human embryonic cells adopt different fates as they transit from pluripotency to lineage commitment, and exploit this knowledge for regenerative medicine and disease modelling applications. We are focusing particularly on defining the determinants of anteroposterior (A-P) axial identity (i.e. the position cells occupy along the head-tail axis) and how this influences cell fate decision-making in various multipotent progenitors of the central and peripheral nervous system. To address our questions we employ predominantly human pluripotent stem cell (hPSCs) differentiation as an in vitro model of early human embryonic development and utilise protocols we have recently established toward the production of spinal cord progenitors and neural crest cells (the precursors of various specialised cell types including peripheral neurons) that correspond to distinct axial levels.

Current projects in our lab include:

  1. Understanding how various cellular components of the trunk (e.g. motor neurons, paraxial mesoderm, trunk neural crest) are derived from multipotent axial progenitors
  2. Defining the molecular/signalling basis of A-P axial identity acquisition/maintenance in distinct neural cell types
  3. Deciphering the molecular/signalling logic of cell fate decisions in vagal neural crest derivatives focusing on the enteric nervous system and the treatment of enteric neuropathies such as Hirschsprung disease.
  4. Determining how abnormal trunk neural crest development is linked to the initiation of neuroblastoma, the most common extra-cranial solid tumour of childhood 
Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Frith TJR & Tsakiridis A (2019) . Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology.
  • Tsakiridis A & Wilson V (2015) . F1000Research, 4.
  • Tsakiridis A, Huang Y, Blin G, Skylaki S, Wymeersch F, Osorno R, Economou C, Karagianni E, Zhao S, Lowell S & Wilson V (2015) . Development, 142(4), 809-809.
  • Gouti M, Tsakiridis A, Wymeersch FJ, Huang Y, Kleinjung J, Wilson V & Briscoe J (2014) . PLoS Biology, 12(8).
  • Tsakiridis A, Huang Y, Blin G, Skylaki S, Wymeersch F, Osorno R, Economou C, Karagianni E, Zhao S, Lowell S & Wilson V (2014) . Development, 141(6), 1209-1221.
  • Huang Y, Osorno R, Tsakiridis A & Wilson V (2012) . Cell Reports, 2(6), 1571-1578.
  • Frith TJR, Granata I, Wind M, Stout E, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Ortmann D, Hackland JOS , Anastassiadis K et al () . eLife, 7.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Wong FCK, Zhang M, Thomson E, Schumacher LJ, Tsakiridis A, Ashmore J, Li T, Blin G, Karagianni E, Mullin NP , Chambers I et al (2025) . The EMBO Journal, 44(19), 5337-5374.
  • Fang W, Cheng B, Pastor SJ, Barbaric I, Tsakiridis A, Porras T, Wu H-W, Parekh C, Asgharzadeh S, Maris JM & Huang M (2025) . Cancer Research, 85(8_Supplement_1), 2600-2600.
  • Jevans B, Cooper F, Fatieieva Y, Gogolou A, Kang Y-N, Restuadi R, Moulding D, Vanden Berghe P, Adameyko I, Thapar N , Andrews PW et al (2024) . Gut, 73(9), 1441-1453.
  • Saldana-Guerrero IM, Montano-Gutierrez LF, Boswell K, Hafemeister C, Poon E, Shaw LE, Stavish D, Lea RA, Wernig-Zorc S, Bozsaky E , Fetahu IS et al (2024) . Nature Communications, 15(1).
  • Cooper F, Souilhol C, Haston S, Gray S, Boswell K, Gogolou A, Frith TJR, Stavish D, James BM, Bose D , Dale JK et al (2024) . Development, 151(3).
  • (2024) . Development, 151(3).
  • Saldana-Guerrero IM, Montano-Gutierrez LF, Hafemeister C, Stavish D, Shaw LE, Fetahu IS, Wenninger-Weinzierl A, Sturtzel C, Souilhol C, Tarelli S , Shoeb MR et al (2023) . Cancer Research, 83(7_Supplement), 3542-3542.
  • Gogolou A, Souilhol C, Granata I, Wymeersch FJ, Manipur I, Wind M, Frith TJR, Guarini M, Bertero A, Bock C , Halbritter F et al (2022) . eLife, 11.
