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Dr Konstantinos Kalafatakis

Lecturer in Medical Neurosciences

Email: k.kalafatakis@qmul.ac.uk
Room Number: Malta Campus

Profile

I am a medical doctor (MD, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece), Resident Neurologist, and a neuroscientist, specializing in Neuroimaging (MSc in Neuroimaging for Research, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK) and researching about the effects of glucocorticoids in brain physiology and pathology (PhD in Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK). I am a Member of the British Neuroscience Association, the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MAPS), European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB), the Biochemical Society UK, the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Moreover, I am a Member of the Athenian Medical Association (Greece) and the General Medical Council (UK). I speak English, German and Greek.

I joined the Institute of Health Sciences Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London (Malta Campus) as a Lecturer in 2022.

I love the unique combination of the British academic environment with the Mediterranean climate that the Malta Campus is offering and looking forward to advancing the neuroscience-related activities of the school. I enjoy reading books, playing tennis, swimming, hiking, and watching movies.   

Teaching

Between 2011-2013, I was lecturing in the Medical School of the University of Athens (topic: Physiology of Ageing, Department of Physiology). Between 2013-2017, I was giving lectures or invited talks on neurophysiological, neuroendocrine and neuropharmacological topics in medical students or postgraduate students (MSc Neuroscience) in the Bristol Medical School, and lately, in the Medical School of the University of Crete. Throughout the last 15 years I have given multiple, mostly invited, lectures in clinical or scientific events on neurological or translational neuroscientific topics.     

Research

Research Interests:

Since 2009, while still a medical student in the Medical School (University of Athens, Greece), I started being intensively involved in neuroscientific research. Back then, I was an active member of a joint research group in the Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology of the Medical School. After graduation, I decided to combine my clinical background and passion for translational research, got trained in Neuroimaging tools for research purposes, and continued with the clinical investigation on the potential neurophysiological and neuropharmacological significance of glucocorticoid pulsatility in man (2013-2017). This topic has been, ever since, my main research focus. Between 2018-2021, I was serving as a postdoctoral research fellow, and currently as a senior research fellow, in two groups (the human-computer interaction laboratory of the University of Ioannina, Greece, where I lead a neurophysiological signal analysis and biomodelling team, and the laboratory of regenerative neuropharmacology of the Medical School of the University of Crete, Greece, where I coordinate a project involving the in vitro investigation of the chrono-pharmacological significance of glucocorticoid oscillations in brain cells).

Publications

Glucocorticoids and the brain

 

  • Tsimpolis A, Kokkali M, Logothetis A, Kalafatakis K, Charalampopoulos I. Biphasic response of astrocytic brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression following corticosterone stimulation. Biomolecules 2022; 12: 1322. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12091322
  • Habets PC, Kalafatakis K, Dzyubachyk O, van der Werff SJA, Keo A, Thakrar J, Mahfouz A, Pereira AM, Russell GM, Lightman SL, Meijer OC. Transcriptional and cell type profiles of cortical brain regions showing ultradian cortisol rhythm dependent responses to emotional face stimulation. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.05.475032   
  • Violaris IG, Kalafatakis K, Zavala E, Lampros T, Lightman SL, Tsipouras M, Giannakeas N, Tzallas A, Russell GM. Modelling hydrocortisone pharmacokinetics on a subcutaneous pulsatile infusion replacement strategy in patients with adrenocortical insufficiency. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13(6):769. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13060769
  • Kalafatakis K, Russell GM, Ferguson SG, Grabski M, Harmer CJ, Munafo MN, Marchant N, Wilson A, Brooks JC, Thakrar J, Murphy P, Thai NJ, Lightman SL. Glucocorticoid ultradian rhythmicity differential-ly regulates mood and resting state networks in the human brain: a randomised controlled clinical trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 124: 105096. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105096
  • Kalafatakis K, Giannakeas N, Lightman SL, Charalampopoulos I, Russell GM, Tsipouras M, Tzallas A. Utilization of the Allen Gene Expression Atlas to gain further insight into glucocorticoid physiology in the adult mouse brain. Neuroscience Letters 2019; 706: 194-200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2019.05.020
  • Kalafatakis K, Russell GM, Lightman SL. Does circadian and ultradian glucocorticoid exposure affect the brain? European Journal of Endocrinology 2019; 180(2): R73-R89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-18-0853
  • Kalafatakis K, Russell GM, Harmer CJ, Munafo MR, Marchant N, Wilson A, Brooks JC, Durant C, Thakrar J, Murphy P, Thai NJ, Lightman SL. Ultradian rhythmicity of plasma cortisol is necessary for normal emotional and cognitive responses in man. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2018; 115(17): E4091-E4100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714239115
  • Kalafatakis K, Russell GM, Harmer CJ, Munafo MR, Marchant N, Wilson A, Brooks JCW, Thai NJ, Fer-guson SG, Stevenson K, Durant C, Schmidt K, Lightman SL. Effects of the pattern of glucocorticoid re-placement on neural processing, emotional reactivity and well-being in healthy male individuals: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2016; 17:44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1159-x  
  • Kalafatakis K, Russell GM, Zarros A, Lightman SL. Temporal control of glucocorticoid neurodynamics and its relevance for brain homeostasis, neuropathology and glucocorticoid-based therapeutics. Neurosci-ence and Biobehavioural Reviews 2016; 61(2):12-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.11.009
  • Russell GM, Kalafatakis K, Lightman SL.  The importance of biological oscillators for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity and tissue glucocorticoid response: coordinating stress responses and neurobehav-ioural adaptation. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 2015; 27(6):378-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jne.12247

