PhD Research Students

Osama Omar M. Fallata

Nationality:  Saudi
E-mail: o.fallata06@imperial.ac.uk
Office: ACEX Room 1M4, Chemical Engineering Dept., South Kensington Campus.
Office Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 1224
Supervisors: Dr. Nicki Panoskaltsis and Prof. Mantalaris

Research interests:
Ex vivo expansion of Umbilical Cord Blood (CB) Haematopoietic stem Cells through the biomimicary of the haematopoietic bone marrow niche in a 3D scaffold and with a highly controlled environment afforded by the bioreactor system. The project involves:

  • Use of Design of Experiments (DOE) for the identification of important parameters/factors in the growth and expansion of HSCs.
  • Reconstruction of 3D BM niches using the factors identified in DOE.
  • Comparison of 3D versus 2D culture systems using the critical factors identified by DOE.
  • Evaluation and optimisation of the bioprocess for HSC cultivation and expansion within a bioreactor using the best system identified above.

Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2007-Present  PhD in Clinical Investigative Sciences, Haematology Department, Imperial College London, UK.
 2005-2006  MSc in Developmental Cell Biology, University of Sussex, UK.
 2005-2012  Resident Physician at King Fahad Medical City(sponsor), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 2003-2004  House Officer: inpatient clinics, outpatient clinics, operating theatre, and emergency and on-call duties.
 2003  M.B.B.S King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
 
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Research title


Bioprocessing of Haematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs)


Award/Funding


Funding provided by the King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joana Santos

Joana

Nationality: Portugese 

E-mail: joana.dos-santos14@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room 1M4 ACEX Building
Office Tel: +44 (0) 2075941224
Supervisors: Dr. Nicki Panoskaltsis & Prof. A. Mantalaris

Research Interests:

  • Ex vivo culture of leukemic cells 

Sophie Zemenides

Nationality: British 
E-mail: s.zemenides@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room 1M5 ACEX Building
Office Tel: +44 (0) 2075941224
Supervisors: Dr. Nicki Panoskaltsis & Prof. A. Mantalaris

Research Interests:

  • Acute Myeloid Leukemia

 

Symeon Savvopoulos (Simon)

Nationality: Greek
E-mail: s.savvopoulos@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room c509, Roderic Hill building, Centre for Process Systems Engineering,Department of Chemical Engineering.
Office Tel: +44 (0)7411 646 6362
Supervisors:  Prof. Sakis Mantalaris and Dr Nicki Panoskaltsis

Research Interests:

  • Cell cycle analysis
  • Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  • Drug delivery systems

Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2014-2018 PhD in Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, UK.
 2011 Internship in the Centre for Research and Technology-Hellas (CERTH) - “Modeling, design and optimization of desalination processes”
 2006-2012 5-year Diploma in Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
 
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Research title


Mathematical modelling of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Publications / Presentations


  • Publications
  1. S. V. Savvopoulos, R. Misener, N. Panoskaltsis, E. N. Pistikopoulos, A Mantalaris, Global Sensitivity Analysis for a Dynamic Model of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Disease Trajectories, 12th International Symposium on Process Systems Engineering and 25th European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, volume 37, pp.185 - 190, 2015
  2. S. V. Savvopoulos, R. Misener, N. Panoskaltsis, E.N. Pistikopoulos, A. Mantalaris, A Personalized Framework for Dynamic Modeling of Disease Trajectories in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 2016, in print.
  • Presentations
  1. S. V. Savvopoulos, R. Misener, N. Panoskaltsis, E. N. Pistikopoulos, A. Mantalaris, Global Sensitivity Analysis for a Dynamic Model of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Disease Trajectories, ESCAPE 25 - PSE 12, Copenhagen, May 2015 (17% acceptance rate for presentation)
  • Poster Presentations
  1. S. V. Savvopoulos, R. Misener, N. Panoskaltsis, E.N. Pistikopoulos, A. Mantalaris, A Personalized Framework for Dynamic Modeling of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, AIChE annual meeting, Atlanta GA, Nov 2014
  2. M. Fuentes-Garí, S. V. Savvopoulos, R. Misener, D. Garcia-Munzer, M. Kostoglou, M. C. Georgiadis, N. Panoskaltsis, E. N. Pistikopoulos, A. Mantalaris, Towards personalised healthcare engineering: focus on leukaemia, CPSE symposium, Imperial College, December 2014


Others


  • Scholarship from Greece (State Scholarship Foundation) as the best student from 2008 to 2009

Robert J. MacFarlane

Nationality: British
E-mail: robert.macfarlane@doctors.org.uk
Office: Room c611a , Roderic Hill building, Centre for Process Systems Engineering,Department of Chemical Engineering.
Office Tel: +44 (0)20 75941205
Supervisors: Prof. Sakis Mantalaris and Prof. Eleftherios Tsiridis