  • Cooper F & Tsakiridis A (2022) . Developmental Biology, 489, 110-117.
  • Cooper F & Tsakiridis A (2022) . Biochemical Society Transactions, 50(1), 499-511.
  • Wind M & Tsakiridis A (2021) . Current Protocols, 1(9).
  • Gogolou A, Frith TJR & Tsakiridis A (2021) . Current Protocols, 1(6).
  • Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A (2021) . Development, 148(6).
  • Wymeersch FJ, Wilson V & Tsakiridis A (2021) . Development, 148(4).
  • Frith TJR, Gogolou A, Hackland JOS, Hewitt ZA, Moore HD, Barbaric I, Thapar N, Burns AJ, Andrews PW, Tsakiridis A & McCann CJ (2020) . Stem Cell Reports, 15(3), 557-565.
  • Ruske LJ, Kursawe J, Tsakiridis A, Wilson V, Fletcher AG, Blythe RA & Schumacher LJ (2020) . Physical Biology, 17(6).
  • Frith TJR & Tsakiridis A (2019) . Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology.
  • Sutherland L, Ruhe M, Gattegno-Ho D, Mann K, Greaves J, Koscielniak M, Meek S, Lu Z, Waterfall M, Taylor R , Tsakiridis A et al (2018) . Journal of Cell Science, 131(18).
  • Lopez-Yrigoyen M, Fidanza A, Cassetta L, Axton RA, Taylor AH, Meseguer-Ripolles J, Tsakiridis A, Wilson V, Hay DC, Pollard JW & Forrester LM (2018) . Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 373(1750).
  • Economou C, Tsakiridis A, Wymeersch FJ, Gordon-Keylock S, Dewhurst RE, Fisher D, Medvinsky A, Smith AJH & Wilson V (2015) . BMC Developmental Biology, 15(1).
  • Tsakiridis A & Wilson V (2015) . F1000Research, 4.
  • Tsakiridis A, Huang Y, Blin G, Skylaki S, Wymeersch F, Osorno R, Economou C, Karagianni E, Zhao S, Lowell S & Wilson V (2015) . Development, 142(4), 809-809.
  • Gouti M, Tsakiridis A, Wymeersch FJ, Huang Y, Kleinjung J, Wilson V & Briscoe J (2014) . PLoS Biology, 12(8).
  • Tsakiridis A, Huang Y, Blin G, Skylaki S, Wymeersch F, Osorno R, Economou C, Karagianni E, Zhao S, Lowell S & Wilson V (2014) . Development, 141(6), 1209-1221.
  • Huang Y, Osorno R, Tsakiridis A & Wilson V (2012) . Cell Reports, 2(6), 1571-1578.
  • Osorno R, Tsakiridis A, Wong F, Cambray N, Economou C, Wilkie R, Blin G, Scotting PJ, Chambers I & Wilson V (2012) . Journal of Cell Science, 125(12), e1-e1.
  • Osorno R, Tsakiridis A, Wong F, Cambray N, Economou C, Wilkie R, Blin G, Scotting PJ, Chambers I & Wilson V (2012) . Development, 139(13), 2288-2298.
  • Tan CL, Tsakiridis A, Noor DAM, Walker DA, Wilson V & Scotting PJ (2012) REASSESSING THE ORIGINS OF INTRACRANIAL GERM CELL TUMOUR FORMATION. PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, 59(6), 1089-1089.
  • Brickman JM, Tsakiridis A, To C & Stanford WL (2010) , 271-295.
  • Tsakiridis A, Tzouanacou E, Rahman A, Colby D, Axton R, Chambers I, Wilson V, Forrester L & Brickman JM (2009) . Nucleic Acids Research, 37(19).
  • Tsakiridis A, Alexander LM, Gennet N, Sanchez-Martin RM, Livigni A, Li M, Bradley M & Brickman JM (2009) . Biomaterials, 30(29), 5853-5861.
  • Sanchez鈥怣artin RM, Alexander L, Muzerelle M, Cardenas鈥怣aestre JM, Tsakiridis A, Brickman JM & Bradley M (2009) . ChemBioChem, 10(9), 1453-1456.
  • Tsakiridis A, Tzouanacou E, Larralde O, Watts TM, Wilson V, Forrester L & Brickman JM (2007) . genesis, 45(6), 353-360.
  • Sabahi-Kaviani R, Gogolou A, Souilhol C, van der Kroeg M, Kushner SA, de Vrij FMS, Tsakiridis A & Luttge R () . Micromachines, 17(2), 199-199.
  • Harron KL, Jevans BS, Allin BSR, Davidson JR, Tsakiridis A, Andrews PW, De Coppi P & McCann CJ () . Frontline Gastroenterology.
  • Frith TJR, Granata I, Wind M, Stout E, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Ortmann D, Hackland JOS , Anastassiadis K et al () . eLife, 7.
  • Tsakiridis A & Wilson V () . F1000Research, 4, 100-100.

