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Nikolaos Venizelos

Position: Professor Emeritus School/office: School of Medical Sciences

Email: nikolaos.venizelos@oru.se

Phone: +46 19 301028, +46 704 942186

Room: X2101

Research subject

Research environments

Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions Research Centre (NGBI)

About Nikolaos Venizelos

Background

Nikolaos Venizelos is a professor emeritus and docent in biomedicine with a research focus in experimental neuropsychiatry at the School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University. He has a Medicine Doctor's degree (Ph.D. in medicine) from the Karolinska Institute, where he worked until 2001.

Prof. Venizelos has established the Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory at the School of Health & Medical Sciences. His research work is focused on the membrane transport of the amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan in schizophrenia and related disorders such as bipolar, autism and ADHD. Tyrosine and tryptophan are the building stones (so-called precursors) for dopamine and serotonin, the brain's most important neurotransmitters, necessary for the central nervous system. The research conducted in Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory is leading both nationally and internationally.

Prof. Nikolaos Venizelos and his research group have in a number of studies (see publications), demonstrated that membrane transport of tyrosine and tryptophan is strongly involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, bipolar and autism disorders. Recent studies show that even ADHD, probably, have an influence on the regulation of dopamine and serotonin turnover in the brain. The research group has also developed and demonstrated that the so-called fibroblast model, a human cellular in vitro technique, among others, excludes the external influences of medications and other environmental factors that make it suitable for studying amino acid transport in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Furthermore, the research lab disposes of a unique biobank, with primary fibroblast lines from patients with different neuropsychiatric diseases, osteoporosis and matched controls, which are used as model systems for studying, among other things, the transport mechanism of tyrosine and tryptophan in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Research focus, interaction

Prof. Venizelos ' current research focuses on identifying the pro-inflammatory cytokines and their role in the membrane transport of tyrosine and tryptophan in neuropsychiatric disorders, In co-operation with NGBI-Research Centre, to identify the influence of probiotics and butyrate, on the functionality of tryptophan transport, which is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Recently has started a long-lasting collaborative research project between Örebro University and Ikaria/Greece, to explore factors related to healthy ageing

External main collaborations

Nationally, the Venizelos group is collaborating with the Dept. of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, where the tryptophan transporter's role in men with Idiopathic Osteoporosis is examined.

Internationally he conducts research in collaboration with a research team in New York (United States), for the reprogramming of fibroblasts from autism, to so-called Pluripotent Stem Cells, and onto nerve cells. Collaborative research is carried out even with a research group at the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens, in order to identify possible common (+/-) regulatory genes involved in amino acid transport at neuropsychiatric disorders, through systems biology.

The main goal of the research is to identify pathophysiological and genetic abnormalities at the cellular level that can be linked to the behavioural patterns of patients. In the longer term, this could open opportunities for better understanding and more customized treatment of schizophrenia and related neuropsychiatric disorders.

Teaching

Currently, and on behalf, Prof. Venizelos coordinating a postgraduate course of Multidisciplinary Seminars for 2.5 credits, is supervising PhDs, Bachelor and Master’s thesis and PBL groups of medical students in the 3rd year of studies.

Methods employed

Cell culture and Biobank facilities of primary fibroblast cultures from human skin biopsies.
Amino acid transport in adherent fibroblast cells using the "cluster-tray" technique.

Biobank facilities

Tissue: Primary fibroblast lines from patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD and Idiopathic Osteoporosis and matched controls

