Michalis Agathokleous, Ph.D. Titles and Appointments Assistant Professor School Medical School Department Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern | Pediatrics Graduate Programs Cancer Biology, Genetics, Development and Disease Biography Michalis Agathocleous earned his B.A. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Cambridge, where he studied embryonic retinal development with Dr. Bill Harris. He was a Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, where he worked on the metabolism of embryonic retinal stem and progenitor cells. He was then an 1851 Research Fellow with Dr. Sean Morrison in Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI), where he worked on the metabolism of hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia cells. He joined CRI as an Assistant Professor in 2017. Dr. Agathocleous is a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar (2017), a recipient of the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation 'A' Award (2018), and an American Society of Hematology Scholar (2020). The Agathocleous Lab studies the relationship between metabolism and cell type. They focus on the metabolism of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their progeny, including cells of the myeloid and T cell lineages. To assess cell type specific metabolism, they have developed techniques to measure metabolites in stem cells and other rare cells isolated from tissues. They aim to understand how metabolism affects hematopoiesis, leukemia development, and the host's response to infection. Education Undergraduate University of Cambridge (2003), Medical Sciences Graduate School University of Cambridge (2007), Neuroscience Research Interest Metabolism of hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia cells The role of stem cells in infection Publications Featured Publications Loss of vitamin C biosynthesis protects from a parasitic infection. Chen G, Jun JH, Wijshake T, Li Y, Yuan M, Rose J, Li S, Cobb S, Serpa W, Li Y, Li L, Chen W, Collins JJ, Wang J, Agathocleous M, bioRxiv 2025 Jul Schistosome Infection Impacts Hematopoiesis. Wijshake T, Rose J, Wang J, Zielke J, Marlar-Pavey M, Chen W, Collins JJ, Agathocleous M, J Immunol 2024 Jan Neutrophil metabolomics in severe COVID-19 reveal GAPDH as a suppressor of neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Li Y, Hook JS, Ding Q, Xiao X, Chung SS, Mettlen M, Xu L, Moreland JG, Agathocleous M, Nat Commun 2023 May 14 1 2610 The requirement for pyruvate dehydrogenase in leukemogenesis depends on cell lineage. Jun S, Mahesula S, Mathews TP, Martin-Sandoval MS, Zhao Z, Piskounova E, Agathocleous M, Cell Metab 2021 Aug Ascorbate regulates haematopoietic stem cell function and leukaemogenesis. Agathocleous M, Meacham CE, Burgess RJ, Piskounova E, Zhao Z, Crane GM, Cowin BL, Bruner E, Murphy MM, Chen W, Spangrude GJ, Hu Z, DeBerardinis RJ, Morrison SJ Nature 2017 Aug Oxidative stress inhibits distant metastasis by human melanoma cells. Piskounova E, Agathocleous M, Murphy MM, Hu Z, Huddlestun SE, Zhao Z, Leitch AM, Johnson TM, DeBerardinis RJ, Morrison SJ Nature 2015 Oct A nutrient-sensitive restriction point is active during retinal progenitor cell differentiation. Love NK, Keshavan N, Lewis R, Harris WA, Agathocleous M Development 2014 Feb 141 3 697-706 Metabolic differentiation in the embryonic retina. Agathocleous M, Love NK, Randlett O, Harris JJ, Liu J, Murray AJ, Harris WA Nat. Cell Biol. 2012 Aug 14 8 859-64 The physiological functions of ascorbate in the development of cancer. Agathocleous M, Dis Model Mech 2025 Apr 18 4 Guanine nucleotide biosynthesis blockade impairs MLL complex formation and sensitizes leukemias to menin inhibition. Shi X, Li M, Liu Z, Tiessen J, Li Y, Zhou J, Zhu Y, Mahesula S, Ding Q, Tan L, Feng M, Kageyama Y, Hara Y, Tao JJ, Luo X, Patras KA, Lorenzi PL, Huang S, Stevens AM, Takahashi K, Issa GC, Samee MAH, Agathocleous M, Nakada D, Nat Commun 2025 Mar 16 1 2641 Results 1-10 of 17 1 2 Next Last Honors & Awards ASH Faculty Scholar (2020-2022) Alex's Lemonade Stand A Award (2019-2023) Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Scholar (2017-2022) Gonville and Caius College Cambridge Research Fellowship (2007) Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellow (2011) Professional Associations/Affiliations American Association for Cancer Research (2017) Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (2017) International Society for Stem Cell Research (2014)
