Nikolas Nikolaidis, Ph.D.

Professor of Biological Science

Office: MH-317A, Lab: MH-317

Phone: 657-278-4526

Email: nnikolaidis@fullerton.edu

Dr. Nikolaidis obtained their B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and pursued postdoctoral research at Penn State University. Their laboratory employs molecular, cellular, biochemical, evolutionary, and computational approaches to study the cellular stress response, focusing on novel lipid-protein interactions and lipid modifications in cancer. Grants from the National Institutes of Health support their studies on novel lipid-protein interactions and lipid metabolism alterations in stressed and cancer systems. Dr. Nikolaidis has mentored several undergraduate and graduate researchers and is teaching courses on Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Systems Biology.

Research Interests

Our research aims to understand the evolutionary and molecular mechanisms of the cellular stress response and cancer by studying 70-kDa heat shock proteins, lipids, and cellular membranes. Please contact me via email: nnikolaidis@fullerton.edu

Fun Facts

Playing and coaching soccer, experimenting (literally) with new recipes

Publications

Smulders L*, Altman R*, Briseno C*, Saatchi A*, Wallace L*, AlSebaye M*, Stahelin RV, Nikolaidis, N. Phosphatidylinositol Monophosphates Regulate the Membrane Localization of HSPA1A, a Stress-Inducible 70-kDa Heat Shock Protein. Biomolecules 2022, 12, 856. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12060856

Nguyen P*, Hess K*, Smulders L*, Le D*, Briseno C*, Chavez CM*, Nikolaidis N. Origin and Evolution of the Human Bcl2-Associated Athanogene-1 (BAG-1). Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Dec 18;21(24). doi: 10.3390/ijms21249701.

Smulders L*, Daniels AJ*, Plescia CB, Berger D*, Stahelin RV, Nikolaidis N. Characterization of the Relationship between the Chaperone and Lipid-Binding Functions of the 70-kDa Heat-Shock Protein, HspA1A. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 20;21(17). doi: 10.3390/ijms21175995. PubMed PMID: 32825419.

Bilog AD*, Smulders L*, Oliverio R*, Labanieh C*, Zapanta J*, Stahelin RV, Nikolaidis N. Membrane Localization of HspA1A, a Stress Inducible 70-kDa Heat-Shock Protein, Depends on Its Interaction with Intracellular Phosphatidylserine. Biomolecules. 2019 Apr 17;9(4). pii: E152. doi: 10.3390/biom9040152.

Hess K*, Oliverio R*, Nguyen P*, Le D*, Ellis J*, Kdeiss B*, Ord S*, Chalkia D, Nikolaidis N. Concurrent action of purifying selection and gene conversion results in extreme conservation of the major stress-inducible Hsp70 genes in mammals. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 23;8(1):5082. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23508-x.

Oliverio R*, Nguyen P*, Kdeiss B*, Ord S*, Daniels AJ*, Nikolaidis N. Functional characterization of natural variants found on the major stress inducible 70-kDa heat shock gene, HSPA1A, in humans. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018 Dec 2;506(4):799-804. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.10.148.