Antoniades Group: The Oxford Translational Cardiovascular Research Group
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
Our group studies the interplay between adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system. Using translational approaches, we develop novel diagnostic tools for the early detection of cardiovascular diseases and risk stratification. We also work towards the discovery of new therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in the context of obesity and diabetes.
There are three main bodies of research undertaken by our group:
Studying the interplay between adipose tissue and the cardiovascular system
Adipose tissue is now considered to be a ‘biochemical factory’ in the human body, producing a wide range of bioactive molecules, such as adipokines and adipocytokines. These molecules exert local autocrine effects, but they also have paracrine and endocrine properties, playing a critical role in cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. Our group studies the mechanisms by which different adipose tissue depots in the human body affect vascular and myocardial disease pathogenesis, with specific focus on changes in redox-sensitive inflammatory mechanisms. Read more
Translational Research in the group
Our group undertakes translational research, moving from bench to bedside and vice versa. We have established one of the world’s most extensively phenotyped cohorts of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, The Oxford Heart Vessels & Fat (ox-HVF) cohort. The cohort includes more than 1500 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, who have been extensively phenotyped preoperatively using non-invasive imaging. Read more
The Oxford Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Programme
Since 2015, the group runs the Oxford Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Programme, in partnership with the Manor Hospital and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, supporting the use of state-of-the-art cardiovascular CT imaging by groups within the University of Oxford. The programme includes translational cardiovascular CT imaging, supported by expertise in Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. The Oxford Academic Cardiovascular CT (OXACCT) core lab operates within the programme, and provides state-of-the-art advanced cardiovascular CT image analysis services, to academic and industrial studies. Read more
DPhil Projects Available
Reuters coverage of Professor Antoniades work
Professor Antoniades group has developed a new method for analysing CT scan images can predict who is at risk of a heart attack - years before it happens.
Selected publications
-
Insulin-induced vascular redox dysregulation in human atherosclerosis is ameliorated by dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibition.
Akoumianakis I. et al, (2020), Sci Transl Med, 12
-
Adipose tissue-derived WNT5A regulates vascular redox signaling in obesity via USP17/RAC1-mediated activation of NADPH oxidases.
Akoumianakis I. et al, (2019), Sci Transl Med, 11
-
A novel machine learning-derived radiotranscriptomic signature of perivascular fat improves cardiac risk prediction using coronary CT angiography.
Oikonomou EK. et al, (2019), Eur Heart J, 40, 3529 - 3543
-
Imaging residual inflammatory cardiovascular risk.
Antoniades C. et al, (2020), Eur Heart J, 41, 748 - 758
-
Detecting human coronary inflammation by imaging perivascular fat.
Antonopoulos AS. et al, (2017), Sci Transl Med, 9
-
Non-invasive detection of coronary inflammation using computed tomography and prediction of residual cardiovascular risk (the CRISP CT study): a post-hoc analysis of prospective outcome data.
Oikonomou EK. et al, (2018), Lancet, 392, 929 - 939
-
The role of adipose tissue in cardiovascular health and disease.
Oikonomou EK. and Antoniades C., (2019), Nat Rev Cardiol, 16, 83 - 99
-
Predictive value of telomere length on outcome following acute myocardial infarction: evidence for contrasting effects of vascular vs. blood oxidative stress.
Margaritis M. et al, (2017), Eur Heart J, 38, 3094 - 3104
-
Mutual Regulation of Epicardial Adipose Tissue and Myocardial Redox State by PPAR-γ/Adiponectin Signalling.
Antonopoulos AS. et al, (2016), Circ Res, 118, 842 - 855
-
Interactions between vascular wall and perivascular adipose tissue reveal novel roles for adiponectin in the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase function in human vessels.
Margaritis M. et al, (2013), Circulation, 127, 2209 - 2221
Collaborators
- Professor Dimitris Tousoulis, University of Athens, Greece
- Prof David Lefer, LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA
- Prof Alison Noble, University of Oxford, UK
- Prof Keith M Channon, University of Oxford, UK
- Dr Milind Desai MD, Cleveland Clinic, USA
- Professor Pál Maurovich-Horvat MD, MPH, PhD, Semmelweis University, Hungary
- Prof Stephan Achenbach, University of Erlangen, Germany
Lab alumni
- Dr Amy Chiu
- Dr Akansha Tarun
- Dr Hidekazu Kondo
- Dr Marios Margaritis (DPhil student)
- Dr Lei Lu (Visiting post-doctoral researcher)
- Dr Anna-Maria Kampoli (Visiting post-doctoral researcher)
- Dr Meisam Naeimi (Visiting PhD student)
More Videos
- Podcast: the Secret of FRET imaging: the theory (part 1)
- Podcast: Running a FRET experiment in practice (part 2)
Interview for ESC’s “Scientist on the spot - outstanding achievement award 2016”
ESC webinar on “how to treat difficult dyslipidaemias: What is in the horizon”.
Podcast: Statistics in cardiovascular science III: Discussion of common statistical scenarios
Clinical studies and trials
Our research group is conducting several clinical trials. These include:
- AdipoRedOx
- ORFAN
- Vascular Bypass
- Art Vascular
- IMPACT
These studies form part of the Oxford Heart Vessels and Fat (ox-HVF) cohort, which currently includes more than 1500 subjects, followed up prospectively for clinical events until 2030.
You can also find more information about our site in www.oxhvf.com.