Laertis Ikonomou
Laertis Ikonomou
Associate Professor
Specialty/Research Focus
Oral Biology
Education and Training:
- PhD, Biochemical Engineering, Universite Catholique de Louvain (2002)
- BS, Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1995)
Employment:
- Associate Professor of Oral Biology, Oral Biology, University at Buffalo (2020-present)
- Graduate Faculty, University at Buffalo (2020-present)
- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, School of Engineering (2012–2020)
- Graduate Faculty, Boston University, School of Medicine (2012–2020)
- Assistant Professor of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Pulmonary Center, Boston University, School of Medicine (2010–2020)
- Post Doctoral Fellow, Pulmonary Center, Boston University, School of Medicine (2009–2010)
- NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Clinical Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (2003–2009)
- Graduate Student, Université Catholique de Louvain, School of Engineering, Belgium (1997–2002)
Awards and Honors:
- Experimental Biology and Medicine (EBM), Outstanding Reviewer Award (2021)
- Evans Junior Faculty Research Merit Award (2015)
- BU candidate for the Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences (2013)
- 1st place in University entrance exam (Chemical Engineering) (1989)
Research Expertise:
- Developmental Biology
- Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Journal Articles:
- Ikonomou L, Herriges MJ, Lewandowski SL, Marsland R, Villacorta-Martin C, Caballero IS, Frank DB, Sanghrajka RM, Dame K, Kańduła MM, Hicks-Berthet J, Lawton ML, Christodoulou C, Fabian AJ, Kolaczyk E, Varelas X, Morrisey EE, Shannon JM, Mehta P, Kotton DN. The in vivo genetic program of murine primordial lung epithelial progenitors. Nat Commun. 2020; 11(1).
- Longmire TA, Ikonomou L, Hawkins F, Christodoulou C, Cao Y, Jean JC, Kwok LW, Mou H, Rajagopal J, Shen SS, Dowton AA, Serra M, Weiss DJ, Green MD, Snoeck HW, Ramirez MI, Kotton DN. Efficient derivation of purified lung and thyroid progenitors from embryonic stem cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2012; 10(4).
- Ott HC, Clippinger B, Conrad C, Schuetz C, Pomerantseva I, Ikonomou L, Kotton D, Vacanti JP. Regeneration and orthotopic transplantation of a bioartificial lung. Nat Med. 2010; 16(8).
- Ikonomou L, Magnusson M, Dries R, Herzog EL, Hynds RE, Borok Z, Park JA, Skolasinski S, Burgess JK, Turner L, Mojarad SM, Mahoney JE, Lynch T, Lehmann M, Thannickal VJ, Hook JL, Vaughan AE, Hoffman ET, Weiss DJ, Ryan AL. Stem cells, cell therapies, and bioengineering in lung biology and disease 2021. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2022; 323(3).
- Cuende N, Ciccocioppo R, Forte M, Galipeau J, Ikonomou L, Levine BL, Srivastava A, Zettler PJ. Patient access to and ethical considerations of the application of the European Union hospital exemption rule for advanced therapy medicinal products. Cytotherapy. 2022; 24(7).
- Turner L, Munsie M, Levine AD, Ikonomou L. Ethical issues and public communication in the development of cell-based treatments for COVID-19: Lessons from the pandemic. Stem Cell Reports. 2021; 16(11).
- Posabella A, Alber AB, Undeutsch HJ, Droeser RA, Hollenberg AN, Ikonomou L, Kotton DN. Derivation of Thyroid Follicular Cells From Pluripotent Stem Cells: Insights From Development and Implications for Regenerative Medicine. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021; 12.
- Vila Ellis L, Ikonomou L. All Roads Lead to Rome? Resident or Interspecies Chimera-derived Pulmonary Endothelial Progenitors for Cell-based Therapy. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2021.
- Ikonomou L. The Coming-of-Age of Lung Generation by Blastocyst Complementation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2021; 203(4).
- Khoury M, Ikonomou L, Dominici M, LeBlanc K, Levine BL, Weiss DJ. The Coronavirus Pandemic: A Pitfall or a Fast Track for Validating Cell Therapy Products? Stem Cells Dev. 2021; 30(3).
- Ikonomou L, Wagner DE, Gilpin SE, Weiss DJ, Ryan AL. Technological advances in study of lung regenerative medicine:perspective from the 2019 Vermont lung stem cell conference. Cytotherapy. 2020; 22(10).