Contact: Nikolaos.Venizelos@oru.se

Active projects

Completed projects

Research groups

Experimental neuropsychiatry and ageing

Publications

Articles in journals

Tabrisi, R. , Harun-Rashid, M. D. , Johansson, J. , Venizelos, N. & Msghina, M. (2023). Clozapine but not lithium reverses aberrant tyrosine uptake in patients with bipolar disorder. Psychopharmacology, 240 (8), 1667-1676.
Rode, J. , Yang, L. , König, J. , Hutchinson, A. , Wall, R. , Venizelos, N. , Brummer, R. J. , Rangel, I. & et al. (2021). Butyrate Rescues Oxidative Stress-Induced Transport Deficits of Tryptophan: Potential Implication in Affective or Gut-Brain Axis Disorders. Neuropsychobiology, 80 (3), 253-263.
Pernow, Y. , Shahror, R. , Acharya, S. , Jahnson, L. , Vumma, R. & Venizelos, N. (2018). Aberrant tryptophan transport in cultured fibroblast from patients with Male Idiopathic Osteoporosis: An in vitro study. Bone Reports, 8, 25-28.
Comasco, E. , Vumma, R. , Toffoletto, R. , Johansson, J. , Flyckt, L. , Lewander, T. , Oreland, L. , Bjerkenstedt, L. & et al. (2017). Genetic and Functional Study of L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 in Schizophrenia. Neuropsychobiology, 74 (2), 96-103.
Tobe, B. T. D. , Venizelos, N. & Snyder, E. Y. (2017). Probing the lithium-response pathway in hiPSCs implicates the phosphoregulatory set-point for a cytoskeletal modulator in bipolar pathogenesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114 (22), E4462-E4471.
Vumma, R. , Johansson, J. & Venizelos, N. (2017). Proinflammatory Cytokines and Oxidative Stress Decrease the Transport of Dopamine Precursor Tyrosine in Human Fibroblasts. Neuropsychobiology, 75 (4), 178-184.
Logotheti, M. , Pilalis, E. , Venizelos, N. , Kolisis, F. & Chatziioannou, A. (2016). Development and validation of a skin fibroblast biomarker profile for schizophrenic patients. AIMS Bioengineering, 3 (4), 552-565.
Ahmad, A. , Venizelos, N. & Hahn-Strömberg, V. (2016). Prognostic Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor +936C/T Polymorphism on Tumor Growth Pattern and Survival in Patients Diagnosed with Colon Carcinoma. Journal of Tumor Research, 2 (1), 1-6.
Logotheti, M. , Pilalis, E. , Venizelos, N. , Kolisis, F. & Chatziioannou, A. (2016). Studying Microarray Gene Expression Data of Schizophrenic Patients for Derivation of a Diagnostic Signature through the Aid of Machine Learning. Biometrics & Biostatistics International Journal, 4 (5).
Logotheti, M. , Papadodima, O. , Chatziioannou, A. , Venizelos, N. & Kolisis, F. (2015). Gene Expression Analysis of Fibroblasts from Patients with Bipolar Disorder. Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology & Mental Health, 1 (1), 1-9.
Westman, O. , Larsson, M. , Venizelos, N. , Hollert, H. & Engwall, M. (2014). An oxygenated metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene increases hepatic beta-oxidation of fatty acids in chick embryos. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21 (9), 6243-6251.
Logotheti, M. , Papadodima, O. , Venizelos, N. , Chatziioannou, A. & Kolisis, F. (2013). A Comparative Genomic Study in Schizophrenic and in Bipolar Disorder Patients, Based on Microarray Expression Profiling Meta-Analysis. Scientific World Journal, 2013 (685917), 1-14.
Johansson, J. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. , Lewander, T. & Venizelos, N. (2013). Decreased binding capacity (Bmax) of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in fibroblasts from boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 5 (3), 267-271.
