Zoi Michailidou

Zoi Michailidou is an ESAT Fellow at the Centre for Cardiovascular Science within the University of Edinburgh's College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Her research program investigates oxygen sensing mechanisms and hypoxia signalling pathways in adipocytes, with critical implications for understanding metabolic dysfunction in obesity. Based at the Queen's Medical Research Institute in Edinburgh's BioQuarter, she directs studies on how hypoxic conditions reprogram fat cell metabolism and vascularization.

Her research interests encompass:

• Metabolic regulation in adipose tissue
• Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF) signalling pathways
• Obesity pathophysiology and complications
• Adipocyte lipid storage and release mechanisms
• Angiogenesis in adipose tissue
• Metabolic reprogramming in disease states

Dr. Michailidou's seminal contributions include demonstrating HIF's dual regulation of adipocyte lipid dynamics and vascular growth, published in high-impact journals including Diabetes and the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Her current work focuses on translating these findings into therapeutic strategies for obesity-related pathologies through targeted metabolic interventions.

Supported by her ESAT Fellowship, she maintains active research within Edinburgh's cardiovascular science infrastructure. Her collaborative approach engages with clinical and basic science teams across the university's medical campus, facilitating translational research from molecular mechanisms to potential clinical applications in metabolic disease.