 

Basic research (neuropharmacology and computational neuroscience)

 

  • Kalafatakis I, Kalafatakis K, Tsimpolis A, Giannakeas N, Tsipouras M, Tzallas A, Karagogenos D. Using the Allen gene expression atlas of the adult mouse brain to gain further insight into the physiological sig-nificance of TAG1/Contactin-2. Brain Structure and Function 2020; 225(7): 2045-2056. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-020-02108-4   
  • Stolakis V, Liapi C, Al-Humadi H, Kalafatakis K, Gkanti V, Bimpis A, Skandali N, Tsela S, Theocharis S, Zarros A, Tsakiris S. Effects of gestational thiamine-deprivation and/or exposure to ethanol on crucial off-spring rat brain enzyme activities. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 2019 Sep 25; 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2019.1667973
  • Kalafatakis K, Gkanti V, Mackenzie-Gray Scott CA, Zarros A, Baillie GS, Tsakiris S. Acetylcholinesterase activity as a neurotoxicity marker within the context of experimentally-simulated hyperprolinaemia: an in vitro approach. Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine 2015; 6(suppl.1):s98-s101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-9668.166099
  • Koromilas C, Liapi C, Zarros A, Tsela S, Zissis KM, Kalafatakis K, Skandali N, Voumvourakis K, Car-ageorgiou H, Tsakiris S. Inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase in the hypothalamus, pons and cerebellum of the offspring rat due to experimentally-induced maternal hypothyroidism. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 2015; 28(12):1438-1444. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/14767058.2014.955003
  • Koromilas C, Tsakiris S, Kalafatakis K, Zarros A, Stolakis V, Kimpizi D, Bimpis A, Tsagianni Α, Liapi C. Experimentally-induced maternal hypothyroidism alters crucial enzyme activities in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of the offspring rat. Metabolic Brain Disease. 2015; 30(1):241-246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-014-9581-9
  • Gkanti V, Stolakis V, Kalafatakis K, Liapi C, Zissis KM, Zarros A, Tsakiris S. Postnuclear supernatants of rat brain regions as substrates for the in vitro assessment of cadmium-induced neurotoxicity on acetylcho-linesterase activity. Biological Trace Element Research 2014; 158:87-89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9907-9
  • Strilakou AA, Tsakiris ST, Kalafatakis KG, Stylianaki AT, Karkalousos PL, Koulouris AV, Mourouzis IS, Liapi CA. Carnitine modulates crucial myocardial adenosine triphosphatases and acetylcholinesterase en-zyme activities in choline-deprived rats. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2014; 92(1):78-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjpp-2013-0165
  • Stolakis V, Tsakiris S, Kalafatakis K, Zarros A, Skandali N, Gkanti V, Kyriakaki A, Liapi C. Developmen-tal neurotoxicity of cadmium on enzyme activities of crucial offspring rat brain regions. Biometals 2013; 26(6):1013-1021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-013-9678-3
  • Bimpis A, Papalois A, Tsakiris S, Kalafatakis K, Zarros A, Gkanti V, Skandali N, Al-Humadi H, Kouzelis K, Liapi C. Modulation of crucial adenosinetriphosphatase activities due to U-74389G administration in a porcine model of intracerebral hemorrhage. Metabolic Brain Disease 2013; 28(3):439-446. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-013-9380-8
  • Bimpis A, Papalois A, Tsakiris S, Zarros A, Kalafatakis K, Botis J, Stolakis V, Zissis KM, Liapi C. Activa-tion of acetylcholinesterase due to U-74389G administration in a porcine model of intracerebral hemor-rhage. Metabolic Brain Disease 2012; 27: 221-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-012-9301-2

