Projects per year
Personal profile
SUMMARY of research interests (100 words)
My research group studies the DNA repair mechanisms that safeguard the stability of the genome in mammalian cells. Any perturbation of the physiological progression of the DNA replication machinery causes DNA replication stress, genome-wide or at telomeres, which is counteracted by several DNA repair pathways. Unresolved DNA replication stress leads to gradual accumulation of mutations and DNA damage that facilitate genomic instability, which appears at early stages of disease such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and immunodeficiency. By employing a wide range of molecular and cellular biology experimental approaches, with a focus on imaging and DNA fibre assay-based techniques, we are investigating DNA replication stress, RNA:DNA hybrid biology and telomere homeostasis. In depth understanding of the mechanisms that dictate genome stability can be exploited in developing novel targeted therapeutic treatments.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Effect of DNA damage on the spatiotemporal regulation of DNA licensing factors, University of Patras
Award Date: 20/11/2023
Keywords
- Biomedical and life sciences
- DNA replication stress
- RNA:DNA hybrids
- Telomeres
- DNA repair
- DNA damage
- Oncogenes
- Ubiquitin signalling
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Investigating the Role of RNF169 in DNA Replication Stress Response and Repair
Kotsantis, P. (Principal Investigator)
The Academy of Medical Sciences
1/09/26 → 31/08/28
Project: Research
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Investigating the role of ubiquitin ligase RNF169 in the DNA replication stress response
Kotsantis, P. (Principal Investigator)
1/03/25 → 18/02/27
Project: Research
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C-Trap for the North West: Visualization of single moleculebiomolecular dynamics for the biosciences.
Parry, J. (Co-Investigator), Benedetto, A. (Co-Investigator), Kotsantis, P. (Co-Investigator), Gatsiou, A. (Co-Investigator), Hardy, J. (Co-Investigator), Unterholzner, L. (Co-Investigator), Weight, C. (Co-Investigator), Robinson, N. (Principal Investigator), Fletcher, N. (Co-Investigator), Copeland, N. (Co-Investigator), Urbaniak, M. (Co-Investigator), Carmo-Silva, E. (Co-Investigator), Orr, D. (Co-Investigator) & Mort, R. (Co-Investigator)
1/08/25 → 31/07/26
Project: Research
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Distinct ATRX functions cooperate with 9-1-1 and CST complexes to safeguard replication and telomere integrity
Segura-Bayona, S., Maric, M., Takaki, T., Manova, Z., Stanage, T. H., Idilli, A. I., Li, S., Hewitt, G., Machour, F. E., Millar, R., Adamowicz, M., Low, R. R. J., Ruis, P., Azeroglu, B., Fallesen, T., Patel, H., Howell, S., Kotsantis, P., Howell, M. & Boulton, S. J., 1/07/2026, In: Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. 33, 7, p. 1037-1050 14 p.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open Access -
EXO1 as a therapeutic target for Fanconi Anaemia, ZRSR2 and BRCA1-A complex deficient cancers
Maric, M., Segura-Bayona, S., Kuthethur, R., Takaki, T., Borel, V., Stanage, T. H., Ivanov, M. P., Parnandi, N., Hewitt, G., Millar, R., Fonseca, C. S., Patel, H., Llorian, M., Warchal, S., Howell, M., Chaudhuri, A. R., Kotsantis, P. & Boulton, S. J., 26/09/2025, In: Nature Communications. 16, 1, 8476.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open AccessFile20 Downloads (Pure) -
Human RNase H2 upregulation counteracts oncogene- and chemotherapy-induced replication stress
Wilkins, R. J., Kannan, A., Plass, S. A., Wilson, C., Kelly, R. D. W., Tang, C. H. M., Kotsantis, P., Reijns, M. A. M., Kanhere, A. & Petermann, E., 15/09/2025, In: Oncogene. 44, 35, p. 3255-3271 17 p.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open Access -
Evergene: an interactive webtool for large-scale gene-centric analysis of primary tumours
Kennedy, A., Richardson, E., Higham, J., Kotsantis, P., Mort, R. & Shih, B.B.-J., 28/06/2024, In: Bioinformatics advances. 4, 1, vbae092.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open Access -
RTEL1 Regulates G4/R-Loops to Avert Replication-Transcription Collisions
Kotsantis, P., Segura-Bayona, S., Margalef, P., Marzec, P., Ruis, P., Hewitt, G., Bellelli, R., Patel, H., Goldstone, R., Poetsch, A. R. & Boulton, S. J., 22/12/2020, In: Cell Reports. 33, 12, 108546.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Open Access
Activities
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In2STEM
Kotsantis, P. (Host), Shih, B. (Host), Gatsiou, A. (Host), Hammond, J. (Host) & Hannan, S. (Speaker)
20/07/2026 → 24/07/2026Activity: Business or School/HEI Engagement › School Engagement
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Lancaster Drug Discovery Group: Link Building and Grant Development Workshop
Fielding, A. (Organiser), Dawson, N. (Speaker), Munoz-Herranz, M. P. (Speaker), Menzies, S. (Speaker), Hall, S. (Speaker), Clancy, D. (Speaker), Baggaley, A. (Speaker), Docherty, J. (Speaker), Doulcet, J. (Speaker), Urbaniak, M. (Member), Allinson, S. (Member), Peng, Q. (Member), Northcote-Smith, J. (Member), Mann, O. (Speaker), Copeland, N. (Member), Bambini Junior, V. (Speaker), Banaji, M. (Member), Brown, E. (Member), Kotsantis, P. (Member), Parkin, E. (Member) & Kotsantis, P. (Member)
8/07/2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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North West Cancer Research Symposium 2026
Kotsantis, P. (Speaker)
22/06/2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Genome Stability Network 2026
Kotsantis, P. (Speaker)
15/01/2026 → 16/01/2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference - Academic