Dr Ioannis Kanakis

Associate Professor
Chester Medical School
i.kanakis@chester.ac.uk
Dr Ioannis Kanakis

Ioannis is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry at the Chester Medical School. He has many years of experience in academia and expertise in musculoskeletal ageing and extracellular matrix biology. His research interests include the development and clinical validation of biochemical markers in various diseases with focus on the (patho)physiology of musculoskeletal disorders.

Ioannis obtained his BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from the University of Patras, Greece. Following completion of an MSc in Applied Biochemistry – Biotechnology, he received his PhD in Clinical Biochemistry, studying the use of bone biochemical markers in cancer-induced bone disease. He then moved to the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research (University of Manchester) and worked towards the evaluation of a new therapeutic for post-menopausal osteoporosis using rodent models. Ioannis also gained postdoctoral experience at the Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences (ILCMS, University of Liverpool) investigating gene therapeutic approaches in osteoarthritis. He also studied the effects of intrauterine and postnatal nutritional programming on the development of the musculoskeletal system exploring the epigenetic regulation with focus on microRNAs. He has established collaborations with ILCMS and is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Liverpool.

Ioannis has a lot of teaching experience in Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry. He is currently the Module Leader for MSc Diabetes and also participates in other Modules:

  • MD7123 Clinical Research Methods & Biostatistics (Module Leader)
  • MD7007 Diabetes (Module Leader)
  • MD7008 Therapeutic Advances in Diabetes (Module Leader)
  • MD7058 Foundations of Clinical Medical Sciences
  • MD 7005 Blood Science

Ioannis’s research interests focus on the development and application of biomarkers for the diagnosis of various diseases and the follow-up of patients under treatment by the use of different techniques. He is an expert in musculoskeletal biology with publications concerning a variety of age-related pathologies, mainly osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and skeletal muscle deterioration. Ioannis has also a solid knowledge and has published original articles on the role of extracellular matrix macromolecules in bone metastasis. He has developed strong collaborations with the Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences in Liverpool, National University of Ireland Galway, University of East Anglia and University of Cambridge to study the role of maternal diet on the skeletal muscles and bones in the offspring. In particular, he explores the epigenetic regulation of the musculoskeletal system during development as well as in ageing with special interest on microRNAs.

Editorial Board Member for the following journals:

  • Life
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • Molecular Medicine Reports
  • Medicine International
  • Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
  • Frontiers in Endocrinology