 

Clinical research (Clinical Trials and Bio-signal processing)

 

  • Kostikas K, Dimakou K, Gourgoulianis K, Gaga M, Papapetrou D, Tsoukalas G, Chatziapostolou P, Antoniadis A, Meletis G, Evangelopoulou E, Styliara P, Karypidou I, Gogali A, Kalafatakis K, Tzanakis N. Day and night-time symptoms among Greek COPD patients who recently initiated treatment with dual bronchodilation: the DANICO study. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2022; 17: 2027-2041. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S367553
  • Aspiotis V, Miltiadous A, Kalafatakis K, Tzimourta KD, Giannakeas N, Tsipouras MG, Peschos D, Glavas E, Tzallas AT. Assessing Electroencephalography as a Stress Indicator: A VR High-Altitude Scenario Mon-itored through EEG and ECG. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22(15): 5792. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s22155792
  • Koulouris N, Dimakou K, Gourgoulianis K, Tzanakis N, Rapti A, Gaga M, Georgatou N, Steiropoulos P, Karachristos C, Gogali A, Kalafatakis K, Kostikas K. Self-perceived quality of sleep among COPD patients in Greece: the SLEPICO study. Scientific Reports 2022; 12(1):540. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04610-z   
  • Steiropoulos P, Bakakos P, Hatziagorou E, Katsaounou P, Loukides S, Papaioannou AI, Porpodis K, Sama-ras K, Tzouvelekis A, Kalafatakis K, Kostikas K. The present and future of inhalation therapy for the man-agement of obstructive airway diseases: emphasis on pressurized metered-dose inhalers. Pneumon 2021; 34(4):24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18332/pne/144614
  • Tzanakis N, Koulouris N, Dimakou K, Gourgoulianis K, Epameinondas K, Chassapidou G, Konstantinidis A, Kyriakopoulos C, Kontakiotis T, Rapti A, Gaga M, Kalafatakis K, Kostikas K. Classification of COPD patients and compliance to recommended treatment in Greece according to GOLD 2017 report: the RELI-CO study. BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2021; 21:216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01576-6
  • Antoniou E, Bozios P, Christou V, Tzimourta K, Kalafatakis K, Tsipouras MG, Giannakeas N, Tzallas A. EEG-based eye movement recognition using brain-computer interface and random forest. Sensors (Basel). 2021; 21(7):2339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s21072339
  • Fiska V, Giannakeas N, Katertsidis N, Tzallas A, Kalafatakis K, Tsipouras MG. Motor data analysis of Parkinson's disease patients. Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Bioinformatics and Bio-engineering 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/BIBE50027.2020.00160
  • Lampros T, Kalafatakis K, Violaris I, Giannakeas N, Tzallas A, Tsipouras M. Fetal heart beat detection based on empirical mode decomposition, signal quality indices and correlation analysis. Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/BIBE50027.2020.00144

 

Reviews (Biomedicine & Biosciences)

 