Research Interests:

  • Osteogenesis in skeletal tissue engineering
  • Bioreactor technology for stem cell bioprocessing


Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2013-present PhD student in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College London, UK
 2012  Masters of Research (MRes) in Medical Technology, University of Strathclyde
 2008  MRCS Diploma, Royal College of Surgeons of England
 1999-2004  MB ChB Medicine & Surgery, The University of Edinburgh
 
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Research title


Production of bio-inspired 3D mineralised cellular implants for bone tissue engineering applications

Publications/Presentations


  • MacFarlane RJ, Konan S, El Husseiny M, Haddad FS. Outcomes following the surgical management of femoroacetabular impingement. Ann Royal Coll Surg 2014 (in press)
  • MacFarlane RJ, Russo A. Improving exposure in posterior cervical surgery: The elastoplasty. Ann Royal Coll Surg 2014 (in press)
  • Mehta N, MacFarlane RJ, Brown DJ. Traumatic disorders of forearm rotation: pathoanatomy, biomechanics and treatment. Br J Hosp Med 2014;75(2):72-77
  • Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M.  Editorial: Current Concepts and Recent Developments in Shoulder Surgery. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:304.
  • Akhtar A, Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M. Pre-Operative Assessment and Post-Operative Care in Elective Shoulder Surgery. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:316-322.
  • Nagy MT, Macfarlane RJ, Khan Y, Waseem M. The Frozen Shoulder: Myths and Realities. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:352-355.
  • Widnall JC, Dheerendra SK, Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M. The Use of Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty and Humeral Head Resurfacing: A Review of Current Concepts. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:334-337.
  • Sulaiman L, Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M. Current Concepts in Anaesthesia for Shoulder Surgery. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:323-328.
  • Donnelly TD, Ashwin S, Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M. Clinical Assessment of the Shoulder. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:310-315. PMID: 24082969
  • Iqbal S, Jacobs U, Akhtar A, Macfarlane RJ, Waseem M. A History of Shoulder Surgery. Open Orthop J. 2013 Sep 6;7:305-309.
  • MacFarlane RJ, Graham SM, Davies P, Korres N, Mantalaris A, Tsiridis E. Anti-Inflammatory Role and Immunomodulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Systemic Joint Diseases: Potential for Treatment.  Expert Opin Ther Targ 2013;17(3):243-54
  • Davies PS, Graham SM, MacFarlane RJ, Leonidou A, Mantalaris A, Tsiridis E. Disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs: in vitro and in vivo data on the development of DMOADs under investigation. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2013 Apr;22(4):423-41.
  • Gillespie S, Cashin F, Macfarlane RJ, Brown DJ. Prevention of extension lag using a sling attachment for ligamentotaxor devices in complex PIPJ injuries. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2012 Jul;94(5):367-8.
  • El-Husseiny M, Patel S, Macfarlane RJ, Haddad FS. Biodegradable Antibiotic Delivery Systems: Where are we now? Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Br) 2011;93(2):151-157
  • Macfarlane RJ. Haddad F S. The Diagnosis and Management of Femoro-acetabular Impingement. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons 2010 Jul;92(5):363-7
  • Macfarlane RJ, Ali Z, Datt, D, Venkateswaran B. Healing of the greater tuberosity in acute shoulder hemiarthroplasty using an accelerated rehabilitation regime. Shoulder and Elbow 2010;2:131-135
  • Macfarlane RJ, Hadi S, Binns M. Trochanteric Bursitis in association with Increased Offset Femoral Stem Components in Total Hip Arthroplasty. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery proceedings (Br) 2010
  • Macfarlane R J, Ng B, Velonis S, Tsiridis E. Pharmacological Treatment of Heterotopic Ossification Following Hip and Acetabular Surgery. Expert Opinion in Pharmacotherapy 2008;9(5):1-19

Teaching


  • Clinical Lecturer in Applied Surgical Anatomy, King’s College London (GKT Medical School), 2013-present.
  • Clinical Tutor in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Liverpool 2010-2013.
  • Special Study Module tutor in Orthopaedic Surgery, University College Hospital, London, 2009.
  • Honorary Anatomy Demonstrator, King’s College London (GKT Medical School), 2007.