Conference proceedings

  • Jevans B, Cooper F, Peruzza L, Perin S, Li S, Mcateer T, Tsakiridis A & Mccann C (2025) In-depth characterization of the colonic pathology of the B6;129-Ednrbtm1Ywa/J mouse model of Hirschsprung disease and stem cell-based rescue. NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY, Vol. 37
  • Kaviani RS, Shiryaeva M, Souilhol C, Wind M, Tsakiridis A & Luttge R (2023) Enhancing neuronal cell network organization and activity using NOA81 and PDMS nanogrooves. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, Vol. 29(13-14)
  • Frith TJR, McCann C, Gogolou A, Thapar N, Tsakiridis A, Burns A & Andrews PW (2019) . Human Gene Therapy, Vol. 30(8) (pp P02-P02). Sheffield, UK, 19 June 2019 - 19 June 2019.
  • Wymeersch F, Skylaki S, Huang Y, Tsakiridis A, Economou C, Marek-Johnson C, Tomlinson S & Wilson V (2017) . Mechanisms of Development, Vol. 145 (pp S82-S82)
  • Tsakiridis A, Tzouanacou E, Rahman A, Axton R, Wilson V, Forrester L & Brickman J (2009) . Mechanisms of Development, Vol. 126 (pp S280-S280)

Preprints

  • Harron KL, Jevans B, Allin BSR, Davidson JR, Tsakiridis A, Andrews PW, De Coppi P & McCann CJ (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Jevans B, Cooper F, Peruzza L, Perin S, Li S, McAteer T, De Coppi P, Andrews PW, Tsakiridis A & McCann CJ (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Jevans B, Cooper F, Fatieieva Y, Gogolou A, Kang Y-N, Restuadi R, Berghe PV, Adameyko I, Thapar N, Andrews PW , Coppi PD et al (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Cooper F, Souilhol C, Haston S, Gray S, Boswell K, Gogolou A, Frith T, Stavish D, James BM, Bose D , Dale JK et al (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Butler L, Adamson KI, Johnson SL, Jestice LH, Price CJ, Stavish D, Pooranachandran N, Malicki JJ, Tsakiridis A, Grierson AJ & Barbaric I (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Gogolou A, Souilhol C, Granata I, Wymeersch FJ, Manipur I, Wind M, Frith TJR, Guarini M, Bertero A, Bock C , Halbritter F et al (2021) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Wind M, Gogolou A, Manipur I, Granata I, Butler L, Andrews PW, Barbaric I, Ning K, Guarracino MR, Placzek M & Tsakiridis A (2020) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Ruske LJ, Kursawe J, Tsakiridis A, Wilson V, Fletcher AG, Blythe RA & Schumacher LJ (2020) , arXiv.
  • Frith TJR, Gogolou A, Hackland JOS, Barbaric I, Thapar N, Burns AJ, Andrews PW, Tsakiridis A & McCann CJ () .
Research group

Group members:

Katy Boswell (PDRA)
James Birch (PhD student)
Fay Cooper (PDRA)
Eldriena D'Silva (Research Assistant)
Andreas Kosteletos (PDRA)
Eloise Moore (PhD student, secondary supervisor)
Isabelle Parker (PhD student)
Keiko Takemoto Ruiz (PhD student)
Nikolas Stefanidis (PhD student, secondary supervisor)
Sude Uyulgan (PhD student)

We always welcome speculative applications to join our group at all levels-if interested email a.tsakiridis@sheffield.ac.uk 

Grants
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
  • The Royal Society
  • Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group/Little Princess Trust
  • MRC Discovery Medicine North Doctoral Training Partnership
  • EU Horizon2020
  • Neuroblastoma UK
  • BBSRC White Rose Mechanistic Biology DTP
  • Medical Research Council
Teaching activities

BIS Tutorials, Skills & Employability
BIS235 Biology of Stem Cells, Ageing and Cancer
BIS338/447 Stem Cell Biology
BIS4102 Advanced Literature Review- Retrieval and Evaluation of Scientific Information
BIS4103 Extended Research Project

Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of the Sheffield Cancer Research Executive, Discovery & translational science Domain co-Lead
  • Researcher Development Lead for Development, Regeneration and Neuroscience Research Cluster, School of Bioscience, 爆料TV
  • Elected member of the British Society for Developmental Biology committee (2021-2026).
  • Member of International Society for Stem Cell Research, British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy and Mercia Stem Cell Alliance.

Links

    Sheffield Cancer Research