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Michalis Agathokleous, Ph.D.

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

    Star Featured Publications

    Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured
    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
  • 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)