Awards/funding


  • Royal College of Surgeons Surgical Research Fellowship, 2013-present


Others


  • Currently holds a National Training Number (NTN) in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery – special interest: hand and upper limb surgery
  • Has presented a range of clinical studies at national and international conferences in orthopaedic surgery including in London, Manchester, Madrid, Istanbul, Delhi and Bangalore
  • 3rd poster prize at Mersey Orthopaedic Registrar’s Conference 2012
  • University of Strathclyde CTA Studentship award, 2008-10

Susana Brito dos Santos

Nationality: Portuguese
E-mail: susana.brito-dos-santos13@imperial.ac.uk
Office: ACEX Room 1M4, Chemical Engineering Dept., South Kensington Campus
Office Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 1224
Supervisors: Prof. Sakis Mantalaris and Dr. Nicki Panoskaltsis

Research Interests:

  • Scaffold technology for stem cell and leukemic cell bioprocessing
  • In vitro red blood cell production
  • Biochemical and microenvironmental factors involved in red blood cell production


Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2014-present PhD student in Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College London, UK.

Master thesis development at BSEL, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, UK.
 2013 Title: “Growth and cell cycle kinetics of AML and CLL cell lines in a 3D bone marrow biomimicry under oxidative and starvation stresses”

MSc. in Bioengineering, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey

 2011-2013 MSc. in Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
 2008-2011 BSc. in Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
 
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Research title


In vitro erythropoiesis: reproducing in vivo biochemical and microenvironmental factors involved in red blood cell formation


Publications/Presentations


Presentations

  • M. Fuentes-Gari, E. Velliou, R. Misener, S. Brito Dos Santos, N. Panoskaltsis, A. Mantalaris and E. N. Pistikopoulos. “Towards a personalised treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia: the impact of considering the cell cycle”. AIChE annual meeting, San Francisco, November 2013
  • M. Fuentes-Gari, E. Velliou, R. Misener, S. Brito Dos Santos, N. Panoskaltsis, A. Mantalaris and E. N. Pistikopoulos. “From in vitro to in silico: cell cycle kinetics of acute myeloid leukemia cells”. Young Researchers Meeting, IChemE, Birmingham, September 2013

Poster Presentation

  • E. Velliou, M. Fuentes Gari, S. Brito Dos Santos, R. Misener  N. Panoskaltsis, A. Mantalaris, E. N. Pistikopoulos “The effect of oxygen and glucose stress on the evolution of a leukaemia model system in an in vitro bone marrow mimicry”. AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, November 2013.


Awards/Funding


  • 2014-2017: ERC - BioBlood


Others


Work Experience

  • October 2009-October 2010: Grant for integration in research in IBB/Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Bioengineering Research Group
  • Project: Production and Purification of pDNA: optimization of bacterial cell lysis using a sonication technique combined with a DNA condensing agent to obtain plasmids.

Others

  • Merit Scholarship from Instituto Superior Técnico for the academic year of 2010/2011
  • Diploma of Merit from Instituto Superior Técnico for the academic year of 2008/2009
  • Scholarship from Portuguese Ministry of Education for merit performance in the Secondary School (2008)

Asma Abdulaziz Tahlawi

Nationality: Saudi
E-mail: a.tahlawi13@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room C611a, Roderic Hill building, Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering.
Office Tel: +44 (0) 2075941224
Supervisors: Prof. Sakis Mantalaris and Prof. Kang Li

Research Interests:

  • Bioreactor engineering
  • Material fabrication and modification for targeted applications


Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2013-present Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
 2007-2013 Saudi Aramco Oil Company
 2006-2007 MSc. Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering & Analytical Sciences, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
 2004-2006 Saudi Aramco Oil Company
 2000-2004 BSc. Chemical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
 
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Research title


Development of a Three-Dimensional Bone Marrow Bio-mimicry.


Publications/Presentations


Conference Proceedings and Poster:

  • J. W. Jones1, M. Lorch3, A. Tahlawi2 and G. J. T. Tiddy2 , Hysteresis in density measurements of DPPC/ DOPC lipid mixtures and the effect of the membrane protein diacylglycerolkinase, Faraday Discussions no 161-titled "Lipids and Biomembranes", Sep 2012.


Awards/Funding


  • 2006: MSc. Full-time scholarship from the ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia
  • 2013: PhD Full-time scholarship, Saudi Aramco Oil Company.

Michail Klontzas

Nationality: Greek
E-mail: m.klontzas14@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room 1M4, ACEX Building, Department of Chemical Engineering.
Office Tel: +44 (0) 2075941224
Supervisors:Prof. Sakis Mantalaris , Prof. Eleftherios Tsiridis, Mr Manolis Heliotis

Research Interests:

  • Bone and Cartilage Tissue Engineering
  • Metabolomics

Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 Oct. 2015 - now. Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher - SymBioSys ITN, Imperial College London, UK.
 2012-2014 Department of Medical Imaging, University of Crete, Musculoskeletal MR imaging. Head: Prof. Apostolos H. Karantanas.
 2010-2013 Hemopoiesis Research Laboratory, University of Crete, Greece. Head: Prof. Helen A. Papadaki.
 2008-2014 Medical Degree (MD), First class honours, University of Crete, Greece.
 