- Wagner DE, Ikonomou L, Gilpin SE, Magin CM, Cruz F, Greaney A, Magnusson M, Chen YW, Davis B, Vanuytsel K, Rolandsson Enes S, Krasnodembskaya A, Lehmann M, Westergren-Thorsson G, Stegmayr J, Alsafadi HN, Hoffman ET, Weiss DJ, Ryan AL. Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Disease 2019. ERJ Open Res. 2020; 6(4).
- Ikonomou L, Weiss DJ. Turning the Tide on Unproven Cell-Based Interventions. Chest. 2020; 157(4).
- Ikonomou L, Weiss DJ. Direct-to-Consumer Marketing of Unproven Cell-based Interventions for Respiratory Diseases: A Case of Deceptive Advertising?. ATS Research News Quarterly. 2020.
- Ikonomou L, Levine AD, Hematti P, Levine BL. Cell Banking for Cell and Gene Therapy-Regulatory, Ethical, and Scientific Considerations. Bioprocess Int. 2020; 18(1-2).
- Ryan AL, Ikonomou L, Atarod S, Bölükbas DA, Collins J, Freishtat R, Hawkins F, Gilpin SE, Uhl FE, Uriarte JJ, Weiss DJ, Wagner DE. Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases 2017. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2019; 61(4).
- Ikonomou L, Wagner DE, Turner L, Weiss DJ. Translating Basic Research into Safe and Effective Cell-based Treatments for Respiratory Diseases. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019; 16(6).
- Jamal M, Lewandowski SL, Lawton ML, Huang GT, Ikonomou L. Derivation and characterization of putative craniofacial mesenchymal progenitor cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Res. 2018; 33.
- Cuende N, Rasko JEJ, Koh MBC, Dominici M, Ikonomou L. Cell, tissue and gene products with marketing authorization in 2018 worldwide. Cytotherapy. 2018; 20(11).
- Weiss DJ, Turner L, Levine AD, Ikonomou L. Medical societies, patient education initiatives, public debate and marketing of unproven stem cell interventions. Cytotherapy. 2018; 20(2).
- Wagner DE, Turner L, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Weiss DJ, Ikonomou L. Co-opting of ClinicalTrials.gov by patient-funded studies. Lancet Respir Med. 2018; 6(8).
- Lenas P, Ikonomou L. Developmental engineering: design of clinically efficacious bioartificial tissues through developmental and systems biology. Sci China Life Sci. 2018; 61(8).
- Serra M, Alysandratos KD, Hawkins F, McCauley KB, Jacob A, Choi J, Caballero IS, Vedaie M, Kurmann AA, Ikonomou L, Hollenberg AN, Shannon JM, Kotton DN. Pluripotent stem cell differentiation reveals distinct developmental pathways regulating lung- versus thyroid-lineage specification. Development. 2017; 144(21).
- Dame K, Cincotta S, Lang AH, Sanghrajka RM, Zhang L, Choi J, Kwok L, Wilson T, Kańduła MM, Monti S, Hollenberg AN, Mehta P, Kotton DN, Ikonomou L. Thyroid Progenitors Are Robustly Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells through Transient, Developmental Stage-Specific Overexpression of Nkx2-1. Stem Cell Reports. 2017; 8(2).
- Ikonomou L, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Wagner DE, Freishtat RJ, Weiss DJ. Unproven Stem Cell Treatments for Lung Disease-An Emerging Public Health Problem. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2017; 195(7).
- Ikonomou L, Freishtat RJ, Wagner DE, Panoskaltsis-Mortari A, Weiss DJ. The Global Emergence of Unregulated Stem Cell Treatments for Respiratory Diseases. Professional Societies Need to Act. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016; 13(8).
- Kurmann AA, Serra M, Hawkins F, Rankin SA, Mori M, Astapova I, Ullas S, Lin S, Bilodeau M, Rossant J, Jean JC, Ikonomou L, Deterding RR, Shannon JM, Zorn AM, Hollenberg AN, Kotton DN. Regeneration of Thyroid Function by Transplantation of Differentiated Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2015; 17(5).
- Ikonomou L, Kotton DN. Derivation of Endodermal Progenitors From Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Cell Physiol. 2015; 230(2).
