Dr Spiros Linardopoulos

The aims of our laboratory are to identify and validate gene targets, to develop novel anticancer drugs through the process of drug discovery and to identify patient subgroups that would benefit from treatment. Therefore, our research programmes will continue to encompass both basic biological research and drug discovery.

The research of the Cancer Drug Target Discovery laboratory has focused on mitosis, in particular, the mitotic kinases Aurora-A and Mps1. Aurora-A has been found to be overexpressed in a broad range of human tumours, including primary colorectal carcinoma, breast, ovarian, gliomas and pancreatic cancers. Mps1 is a mitotic checkpoint kinase and its activity is enhanced upon activation of the spindle checkpoint with anti-mitotic drugs. The mis-regulation of these kinases and the association with genetic instability in tumours has made these genes attractive targets for anticancer drug discovery.

Our laboratory is also focusing on centrosome amplification and aneuploidy. Precise control of centrosome number is crucial for bipolar spindle assembly and accurate transmission of genetic material to daughter cells. Failure to properly control centrosome number results in supernumerary centrosomes, which are frequently found in a wide variety of human cancers, such as breast, prostate, colon and lung. 

One mechanism frequently utilised by cancer cells to escape death caused by multipolar mitoses is the clustering of supernumerary centrosomes into bipolar spindles. We have successfully screened RNAi and small molecule inhibitor libraries to identify genes involved in the clustering of extra centrosomes. We have identified a number of candidate genes as novel targets for inhibition of centrosome clustering and we have initiated a programme to develop small molecule inhibitors designed to target cancer cells with centrosome amplification.

Dr Spiros Linardopoulos joined the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre and Institute of Cancer Research as Team Leader in September 2000. Dr Linardopoulos has extensive experience in industrial and academic experimental cancer therapeutics and cancer cell biology, focused on drug development.

Dr Linardopoulos directed the discovery and the development of a highly novel strategy for treatment of cancer using selective small molecule drugs. Currently, his focus is to further investigate cell cycle control and aneuploidy in order to identify and validate regulators as targets for cancer therapy. 

In 1997 Dr Linardopoulos joined Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Richmond, CA, USA as an Associate Scientist and Project Leader. During his time at Onyx he determined the mechanisms of action for several small molecule inhibitors and guided the development of selected targets as therapeutic drugs. Before his move to the USA, Dr Linardopoulos was awarded a Marie Curie Research Fellowship from the European Community and completed three years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK in the laboratory of Genetics and Chemical Carcinogenesis (1993-1997).

Dr Linardopoulos received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the Moscow State University and his graduate studies in the laboratory of Biotechnology at the National Hellenic Research Foundation and obtained his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the Faculty of Biology at University of Athens, Greece (1989-1993). During this period he was also awarded a Research Fellowship from the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council of Great Britain for studies at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospitals, London (1990-1991). 

He is currently a member of several professional organisations, including the Marie Curie Fellowship Association, the Greek Chemical Society, and the Hellenic Biochemical and Biophysical Societies.