Konstantinos Anastassiadis

Professor Konstantinos Anastassiadis serves as the Chair for Stem Cell Engineering at the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), which is part of the Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (CMCB) at Dresden University of Technology. He has held this professorship since 2016, following his appointment as Research Group Leader for Stem Cell Engineering at BIOTEC from 2004-2016 and Junior Group Leader at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) from 2006-2011.

Dr. Anastassiadis earned his Dr. sc. agr. from TU Berlin in 1993, followed by postdoctoral work at TU Munich (1993-1995), EMBL Heidelberg (1996-2001), and BIOTEC, TU Dresden (2002-2003). His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in molecular biology and genetics that has shaped his current research focus.

The research interests of Prof. Anastassiadis center on unraveling the molecular pathways that regulate self-renewal and lineage commitment of stem cells, with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms involved in cellular reprogramming. His lab works with various stem cell types including mouse and human embryonic stem cells (mES, hES), neural stem cells (NSCs), mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). A significant portion of his work involves developing and applying genetic engineering tools to address fundamental questions in stem cell biology. His research has particularly concentrated on the role of histone 3 lysine 27 demethylases UTX (KDM6A) and UTY (KDM6C) in embryonic development and hematopoiesis.

Analysis of Prof. Anastassiadis's recent publications reveals a strong focus on stem cell regulation, epigenetic mechanisms, and genetic engineering applications. His work spans multiple model systems including mouse models, human stem cells, and other organisms. A recurring theme is the investigation of chromatin modifiers (particularly histone methylation complexes like MLL/SET proteins) and their roles in development, disease, and stem cell maintenance. His lab has made significant contributions to developing genetic engineering tools including codon-optimized recombinases (Flp, Dre, Vika), transposon-mediated BAC transgenesis, and CRISPR-associated protocols.

Prof. Anastassiadis is actively involved in teaching for the international Master's programs in Molecular Bioengineering and Regenerative Biology and Medicine (RegBioMed) at CMCB. He teaches courses including Stem Cell Engineering (every winter semester) and Stem Cells, Development and Regeneration, as well as supervising the Genome and Stem Cell Engineering lab course.

The Anastassiadis Group operates within the Biotechnology Center at TU Dresden, where they maintain facilities for stem cell culture, genetic engineering, and molecular analysis. Their research integrates approaches from molecular biology, genetics, epigenetics, and bioengineering to address fundamental questions about stem cell behavior and to develop new tools for stem cell research and potential therapeutic applications.