Michalis Agathocleous Lab

Research Focus

We are interested in the relationship between metabolism and cell type. We 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, we have developed techniques to measure metabolites in stem cells and other rare cells isolated from tissues (Nature 549, 476-481, 2017 and Cell Metabolism 33, 1777-1792, 2021). We aim to understand how metabolism affects hematopoiesis, leukemia development, and the host’s response to infection.

Dr. 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….
Full Bio

Research Projects

Select Publications

Wijshake, T., Rose, J. 3rd, Wang, J., Zielke, J., Marlar-Pavey, M., Chen, W., Collins, J. 3rd, and M. Agathocleous. (2024). Schistosome Infection Impacts Hematopoiesis. The Journal of Immunology 212, 607-616. (PubMed)

Li, Y., Hook, J.S., Ding, Q., Xiao, X., Chung, S.S., Mettlen, M., Xu, L., Moreland, J.G., and M. Agathocleous. (2023). Neutrophil metabolomics in severe COVID-19 reveal GAPDH as a suppressor of neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Nature Communications 14, 2610. (PubMed)

Jun, S., Mahesula, S., Mathews, T.P., Martin-Sandoval, M.S., Zhao, Z., Piskounova, E., and M. Agathocleous. (2021). The requirement for pyruvate dehydrogenase in leukemogenesis depends on cell lineage. Cell Metabolism 33, 1777-1792. (PubMed)

Agathocleous, M., Meecham, C.E., Burgess, R.J., Piskounova, E., Zhao, Z., Crane, G.M., Cowin, B.L., Bruner, E., Murphy, M.M., Chen, W., Spangrude, G.J., Hu, Z., DeBerardinis, R.J., and S.J. Morrison. (2017). Ascorbate regulates haematopoietic stem cell function and leukaemogenesis. Nature 549, 476-481. (PubMed)

Piskounova, E., Agathocleous, M., Murphy, M.M., Hu, Z., Mann, S., Zhao, Z., Leitch, A.M., Johnson, T.M., DeBerardinis, R.J., and S.J. Morrison. (2015). Oxidative stress inhibits distant metastasis by human melanoma cells. Nature 527, 186-191. (PubMed)

Love, N.K., Keshavan, N., Lewis, R., Harris, W.A., and M. Agathocleous. (2014). A nutrient-sensitive restriction point is active during retinal progenitor cell differentiation. Development 141, 697-706. (PubMed) 

Agathocleous, M., Love, N.K., Randlett, O., Harris, J.J., Liu, J., Murray, A.J., and W.A. Harris. (2012). Metabolic differentiation in the embryonic retina. Nature Cell Biology 14, 859-864. (PubMed)

Lab Members

Sojeong Jun, Ph.D.

Scientist, Moderna
Ph.D. Student (2017-2021)

Swetha Mahesula, M.S.

Staff Scientist, UC San Diego
Lab Manager (2018-2020)

Landon Nguyen, B.S.

Graduate Student, UC San Francisco
Research Assistant (2019-2020)

Jacob Zielke, B.S.

Graduate Student, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Research Assistant (2022-2024)

Header image credit: Ascorbate crystals from Gwyneth Thurgood, Wellcome Trust Collection

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