Constantine Stratakis
Dr. Stratakis has been successful in employing genetic linkage and other genome-wide tools to identify genetic defects responsible for a number of human diseases starting with the identification of the protein kinase A (PKA) regulatory subunit type 1A (PRKAR1A) as the gene responsible for Carney complex. Dr. Stratakis has authored more than 800 publications and serves in major Editorial roles of leading journals. He received the 2009 Ernst Oppenheimer Award (US Endocrine Society), and a number of other honors, including the 2019 Dale Medal (SfE) and the International Award (ESPE). He holds two honorary doctoral degrees from the Universities of Liege and Athens. As a Mentor, Dr. Stratakis has worked with more than 200 trainees and nurtured their careers. At FORTH, Dr. Stratakis laboratory on Human Genetics and Precision Medicine investigates molecular, human, and animal phenotypes that could be linked to PKA and its function, through the use of state-of-the-art technologies, including genomics, animal modelling, and identification of small molecules that could be used as pharmaceutical targets and possibly advance to clinical trials. For example, PRKACA inhibitors may be used from treating rare diseases like Cushing syndrome to various common neoplasms where PKA activity is found activated. PKA-directed compounds may also be used for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and/or obesity, as well as to prevent fatty liver and its complications. Dr. Stratakis’ laboratory at FORTH aims at advancing our (1) basal knowledge of cAMP and PKA signaling (2) provide molecular markers for predisposition to diseases or specific phenotypes; and, (3) lead to the development of a new class of therapeutic targets linked to one of the first serine-threonine kinases ever studied, PKA, and a major signaling pathway in any cell, that of cAMP.
London E, Wester JC, Bloyd M, Bettencourt S, McBain CJ, Stratakis CA. (2020) Loss of habenular Prkar2a reduces hedonic eating and increases exercise motivation. JCI Insight. 5:e141670.
Trivellin G, Daly AF, Faucz FR, Yuan B, Rostomyan L, Larco DO, Schernthaner-Reiter MH, Szarek E, Leal LF, Caberg JH, Castermans E, Villa C, Dimopoulos A, Chittiboina P, Xekouki P, Shah N, Metzger D, Lysy PA, Ferrante E, Strebkova N, Mazerkina N, Zatelli MC, Lodish M, Horvath A, de Alexandre RB, Manning AD, Levy I, Keil MF, Sierra Mde L, Palmeira L, Coppieters W, Georges M, Naves LA, Jamar M, Bours V, Wu TJ, Choong CS, Bertherat J, Chanson P, Kamenický P, Farrell WE, Barlier A, Quezado M, Bjelobaba I, Stojilkovic SS, Wess J, Costanzi S, Liu P, Lupski JR, Beckers A, Stratakis CA. (2014) Gigantism and acromegaly due to Xq26 microduplications and GPR101 mutation. N Engl J Med. 371:2363-2374.
Janeway KA, Kim SY, Lodish M, Nosé V, Rustin P, Gaal J, Dahia PL, Liegl B, Ball ER, Raygada M, Lai AH, Kelly L, Hornick JL; NIH Pediatric and Wild-Type GIST Clinic, O'Sullivan M, de Krijger RR, Dinjens WN, Demetri GD, Antonescu CR, Fletcher JA, Helman L, Stratakis CA. (2011) Defects in succinate dehydrogenase in gastrointestinal stromal tumors lacking KIT and PDGFRA mutations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108:314-318.
Horvath A, Boikos S, Giatzakis C, Robinson-White A, Groussin L, Griffin KJ, Stein E, Levine E, Delimpasi G, Hsiao HP, Keil M, Heyerdahl S, Matyakhina L, Libè R, Fratticci A, Kirschner LS, Cramer K, Gaillard RC, Bertagna X, Carney JA, Bertherat J, Bossis I, Stratakis CA. (2006) A genome-wide scan identifies mutations in the gene encoding phosphodiesterase 11A4 (PDE11A) in individuals with adrenocortical hyperplasia. Nat Genet 38:794-800.
Kirschner LS, Kusewitt DF, Matyakhina L, Towns WH 2nd, Carney JA, Westphal H, Stratakis CA. (2005) A mouse model for the Carney complex tumor syndrome develops neoplasia in cyclic AMP-responsive tissues. Cancer Res. 65:4506-4514.
734 PubMed publications (23-8-2021), more than 100 additional book chapters and monographs, 3 books (the latest at: https://www.elsevier.com/books/gigantism-and-acromegaly/stratakis/978-0-12-814537-1), h-index 85 at Scopus, 105 at Google Scholar with 41492 citations, as of 23-8-2021.
My NCBI Bibliography is also available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/constantine.stratakis.1/collections/49816276/public/