Engwall, M. , Venizelos, N. , Westman, O. , Larsson, M. , Nordén, M. , Hollert, H. & Johansson, J. (2013). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) reduce hepatic beta-oxidation of fatty acids in chick embryos. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 20 (3), 1881-1888.
Nordén, M. , Westman, O. , Venizelos, N. & Engwall, M. (2012). Perfluorooctane sulfonate increases β-oxidation of palmitic acid in chicken liver. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 19 (5), 1859-1863.
Flyckt, L. , Edman, G. , Venizelos, N. & Borg, K. (2011). Aberrant tyrosine transport across the fibroblast membrane in patients with schizophrenia: indications of maternal inheritance. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45 (4), 519-525.
Johansson, J. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. , Vumma, R. , Ahlin, A. , Bjerkenstedt, L. & Venizelos, N. (2011). Altered tryptophan and alanine transport in fibroblasts from boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): an in vitro study. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 7, 40.
Vumma, R. , Johansson, J. , Lewander, T. & Venizelos, N. (2011). Tryptophan transport in human fibroblast cells: a functional characterization. International Journal of Tryptophan Research (4), 19-27.
Johansson, J. , Vumma, R. , Persson, M. & Venizelos, N. (2010). Aberrant tyrosine transport in fibroblasts from patients with bipolar type-1 disorder. In Vivo, 24 (3), 364-365.
Kolisis, F. & Venizelos, N. (2010). ABSTRACTS OF THE 3rd SWEDISH-HELLENIC LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH CONFERENCE Athens, March 25-27, 2010 Preface. In Vivo, 24 (3), 343-343.
Persson, M. , Johansson, J. , Vumma, R. , Raita, J. , Bjerkenstedt, L. , Wiesel, F. & Venizelos, N. (2009). Aberrant amino acid transport in fibroblasts from patients with bipolar disorder. Neuroscience Letters, 457 (1), 49-52.
Vumma, R. , Wiesel, F. , Flyckt, L. , Bjerkenstedt, L. & Venizelos, N. (2008). Functional characterization of tyrosine transport in fibroblast cells from healthy controls. Neuroscience Letters, 434 (1), 56-60.
Fernell, E. , Karagiannakis, A. , Edman, G. , Bjerkenstedt, L. , Wiesel, F. & Venizelos, N. (2007). Aberrant amino acid transport in fibroblasts from children with autism. Neuroscience Letters, 418 (1), 82-86.
Olsson, E. , Friberg, Ö. , Venizelos, N. , Koskela, A. , Källman, J. & Söderquist, B. (2007). Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from sternal wound infections after cardiac surgery: attachment to and accumulation on sternal fixation stainless steel wires. Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS), 115 (2), 142-151.
Wiesel, F. , Bjerkenstedt, L. , Edman, G. , Flyckt, L. & Venizelos, N. (2007). The complexity of using D2-dopamine antagonists in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. European psychiatry, 22, S5-S6.
Bjerkenstedt, L. , Farde, L. , Terenius, L. , Edman, G. , Venizelos, N. & Wiesel, F. (2006). Support for limited brain availability of tyrosine in patients with schizophrenia. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 9 (2), 247-255.
Olsson, E. , Wiesel, F. , Bjerkenstedt, L. & Venizelos, N. (2006). Tyrosine transport in fibroblasts from healthy volunteers and patients with schizophrenia. Neuroscience Letters, 393 (2-3), 211-215.