- Longmire TA, Ikonomou L, Kotton DN. Mouse ESC Differentiation to Nkx2.1+ Lung and Thyroid Progenitors. Bio Protoc. 2012; 2(22).
- Diaz PI, Xie Z, Sobue T, Thompson A, Biyikoglu B, Ricker A, Ikonomou L, Dongari-Bagtzoglou A. Synergistic interaction between Candida albicans and commensal oral streptococci in a novel in vitro mucosal model. Infect Immun. 2012; 80(2).
- Ikonomou L, Hemnes AR, Bilousova G, Hamid R, Loyd JE, Hatzopoulos AK, Kotton DN, Majka SM, Austin ED. Programmatic change: lung disease research in the era of induced pluripotency. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2011; 301(6).
- Kotova S, Vijayasarathy C, Dimitriadis EK, Ikonomou L, Jaffe H, Sieving PA. Retinoschisin (RS1) interacts with negatively charged lipid bilayers in the presence of Ca2+: an atomic force microscopy study. Biochemistry. 2010; 49(33).
- Davani B, Ariely S, Ikonomou L, Oron Y, Gershengorn MC. Human islet-derived precursor cells can cycle between epithelial clusters and mesenchymal phenotypes. J Cell Mol Med. 2009; 13(8B).
- Lenas P, Moreno A, Ikonomou L, Mayer J, Honda H, Novellino A, Pizarro C, Nicodemou-Lena E, Rodergas S, Pintor J. The complementarity of the technical tools of tissue engineering and the concepts of artificial organs for the design of functional bioartificial tissues. Artif Organs. 2008; 32(9).
- Ikonomou L, Geras-Raaka E, Raaka BM, Gershengorn MC. Beta-catenin signalling in mesenchymal islet-derived precursor cells. Cell Prolif. 2008; 41(3).
- Davani B, Ikonomou L, Raaka BM, Geras-Raaka E, Morton RA, Marcus-Samuels B, Gershengorn MC. Human islet-derived precursor cells are mesenchymal stromal cells that differentiate and mature to hormone-expressing cells in vivo. Stem Cells. 2007; 25(12).
- Ikonomou L, Bastin G, Schneider YJ, Agathos SN. Effect of Partial Medium Replacement on Cell Growth and Protein Production for the High-Fivetrade mark insect cell line. Cytotechnology. 2004; 44(1-2).
- Ikonomou L, Schneider YJ, Agathos SN. Insect cell culture for industrial production of recombinant proteins. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2003; 62(1).
- Ikonomou L, Drugmand JC, Bastin G, Schneider YJ, Agathos SN. Microcarrier culture of lepidopteran cell lines: implications for growth and recombinant protein production. Biotechnol Prog. 2002; 18(6).
- Ikonomou L, Peeters-Joris C, Schneider Y-J, Agathos SN. Supernatant proteolytic activities of High-Five insect cells grown in serum-free culture. Biotechnol Lett. 2002; 24.
- Ikonomou L, Bastin G, Schneider YJ, Agathos SN. Design of an efficient medium for insect cell growth and recombinant protein production. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2001; 37(9).
Books and Book Chapters:
- Ikonomou L, Wilson AA. Development and Bioengineering of Lung Regeneration. Organ Regeneration Based on Developmental Biology. 2017.
- Lenas P, Saravia V, Toca-Herrera JL, Paternain JL, Ikonomou L, Mayer J, Probst I, Crawford J, Vassilicos JC, Moreno A, Dravaliari A, Kolodkin A, Guzmán-Aránguez A, Pintor J. Functional biomimetics in tissue engineering: engineering emergent tissue functions in vitro through complexity and networks science. Biomimetics in Biophysics: Model systems, experimental techniques and computation. 2010.
- Lenas P, Luyten FP, Saravia V, Toca-Herrera JL, Ikonomou L, Nicodemou-Lena E, Ito A, Honda H, Dinnyes A, Mayer J, Arzimanoglou I, Gordillo FM, Guzmán-Aránguez A, Pintor J. Process biomimetics in tissue engineering: engineering the in vitro tissue development through systems biology and networks science. Biomimetics in Biophysics: Model systems, experimental techniques and computation. 2010.
- Ikonomou L, Drugmand J-C, Bastin G, Schneider Y-J, Agathos SN. Physiology of insect cells cultured in a new serum-free medium. Animal Cell Technology: From Target to Market. 2001.