Original Research Articles

  • J. Kanakis, E. Dalas (2000) The calcification of vaterite on fibrin. J Crystal Growth 219: 277-282.
  • J. Kanakis, P. Malkaj, J. Petroheilos, E. Dalas (2001) The crystallization of calcium carbonate on porcine and human cardiac valves and the antimineralization effect of sodium alginate. J Crystal Growth 223: 557-564.
  • F. Manoli, P. Malkaj, J. Kanakis, E. Dalas (2002) The effect of amino acids on the crystal growth of calcium carbonate. J Crystal Growth 236: 363-370.
  • I. Kanakis, C. Stavropoulou, F.N. Lamari, Y. Heliopoulos, H. Iordanidou, H. Piperidou, D. Monos, N.K. Karamanos (2003) Screening of cerebrospinal fluid and blood sera of multiple sclerosis patients for oligoclonal immunoglobulins by capillary electrophoresis. Chromatographia 58: 513-516.
  • V. Dimitrellos, F. Lamari, M. Militsopoulou, I. Kanakis, N.K. Karamanos (2003) Capillary electrophoresis and enzyme solid phase assay for examining the purity of a synthetic heparin proteoglycan-like conjugate and identifying binding to basic fibroblast growth factor. Biomed Chromatogr 17(1): 42-47.
  • P. Malkaj, J. Kanakis, E. Dalas (2004) The effect of leucine on the crystal growth of calcium carbonate. J Crystal Growth 226: 533-538.
  • I. Kanakis, M. Nikolaou, D. Pectasides, C. Kiamouris, N.K. Karamanos (2004) Determination of cross-linked type I collagen N-telopeptide and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase in serum from breast metastatic cancer patients and evaluation of their biological relevance. J Pharm Biomed Anal 34(4): 827-832.
  • D. Pectasides, M. Nikolaou, D. Farmakis, I. Kanakis, A. Gaglia, N.K. Karamanos, T. Economopoulos, S. Raptis (2005) Clinical value of bone remodeling markers in patients with bone metastases treated with zoledronic acid. Anticancer Res 25(2B): 1457-1463.
  • D. Pectasides, D. Farmakis, M. Nikolaou, I. Kanakis, V. Kostopoulou, I. Papaconstantinou, N.K. Karamanos, T. Economopoulos, S. Raptis (2005) Diagnostic value of bone remodeling markers in the diagnosis of bone metastases in patients with breast cancer. J Pharm Biomed Anal 37: 171-176.
  • K.V. Kakavas, A.V. Noulas, I. Kanakis, S. Bonanou, N.K. Karamanos (2005) Identification of the commonest cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene ΔF508 mutation: evaluation of PCR-single strand conformational polymorphism and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Biomed Chromatogr 20(10): 1120-5.
  • G.N. Tzanakakis, A. Syrokou, I. Kanakis, N.K. Karamanos (2005) Determination and distribution of N-acetyl- and N-glycolylneuraminic acids in culture media and cell-associated glycoconjugates from human malignant mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma cells. Biom Chromatogr 20(5): 434-439.
  • J. Kanakis, A. Chrissanthopoulos, N.P. Tzanetos, J.K. Kallitsis, E. Dalas (2006) Crystallization of Hydroxyapatite on Oxadiazole-based homopolymers. Crystal Growth & Design 6 (6): 1547-1552.
  • A. Theocharis, C. Seidel, M. Borset, K. Dobra, V. Baykov, V. Labropoulou, I. Kanakis, E. Dalas, N.K. Karamanos, A. Sundan, A. Hjerpe (2006) Serglycin constitutively secreted my myeloma plasma cells is a potent inhibitor of bone mineralization in vitro. J Biol Chem 281(46):35116-28.
  • X.N. Stahtea, A.E. Roussidis, I. Kanakis, D. Kletsas, G.N. Tzanakakis, D. Mavroudis, N.K. Karamanos (2007) Imatinib inhibits colorectal cancer cell growth and suppresses stromal-induced growth stimulation, MT1-MMP expression and pro-MMP2 activation. Int J Cancer 121(12):2808-2814.
  • G.N. Tzanakakis, D. Nikitovic, P. Katonis, I. Kanakis, N.K. Karamanos (2007) Expression and distribution of N-acetyl- and N-glycolylneuraminic acids in secreted and cell-associated glycoconjucates by two human osteosarcoma cell lines. Biomed Chromatogr 21(4):406-409.
  • V.M. Mania, A.G. Kallivokas, C.J. Malavaki, A.P. Asimakopoulou, J. Kanakis, A.D. Theocharis, G. Klironomos, G. Gatzounis, A. Mouzaki, E. Panagiotopoulos, N.K. Karamanos (2009) A comparative biochemical analysis of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans in human orthotopic and heterotopic bone. IUBMB Life 61(4):447-452.
  • K. Zarogoulidis, E. Boutsikou, P. Zarogoulidis, E. Eleftheriadou, T. Kontakiotis, H.   Lithoxopoulou, G. Tzanakakis, Ι. Kanakis, N.K. Karamanos (2009) The impact of zoledronic acid therapy in survival of lung cancer patients with bone metastasis. Int J Cancer 125(7): 1705-1709.
  • D.E. Karangelis, A.P. Asimakopoulou, I. Kanakis, G.I. Tagarakis, T. Koufakis, F. Triposkiadis, N. Tsilimingas, N.K. Karamanos (2010) Monitoring serum chondroitin sulfate levels in patients submitted to coronary artery bypass surgery. Biomed Chromatogr 27(7):748-750.P.G. Dedes, C. Gialeli, A.I. Tsonis, I. Kanakis, A.D. Theocharis, D. Kletsas, G. Tzanakakis, N.K. Karamanos (2012) Expression of matrix macromolecules and functional properties of breast cancer cells are modulated by the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid. Biochim  Biophys Acta 1820(12):1926-1939.
  • P.G. Dedes, I. Kanakis, C. Gialeli, A.D. Theocharis, D. Kletsas, G.N. Tzanakakis, N.K. Karamanos (2013) Preclinical evaluation of zoledronate using an in vitro mimetic cellular model for breast cancer metastatic bone disease. Biochim Biophys Acta 1830(6):3625-3634.
  • I. Kanakis, K. Liu, B. Poulet, B. Javaheri, R.J. van ’t Hof, A.A. Pitsillides, G. Bou-Gharios (2018) Targeted inhibition of aggrecanases prevents articular cartilage degradation and augments bone mass in the STR/Ort spontaneous model of osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 71(4):571-582.
  • C.M. Keenan, L. Ramos-Mucci, I. Kanakis, P. Milner, D. Abraham, G. Bou-Gharios, B. Poulet (2020) Post-traumatic osteoarthritis development is not modified by postnatal chondrocyte deletion of CCN2. Dis Model Mech doi:10.1242/dmm.044719.
  • H. Nakamura, P.A. Vo, K. Liu, I. Kanakis, G. Bou-Gharios. (2020) Aggrecanase-selective tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) protects articular cartilage in surgical mouse model of osteoarthritis. Sci Rep 10(1):9288.
  • I. Kanakis*, M. Alameddine, M. Scalabrin, T. Liloglou, SE Ozanne, K. Goljanek-Whysall, RJ van 't Hof, A. Vasilaki* (2020) Low protein intake compromises the recovery of lactation-induced bone loss in female mouse dams without affecting skeletal muscles. FASEB J 34(9):11844-11859 (*co-corresponding authors).
  • I. Kanakis*, M. Alameddine, L. Folkes, S. Moxon, I. Myrtziou, S. E Ozanne, M. J. Peffers, K. Goljanek-Whysall, A. Vasilaki. (2021) Small-RNA sequencing reveals altered skeletal muscle microRNAs and snoRNAs signatures in weanling male offspring from mouse dams fed a low protein diet during lactation. Cells 10(5):1166 (*corresponding author).

