T-ReP

Time-Resolving Phageomics
Exploring the potential of phage therapy in allergy and asthma

Decoding Asthma: From Dysbiosis to Cure

Asthma is a pandemic affecting all ages. Reducing its burden is a major unmet need.
Susceptibility to infection and microbiome dysbiosis are key elements of asthma pathophysiology.
We have identified important links between asthma activity and virome composition in asthma, including bacteriophage deficiency and longitudinal instability.
Evaluating phage composition variability in different asthma phenotypes and across time, will identify precise intervention targets for a potential phage therapy in asthma.

T-ReP will run in three parallel and converging axes, each one comprising of a work package.

  • The first axis is to assess the composition and dynamics of the phageome across a diverse cohort of well-characterized patients at key, representative time points. To achieve this, we will develop and validate molecular assays tailored to specific phage families.
  • The second axis will be based on available deep sequencing metagenomic data, which has prospectively followed healthy and asthmatic individuals for a full year. Standardized and novel bioinformatic analyses on over 500 HiSeQ sequenced metagenomes will help describe the interactions between phages and bacteria, as well as between phages and other viruses.
  • The third axis entails the isolation and propagation of phages from clinical and environmental samples and their detailed characterization, followed by in-vitro assessment of phagebacteria interactions.

The aim of T-ReP is to quantify phageome variation and phage-bacteria interaction according to population and time, and isolate phages of therapeutic relevance.

TEAM

Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos, Ph.D.

Professor Head at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Emmanouil Flemetakis, Ph.D.

Professor of Biochemistry, Head ofEnvironmental Biotechnology lab, Department
of Biotechnology, Agricultural
University of Athens

Paraskevi Xepapadaki, Ph.D.

Professor of Pediatrics and Allergy, Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Stella Taka, Ph.D.

PostDoc researcher, Department of Allergy of the B’ Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens

Founder and manager of StArtBio PC

Dimitrios G. Skliros, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Environmental Biotechnology lab, Department
of Biotechnology, Agricultural
University of Athens

Polyxeni Papazoglou

Ph.D. candidate, Environmental Biotechnology lab, Department
of Biotechnology, Agricultural
University of Athens

Pantelis Christou

Biologist, Research Associate, Department of Allergy of the B’ Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens

Anna Oikonomidou

Bioinformatician, Research Associate, Department of Allergy of the B’ Pediatric Clinic of the University of Athens

Elena Lekakou

Ph.D. candidate, Environmental Biotechnology lab, Department
of Biotechnology, Agricultural
University of Athens

Magdalini Rafaella Tseperka

Master’s student, Environmental Biotechnology lab, Department
of Biotechnology, Agricultural
University of Athens

Conferences

  • P. Christou, S. Taka, D. Lagou, M. Kritikou, P. Xepapadaki, N. G. Papadopoulos. (2025). Asthma-related Bacteriophage Alterations: Insights into Microbiome Dynamics. Flash Talk presentation at PAAM 2025 Pediatric Allergy Matters: Inspiring Insights for Every Family, 23 – 25 October 2025, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Polyxeni Papazoglou, Magda Tseperka, Elena Lekakou, Dimitrios Skliros, Stella Taka, Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos and Emmanouil Flemetakis. (2025). Novel Lytic Bacteriophages as tools for Microbiota modulation in Asthma: From isolation to defense system profiling. Mikrobiokosmos & CEESME 2025, 22-24 September 2025, Thessaloniki, Greece.


    P. Christou, S. Taka, D. Lagou, M. Kritikou, P. Xepapadaki, N. G. Papadopoulos. (2025). Asthma-related Bacteriophage Alterations: Insights into Microbiome Dynamics. BIO3 Biotechnology, Bioinformatics & Bioeconomy Forum: Fostering Collaboration in Industry & Academia, 15-19 September, 2025, Technopolis, Gazi – Athens, Greece


    D. Skliros, P. Papazoglou, P. Christou, S. Taka, N. Papadopoulos, E. Flemetakis. (2025). Exploring the Potential of Phage Therapy in Allergy and Asthma by Isolating and characterizing Relevant Bacteriophages. ASM Microbe 2025, 19-23 June 2025, Los Angeles, USA


    Christou P., Taka S., Lagou D., N.G. Papadopoulos. (2025). Exploring bacteriophage populations and their role in asthma. State-of-the-Art 2025: The allergic child and advances, 06-09 February 2025, Athens, Greece


    Παπάζογλου Π , Σκληρός Δ., Τάκα Σ., Φλεμετάκης Ε., Παπαδόπουλος Ν. Γ. (2025). Μελέτη Βακτηριοφάγων που Σχετίζονται με τη Θεραπεία της Αλλεργίας και του Άσθματος. Βραβευμένη Αναρτημένη Παρουσίαση στο State-of-the-Art 2025 Το αλλεργικό παιδί και οι Εξελίξεις, Αθήνα, Ελλάδα, 06-09 Φεβρουαρίου 2025. 2nd prize among 54 posters

    Skliros D., Papazoglou P., Taka S., Papadopoulos NG., Flemetakis E., Isolation and complete characterization of bacteriophages with clinical implications for allergy and asthma. Proceedings of the 74th National Conference of the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2024, Talk ST27-180.

    Christou P., Papazoglou P., Vergoulidis N., Taka S., Skliros D., Flemetakis E., Papadopoulos N. (2024). Time-Resolved Phageomics: Exploring the potential of phage therapy in allergy and asthma, Poster at Bio3 Forum, Athens, Greece, 01-05 September 2024.