- Drugmand J-C, Ikonomou L, Schneider Y-J, Agathos SN. Growth of High-Five cells on Cultispher-S microcarriers. Animal Cell Technology: From Target to Market. 2001.
- Ikonomou L, Bastin G, Schneider Y-J, Agathos SN. Growth on microcarriers and nutritional needs of high density insect cell cultures. Animal cell technology: Products from cells, cells as products. 1999.
Professional Memberships:
- Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology (SCGDB) (2020–present)
- American Association for Anatomy (AAA) (2020–present)
- International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) (2016–present)
- International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) (2013–present)
- American Thoracic Society (ATS) (2010–present)
- Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) (2008–present)
- The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) (2004–present)
- American Chemical Society (ACS) (2003–present)
- The Society for In Vitro Biology (2001–2006)
- European Society for Animal Cell Technology (ESACT) (2001–present)
Presentations:
- "The Evolving Global Landscape of Unproven Cell-based Products and Services" Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases, University of Vermont, Direct‐to‐Consumer Cell‐based Interventions for Respiratory Diseases: Stratagems and Countermeasures (2021)
- "Navigating the Landscape of Unproven Cell-Based Products and Services" Massachusetts Association of Blood Banks (MABB) seminar series, Massachusetts Association of Blood Banks, Massachusetts Association of Blood Banks (2020)
- "From embryonic development to pluripotent stem cell-derived lung primordial progenitors" Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research Seminar Series, University of Southern California, Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research (2020)
- "Part 3: Ethics and Business Practices" Potential COVID-19 Treatments Using Cell Therapies, ARM-ARM Foundation-ISCT Webinar (2020)
- "The ISCT PTF: Vision and Goals, 2020-22" ISCT 2020 Paris Virtual Conference, Emerging Issues in Unproven Cell Therapies (2020)
- "Fidelity of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Progenitors: Lessons from Foregut Derivatives" , Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Oral Biology Department (2019)
- "Fidelity of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Progenitors: Lessons from Foregut Derivatives" , University of Pittsburgh, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering (2019)
- "Impact of Unproven Cellular Products on the Field" FDA Cell Therapy Liaison Meeting (2019)
- "Fidelity of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Progenitors: Lessons from Foregut Derivatives" , University at Buffalo, Department of Oral Biology (2019)
- "From Embryonic Development to Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Lung and Thyroid Progenitors" , University at Buffalo, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (2019)
- "Marketing of Unproven Stem Cell Interventions: Regulatory, Ethical, and Scientific Issues" CELL-MET Professional Development Day, Boston University, Engineering Research Center (2019)
- "Epithelial Progenitor Heterogeneity in Lung Development" Research on Tap: Medicine in the Molecular Era: Single Cell Sequencing, Boston University School of Medicine (2018)
- "Stem Cell Medical Tourism" Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, Meet the Professor Seminar: The stem cell niche: Applications in pulmonary diseases (2018)
- "Unproven Stem Cell Interventions for Respiratory Diseases" Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, Human Lung Development: New Tools and Therapeutic Strategies (2018)
- "Biomechanical Determinants of Lung Cell Fate: From Embryonic Development to Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Progenitors" , BU Biomedical Engineering Department, Cell and Tissue Mechanics Laboratory (2017)
- "A Note of Caution in Stem Cell Therapies: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff" Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society, What, When, Where: Clearing the Air on Stem Cell Therapies In Pulmonary Diseases (2016)
- "Defining the Identity of Lung Epithelial Primordial Progenitors" , Boston University School of Medicine, Computational Medicine Section (2014)
- "Lung/thyroid specification of ESC-derived anterior foregut through transient expression of Nkx2-1" The Lung Epithelium in Health and Disease, FASEB (2014)
- "Understanding Fate Decisions in Embryonic Lung Progenitors" , Boston University School of Medicine, Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program (2013)
- "Defining the identity of lung primordial progenitors" Stem Cells and Cell Therapies in Lung Biology and Lung Diseases (2013)
- "In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Primordial Lung Progenitors" , Boston University, Biomedical Engineering Department (2012)