Reviews

  • I. Kanakis, O.Ch. Kousidou, N.K. Karamanos (2005) In vitro and in vivo antiresorptive effects of bisphosphonates in metastatic bone disease. In Vivo 19(1): 311-318.
  • I. Kanakis, A.D. Theocharis, A.V. Noulas, N.K. Karamanos (2005) State of the art on biochemical markers in metastatic bone disease and the role of bisphosphonates as therapeutic agents. Current Pharm Anal 1(3): 225-241.
  • I. Kanakis, X. Stahtea, P.G. Dedes, N.K. Karamanos (2006) Signaling Pathways in Cancer-induced Bone Disease and the Inhibitory Effect of Bisphosphonates. Review of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics, 20 (2): 189-191.
  • C.J. Malavaki, I. Kanakis, A.D. Theocharis, F.N. Lamari, N K. Karamanos (2007) Hyaluronan Determination: Biological Significance & Analytical Tools. Current Pharm Anal 3(2): 117-128.
  • O.Ch. Kousidou, I. Kanakis, A.E. Roussidis, P.G. Dedes, N.K. Karamanos (2007) Molecular targeted therapy in breast cancer and bone metastasis. Connect Tissue Res 48:353–356.
  • D.E. Karangelis, I. Kanakis, A.P. Asimakopoulou, E. Karousou, A. Passi, N.B. Tsilimigas, N.K. Karamanos (2010) Glycosaminoglycans as key molecules in atherosclerosis: the role of versican and hyaluronan. Current Med Chem 17(33): 4018-4026.
  • C.J. Malavaki, A.D. Theocharis, F.N. Lamari, I. Kanakis, T. Tsegenidis, G.N. Tzanakakis, N.K. Karamanos (2011) Heparan sulfate: biological significance, tools for biochemical analysis and structural characterization. Biomed Chromatogr 25 (1-2):11-20.
  • B. Javaheri, Soraia P. Caetano-Silva, I. Kanakis, G. Bou-Gharios, A. Pitsillides (2018) The chondro-osseous continuum: is it possible to unlock the potential assigned within? Front Bioeng Biotechnol 6:28.

Book Chapters

  • I.Kanakis, M. Alhashmi, C. Keenan, L. Ramos-Mucci, B. Poulet, G. Bou-Gharios. (2021) Cartilage-specific Cre Recombinase Transgenes/Alleles in the Mouse. Methods Mol Biol. 2245:23-38.

  • I.Kanakis, I.A. Mirtziou, K. Goljanek-Whysall, A. Vasilaki. (2021) MicroRNAs as central regulators of adult myogenesis and proteostasis loss in skeletal muscle ageing.

    OXIDATIVE STRESS & DISEASE, Eds. Enrique Cadenas, Helmut Sies, Niki Chondrogianni, Taylor & Francis Group.

  • BSc(Hons) in Chemistry
  • MSc in Applied Biochemistry-Biotechnology
  • PhD in Clinical Biochemistry-Bone Biology
  • Associate Fellow of Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
  • Home Office Personal Licence (PIL) for research on rodents