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Andreas Kakarougkas

  • Position: Assistant Professor, Biology
  • Department: Department of Biology
  • Email: [email protected]
Brief Biography

Andreas Kakarougkas is an assistant professor of cell and molecular biology and director of the biotechnology graduate program at The American University in Cairo (AUC). He is passionate about teaching and has delivered courses at all levels (introductory-graduate). Kakarougkas is particularly interested in applying the latest pedagogical approaches in order to enrich the learning experience of his students. He employs active learning approaches such as problem-based learning and blended learning to make his classes highly interactive. Active learning, which emphasizes student engagement and participation, is a key area of research in higher education, with various pedagogical approaches being explored to maximize its effectiveness in diverse learning environments. Kakarougkas conducts classroom research in order to assess the effectiveness of these pedagogical approaches.

In addition, Kakarougkas is interested in how our bodies respond to carcinogens in our environment. In particular, he is interested in how damage to our DNA can lead to cancer. He has received specialist training in all aspects of cell and molecular biology, toxicology and DNA repair analysis. His research in the DNA damage responses field has been published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. Kakarougkas is currently working on the health implications of exposure to metallic nanoparticles found in air pollution. His research is particularly pertinent to Egypt due to the large number of people exposed to airborne pollutants.

Research Interest
  • Active and Blended learning in Biology
  • DNA Double Strand Break Repair
  • Impact of airborne pollutants on genome stability
  • Personalized Cancer Treatment
Awards
  • 2023 RCC Faculty Pitch Competition First Place
  • 2023 School of Sciences and Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award
  • 2012 MRC Centenary Award, awarded to the very best young researchers (£35,000 funding)
  • 2012 Association of Radiation Research Young Investigator Award, UK
  • 2010 Association of Radiation Research Young Investigator Award, UK
Education
  • 2012: PhD in Biochemistry, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom
  • 2007: MSc in Radiation Biology, University College London, United Kingdom
  • 2006: BSc in Biomedical Sciences, University of Brighton, United Kingdom
  • Ayatullah Darwish, Farah Bakier, Ali El Banbi, Andreas Kakarougkas. Immunotherapies of multiple myeloma: targeted treatment approaches using monoclonal antibodies. JOURNAL OF CANCER RESEARCH AND REVIEWS. 2025; 2(1): 19- 31.
  • Hager Hisham El Khatib, Kanz Abdulla, Layla Khaled Nassar, Mariam Gouda Ellabban and Andreas Kakarougkas. Advancements in Multiple Myeloma Therapies: A Comprehensive Review by Disease Stage. Lymphatics 2025, 3, 2 
  • Mostafa, I, Kakarougkas, A. Blended/flipped biology classes during COVID-19. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2023. 
  • Andreas Kakarougkas and Reham Abdellatif. A Flipped Classroom Approach and Digital Learning in an Undergraduate Molecular Biology Course. Journal of College Science Teaching 2022, Vol. 51, No. 3, 2022
  • Nada Elzahed, Andreas Kakarougkas. Impacts of prolonged exposure to low concentration of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on cell cycle control and DNA repair. European Journal of Biological Research 2022; 12(4): 339-351
  • El-Shafie, S.; Fahmy, S.A.; Ziko, L.; Elzahed, N.; Shoeib, T.; Kakarougkas, A. Encapsulation of Nedaplatin in Novel PEGylated Liposomes Increases Its Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity against A549 and U2OS Human Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2020, 12, 863. 
  • Dina M. Ibrahim, Andreas Kakarougkas, Nageh K. Allam. Recent advances on electrospun scaffolds as matrices for tissue-engineered heart valves, Materials Today Chemistry 2017-23-05, (5)11-23.
  • Alagoz M, Yoko Katsuki, Hideaki Ogiwara, Tomoo Ogi, Atsushi Shibata, Andreas Kakarougkas, Penny A Jeggo. SETDB1, HP1 and SUV39 promote repositioning of 53BP1 to extend resection during homologous recombination in G2 cells. Nucleic Acids Research. 2015, 43 (16): 7931-7944
  • Kakarougkas A, Jessica A Downs, Penny A Jeggo. The PBAF chromatin remodelling complex represses transcription and promotes rapid repair at DNA double strand breaks. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 2015, February,Vol 2,Issue1
  • Kakarougkas A, Ismail A, Riballo E, Herbert A, Kunzel J, Lobrich M, Jeggo PA and Downs JA. Requirement for PBAF in transcriptional repression and repair at DNA breaks in actively transcribed regions of chromatin. Molecular Cell, 2014 September, Vol. 55, Issue 5, p723–732
  • Kakarougkas A, Jeggo PA. DNA DSB repair pathway choice: an orchestrated handover mechanism. British Journal of Radiology. 2014;87:20130685
  • Kakarougkas A, Ismail A, Klement K, Goodarzi AA, Conrad S, Freire R, Shibata A, Lobrich M, Jeggo PA.Opposing roles for 53BP1 during homologous recombination. Nucleic Acids Research, 2013, 1–13
  • Kakarougkas A, Ismail A, Katsuki Y, Freire R, Shibata A, Jeggo PA.Co-operation of BRCA1 and POH1 relieves the barriers posed by 53BP1 and RAP80 to resection. Nucleic Acids Research, 2013, 1-14
  • Shibata A, Conrad S, Birraux J, Geuting V, Barton O, Ismail A, Kakarougkas A, Meek K, Taucher-Scholz G, Löbrich M, Jeggo PA. Factors determining DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice in G2 phase. EMBO J, 2011 Mar 16;30(6):1079-92

Articles

  • “Recent advances on electrospun scaffolds as matrices for tissue-engineered heart valves”, Materials Today Chemistry 2017-23-05, (5)11-23.
  • “SETDB1, HP1 and SUV39 promote repositioning of 53BP1 to extend resection during homologous recombination in G2 cells”, Nucleic Acids Research, 2015-18-09, 43(16), 7931–7944.
  • “The PBAF chromatin remodeling complex represses transcription and promotes rapid repair at DNA double-strand breaks,” Molecular Cellular Oncology,2015-01-23,2(1),3.
  • “Requirement for PBAF in transcriptional repression and repair at DNA breaks in actively transcribed regions of chromatin,” Molecular Cell,2014-07-24,55(5),723-732.
  • “DNA DSB repair pathway choice: an orchestrated handover mechanism,” British Journal of Radiology,2014-01-31,87(1035),5.
  • “Co-operation of BRCA1 and POH1 relieves the barriers posed by 53BP1 and RAP80 to resection,” Nucleic Acids Research,2013-09-05,41(22).
  • “Co-operation of BRCA1 and POH1 relieves the barriers posed by 53BP1 and RAP80 to resection,” Nucleic Acids Research,2013-09-05,41(22),13.
  • “Opposing roles for 53BP1 during homologous recombination,” Nucleic Acids Research,2013-08-22,41(21),12.
  • “Factors determining DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice in G2 phase,” EMBO Journal,2011-02-11,30(6),13.
  • Introduction to Life Sciences
  • Introductory Biology I
  • Genetics
  • Molecular and Cell Biology
  • Scientific Thinking
  • Special topics in Biotechnology (Current techniques in cancer therapy)