- "Efficient Derivation of Purified Lung and Thyroid Progenitors from Embryonic Stem Cells" The Lung Epithelium in Health and Disease, FASEB (2012)
- "Efficient Derivation of Purified Nkx2-1+ Lung and Thyroid Progenitors via Directed Differentiation of Mouse ES Cells" 3rd International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering (ICSCE), Society for Biological Engineering (2012)
- "Towards an Artificial Lung" ERS 2011 Congress, ERS, Science Year in Review (2011)
- "Why should I pursue an academic career?" 6th Annual NIDDK Fellows Retreat, NIDDK (2011)
Service Activities:
- Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine Graduate Committee, Admissions; Alternate Member (2021)
- School of Dental Medicine Executive Council; Member (2021)
- 2021 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; Co-Chair (2021)
- ISCT Presidential Task Force on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell and Gene Therapies; Chair (2020–2022)
- ISCT 2020 Annual Meeting (Paris, France); Abstract Reviewer; Ad Hoc Reviewer (2020)
- ISCT 2020 Paris Virtual Conference; “Emerging Issues in Unproven Cell Therapies” session organized by the ISCT Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell & Gene Therapy (UCT), May 11 2020, ISCT 2020 Paris Virtual Conference.; Moderator (2020)
- Single Cell Sequencing Core, BU School of Medicine; Consultant (2020)
- ASCB/EMBO 2019 meeting (Washington DC); Abstract Programming Task Force; Ad Hoc Reviewer (2019)
- Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS), BU School of Medicine; Advisor (2019–2020)
- ISCT North America 2019 Regional Meeting; "Regulatory aspects of Unproven Cell Therapies in North America” session organized by the ISCT Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell & Gene Therapies (UCT), September 13 2019, ISCT North America 2019 Regional Meeting, September 13-15, 2019, Madison, WI; Moderator (2019)
- ISCT Presidential Task Force on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell and Gene Therapies; Co-Chair (2019–2020)
- 2019 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; Co-Chair (2019)
- 2019 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; “Bringing Cell and Tissue‐Derived Products to Market: Regulation and Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine Products” session, July 17 2019; Moderator (2019)
- ISCT 2019 Annual Meeting (Melbourne, Australia); Ad Hoc Reviewer (2019)
- BU Genome Science Institute Single Cell Sequencing awards; Ad Hoc Reviewer for Program Grants (2019)
- Nano-Materials subcommittee, BUMC/CRC; Chair (2019–2020)
- ISCT 2018 European Union Regional Meeting (Florence, Italy); Ad Hoc Reviewer (2018)
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Stem Cell 2017; Ad Hoc Reviewer for Program Grants (2017)
- 2017 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; “Regulation of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Treatments” session, July 26 2017; Moderator (2017)
- 2017 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; Co-Chair (2017)
- ISCT Presidential Task Force on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell and Gene Therapies; Member (2017–present)
- The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw); Ad Hoc Reviewer for Program Grants (2017)
- FDA public hearing on Draft Guidances Relating to the Regulation of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products; ATS delegate at the FDA public hearing on Draft Guidances Relating to the Regulation of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products, September 12-13 2016, Bethesda, MD; Delegate (2016)
- Confocal Microscope Facility, BU School of Medicine; Advisory Committee (2016–2020)
- Nano-Materials subcommittee, BUMC/CRC; Committee Member (2016–2020)
- Protocol Standardization Committee, Center for Regenerative Medicine, BU/BMC; Chair (2016–2020)
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Stem Cell 2015 - Research, Postdoc & P&F Study Section; Ad Hoc Reviewer for Program Grants (2015)
- Admissions Committee, Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS), BU School of Medicine; Committee Member (2015–2018)
- 2015 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; Organizing Committee Member (2015)
- Research Poster Session, Evans Research Days, BU School of Medicine; Judge (2014–2019)
- 2013 Vermont biennial stem cell conference; Organizing Committee Member (2013)
- American Thoracic Society Stem Cell Working Group; Stem Cell Tourism monitoring activities; Coordinator (2013–2017)
- Lab Safety Committee, BUMC/CRC; Committee Member (2012–2020)
- American Thoracic Society Stem Cell Working Group; Member (2012–2017)
- NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) Competition; Organizing Committee Member (2009)
- NIDDK Fellows Retreat; Organizing Committee Member (2008)
- NIDDK Fellows Advisory Board; Member (2007–2009)
- Association of Greek NIH Postdoctoral Fellows; Coordinator (2004–2005)