Elisa Vasilopoulou graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Applied and Human Biology from Aston University in 2006 and was awarded a PhD in Reproduction, Genes and Development from the University of Birmingham in 2010 (supervised by Dr Shiao-yng Chan and Professor Mark Kilby). Elisa’s initial research experience at the University of Birmingham focused on the role of thyroid hormones at the feto-maternal interface. In 2012, Elisa joined Dr David Long’s laboratory at UCL Institute of Child Health, where she developed an interest in understanding the biological mechanisms of kidney disease progression and developing new treatments. In 2015, she was awarded a 3-year Kidney Research UK Post-Doctoral fellowship to investigate the therapeutic potential of the anti-inflammatory peptide, thymosin-beta4, in kidney disease. Elisa joined Medway School of Pharmacy in 2017 as a Kidney Research UK Fellow. She also holds an Honorary Research Associate position at UCL Institute of Child Health.

End stage kidney disease (ESRD) is a devastating condition that requires life-long dialysis or transplantation. The incidence of kidney disease is currently rising and there is urgent need for new treatments. Damage to the glomerulus, the filtration unit of the kidney, is one of the leading causes of end-stage kidney disease. Elisa’s research addresses two processes that contribute to glomerular damage: (i) changes in the architecture of podocyte cells - an essential component of the glomerular filtration barrier - leading to defective filtration and proteinuria, (ii) infiltration of leukocytes, particularly macrophages, in the glomerular area leading to inflammation and fibrosis. Using in vivo and in vitro models, Elisa is currently exploring the potential of thymosin-beta4, a moonlighting peptide that regulates actin assembly and has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties as a novel therapy for kidney disease. Elisa is a member of the Urinary System Physiology Unit . She also works closely with Dr David Long’s group at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and has established collaborative links with Professor Paul Riley (University of Oxford) and Professor Alan Salama (UCL Royal Free Hospital).