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Selected Publications


For the full list please refer to the Professional Webpage and Google Scholar

Peer-reviewed journal articles

  • Klontzas ME, Vernardis SI, Heliotis M, Tsiridis E, Mantalaris A, Metabolomics analysis of the osteogenic differentiation of umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells reveals differential sensitivity to osteogenic agents, Stem Cells Dev 2017; 26(10): 723-733
  • Kang Y, Georgiou AI, MacFarlane RJ, Klontzas ME, Heliotis M, Tsiridis E, Mantalaris A, Fibronectin stimulates the osteogenic differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells, J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2015; Epub ahead of print; doi: 10.1002/term.2090 
  • Klontzas ME, Zibis AH, Karantanas AH, Osteoid osteoma of the femoral neck: use of the half-moon sign in MRI diagnosis, AJR AM J Roentgenol 2015; 205(2):353-357
  • Klontzas ME, Kenanidis EI, Heliotis M, Tsiridis E, Mantalaris A, Bone and cartilage regeneration with the use of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, Expert Opin Biol Ther 2015;15(11):1541-52
  • Klontzas ME, Vassalou EE, Zibis AH, Bintoudi AS, Karantanas AH, MR imaging of transient osteoporosis of the hip: An update on 155 hip joints, Eur J Radiol 2015; 84(3)431-436

Book chapters

  • Klontzas ME, Kramer J, Karantanas AH, The many faces of hip bone marrow edema, in: “MRI of the hip”, Kramer J, Karantanas AH (Eds.), ESSR Sports Imaging Subcommittee, Vienna, Breitenseher Publisher, 2016

Tamador Alsobaie

Nationality: Saudi
E-mail: t.alsobaie11@imperial.ac.uk
Office: Room c611a, Roderic Hill building, Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering.
Office Tel: +44 (0) 2075941224
Supervisors: Prof. Mantalaris

Research Interests:

  • Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
  • Bioreactor technology for stem cell bioprocessing


Biography

Academic background
DateRole
 2013-present PhD. Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
 2006-2012 Premarital Screening Tests, King Salman Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
 2005-2006 Internship, King Faisal Hospital & Research Centre, Saudi Arabia.
 2001-2005 BSc. Biotechnology, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
 
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Research title


Generation of Lung Epithelium from hIPS Cells in 3D Dynamic Culture


Awards/Funding


  • 2013: PhD Full-Time scholarship from the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

António Lima Grilo

Nationality: Portuguese
Office: Room C511, Roderic Hill Building, Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London
Office Tel: +44 (0) 7411 646 6362
Supervisor: Prof. Sakis Mantalaris; Dr. Ruth Misener
 
Research Interests: 
 
1. Bioprocess Engineering
2. Whole Bioprocess Modelling
3. Downstream Processing
4. Economic Analysis for Bioprocesses 
5. Continous Bioprocessing
 
 
Biography
Academic Background
DateRole
 2016 - present  PhD in Chemical Engineering Imperial College London
 2015-2016 

MSc. Petroleum Engineering Heriot-Watt University

Thesis: Determination of optimal drilling sequences and their impact in asset production concepts and economics.

 2013 - 2014 Research Assistant in BioSeparations, Institute of BioEngineering and BioSciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal
 2013 MSc. Co-op student in Purification Process Development at Amgen, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
 2008 - 2013 

MSc. Biochemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, Portugal

Thesis: Aqueous Two-Phase Systems for Large Scale Purification of Monoclonal Antibodies 

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Research Title
 Development of a model for continuous bioprocessing of mammalian cell culture systems
 
 
Publications
  1.  Galvão, A.M.; Carvalho, M.F.N.N and Grilo, A.L.: (2014) Supramolecular arrangement promoted in trans-[PdCl2(OHNC10H14I)2].2H2O by hydrogen bonding. Journal of Molecular Structure. doi:10.1016/j.molstruc.2014.02.054
  2. Grilo, A.L.; Aires-Barros, R.; Azevedo, A. (2014) Partitioning in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems: Fundamentals, Applications and Trends. Separation and Purification Reviews. doi:10.1080/15422119.2014.983128
  3. Taipa, M.A; Azevedo, A. M.; Grilo, A.L.; Couto, P.T.; Ferreira, F.A.G.; Fortuna, A. R. M.; Pinto, I.F.; Santos, R.M.; Santos, S. B. (2015) Student collaboration in a series of integrated experiments to study enzyme reactor modelling with immobilized cell-based invertase. J. Chem. Edu. doi:10.1021/ed500842p