  • Bamgboje D, Christoulakis I, Smanis I, Chavan G, Shah R, Malekzadeh M, Violaris I, Giannakeas N, Tsipouras M, Kalafatakis K, Tzallas A. Continuous Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring via contact lenses: current approaches and future perspectives. Biosensors 2021; 11(6):189. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/bios11060189
  • Kalafatakis K. Rhythmicity as an important regulatory factor in complex biological systems: introduction to chronopharmacology. Annals of Research Hospitals 2018; 2: 14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21037/arh.2018.12.01
  • Kalafatakis K, Zarros A. Intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin as an experimental ap-proach to Alzheimer's disease. International Journal of Neuroscience 2014; 124(12):944-946. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/00207454.2014.890934
  • Kalafatakis K, Triantafyllou K. Contribution of neurotensin in the immune and neuroendocrine modula-tion of normal and abnormal enteric function. Regulatory Peptides 2011; 170(1-3): 7-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regpep.2011.04.005
  • Koromilas C, Liapi C, Schulpis KH, Kalafatakis K, Zarros A, Tsakiris S. Structural and functional changes in the hippocampus due to hypothyroidism. Metabolic Brain Disease 2010; 25(3): 339-354. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-010-9208-8
  • Stolakis V, Kalafatakis K, Botis J, Zarros A, Liapi C. The regulatory role of neurotensin on the hypotha-lamic-anterior pituitary axons: emphasis on the control of thyroid-related functions. Neuropeptides 2010; 44(1): 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.npep.2009.09.005
  • Chatzigeorgiou A, Halapas A, Kalafatakis K, Kamper E. The use of animal models in the study of diabetes mellitus. In Vivo 2009; 23(2): 245-258.

 

Clinical case reports (Neurology)

 

  • Stenos C, Kalafatakis K, Constantoulakis P, Zekiou K, Margoni A, Kardara P, Terentiou A, Stouraitis G, Nikolaou G. A case of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis with brain and spinal involvement without tendon xanthomas: identification of a novel mutation of the CYP27A1 gene. Journal of Clinical Lipidology 2022; 16(3): 281-285. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2022.03.011

 

Editorials & remaining research (Higher Education)

 

  • Paliokas I, Tzallas A, Kalafatakis K, Giannakeas N. First Impression of Greek University Students on Taking Massive e-Exams Due to COVID-19 Pandemic. BEMS Reports 2021; 7(1): 11-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5530/bems.7.1.5
  • Botis J, Chatzilymperis G, Kalafatakis K, Skandali N, Skandalis A, Mylonas N, Zarros A. Reaching the limits of reform: medical education and the Hellenic academic institutions facing the euro-crisis. Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine 2015; 6(1):278-279. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-9668.149246
  • Botis J, Chatzigeorgiou A, Chatzilymperis G, Kalafatakis K, Katsouni E, Mylonas N, Skandali N, Vagena E, Zarros A. Inform, conform, reform and do not deform: a four axons’ framework for the Hellenic aca-demic institutions facing the Greek crisis challenge. Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine 2013; 4(1): 268-269. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-9668.107325

 

Book chapters

 

  • Kalafatakis K. Rhythmicity as an important regulatory factor in complex biological systems: introduction to chronopharmacology. In: Zarros A (editor). Molecular Functions in Disease and their Translational Interpretation: an Honorary Issue for Dr Stylianos Tsakiris. AME Publishing Company, Hong Kong, 2019 (ISBN: 978-988-79497-7-0).
  • Kalafatakis KG. Neuroimaging approaches in the study of the ageing brain. In: Tsakiris ST (editor). Physiology of ageing. Self-publication, Athens 2014, pp. 185-194 (in greek, ISBN: 978-960-93-2790-9).

Public Engagement

Clinical work

  • Resident Neurologist | Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, 417 Army Share Fund Hospital, Athens, Greece (2020-2022)
  • Clinical Fellow | Department of Imaging & Diagnostics, BIOIATRIKI, Athens, Greece (2019-2020)
  • Resident Neurologist | Department of Internal Medicine, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Hera-klion, Crete, Greece (2019)
  • Commissioned Senior House Officer | 401 Army General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece (2017-2018)
  • Clinical Research Fellow | Clinical Trials Unit, Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol, NHS Foundation Trust (2013-2017)  

 

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