Articles, reviews/surveys

Logotheti, M. , Chatziioannou, A. , Venizelos, N. & Kolisis, F. (2019). Recent Advancements in Bipolar Disorder studies through Genomic, Epigenomic and Metagenomic Approaches. Journal of Psychiatry and Psychology Research, 2 (1), 56-66.

Books

Athlin, S. , Berglind, Å. , Dahlberg, K. , Ehnfors, C. , Eklund, D. , Pettersson, C. , Rangel, I. , Rolland, A. & et al. Athlin, S. (ed.) , Berglind, Å. (ed.) , Dahlberg, K. (ed.) , Ehnfors, C. (ed.) , Eklund, D. (ed.) , Pettersson, C. (ed.) , Rangel, I. (ed.) , Rolland, A. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) & Venizelos, N. (ed.) (2019). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2019. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Ericsson, E. , Johansson, M. , Hjelmqvist, H. , Jendle, J. , Eriksson, M. , Karlsson, M. & et al. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Ericsson, E. (ed.) , Johansson, M. (ed.) , Hjelmqvist, H. (ed.) , Jendle, J. (ed.) , Eriksson, M. (ed.) , Karlsson, M. (ed.) & Möller, M. (ed.) (2018). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2018. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Andersson, S. , Hjelmqvist, H. , Karlsson, M. , Ericsson, E. , Söderquist, B. , Eriksson, M. & et al. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Andersson, S. (ed.) , Hjelmqvist, H. (ed.) , Karlsson, M. (ed.) , Ericsson, E. (ed.) , Söderquist, B. (ed.) , Eriksson, M. (ed.) & Möller, M. (ed.) (2017). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2017. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Grenegård, M. , Karlsson, M. , Andersson, S. , Hjelmqvist, H. , Ericsson, E. , Kihlgren, A. & et al. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Grenegård, M. (ed.) , Karlsson, M. (ed.) , Andersson, S. (ed.) , Hjelmqvist, H. (ed.) , Ericsson, E. (ed.) , Kihlgren, A. (ed.) & Söderquist, B. (ed.) (2016). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2016. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Grenegård, M. & Karlsson, M. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Grenegård, M. (ed.) & Karlsson, M. (ed.) (2015). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts 2015. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Ljungqvist, O. , Kihlgren, A. , Grenegård, M. , Möller, C. , Danermark, B. , Eriksson, C. & et al. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Ljungqvist, O. (ed.) , Kihlgren, A. (ed.) , Grenegård, M. (ed.) , Möller, C. (ed.) , Danermark, B. (ed.) , Eriksson, C. (ed.) , Ericsson, C. (ed.) & Kadi, F. (ed.) (2014). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts 2014. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Ljungqvist, O. , Nilsson, U. , Grenegård, M. , Eriksson, C. & Ericsson, C. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Ljungqvist, O. (ed.) , Nilsson, U. (ed.) , Grenegård, M. (ed.) , Eriksson, C. (ed.) & Ericsson, C. (ed.) (2013). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts 2013. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Ljungqvist, O. & Nilsson, U. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Ljungqvist, O. (ed.) & Nilsson, U. (ed.) (2012). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2012. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. (ed.) (2011). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2011. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Venizelos, N. , Hurtig-Wennlöf, A. & Bengtsson, T. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Hurtig-Wennlöf, A. (ed.) & Bengtsson, T. (ed.) (2010). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2010. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Sirsjö, A. & Venizelos, N. Sirsjö, A. (ed.) & Venizelos, N. (ed.) (2009). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2009. Örebro: Örebro universitet.

Chapters in books

Venizelos, N. & Venizelos, F. (2015). Availability Of Tyrosine And Tryptophan, Precursors Of Dopamine And Serotonin And Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Review. In: Constantin Soldatos, Dimitris Dikeos, Pedro Ruiz, Dinesh Bhugna, Michelle Riba, Pluralism in psychiatry: II. Multidimensional conciderations (pp. 49-54). Bologna, Italy: Medimond.
Venizelos, N. & Bjerkenstedt, L. (2011). Amino acids and psychiatric disorders: a historical background. In: C.R. Soldatos & D.G. Dikeos, Psychiatry and the Neurosciences: International Perspectives (pp. 23-30). Bologna, Italy: Medimond.

Conference papers

Venizelos, N. , Johansson, J. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. & Vumma, R. (2012). Altered tryptophan and alanine transport in cultured fibroblast from boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In: International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. Paper presented at the 28th CINP World Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology, Stockholm, Sweden, 3–7 June 2012. (pp. 224-224). New York, USA: Cambridge University Press.
Venizelos, N. , Johansson, J. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. & Lewander, T. (2012). Decreased density of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in fibroblast from boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): An in vitro study. In: International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. Paper presented at the 28th CINP World Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology, Stockholm, Sweden, 3–7 June 2012. (pp. 224-224). New York, USA: Cambridge University Press.
Westman, O. , Nordén, M. , Larsson, M. , Venizelos, N. , Hollert, H. & Engwall, M. (2012). Reduced beta-oxidation in avian following exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In: Toxicology Letters. Elsevier.
Venizelos, N. (2011). Aberrant Amino Acid Transport in Patients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar-I Disorders and Autism. In: C.R. Soldatos & D.G. Dikeos, Psychiatry and the neurosciences international perspectives. Paper presented at the 4th International Congress on Psychiatry and the Neurosciences. (pp. 155-161). Bologna, Italy: Medimond.
Westman, O. , Nordén, M. , Venizelos, N. & Engwall, M. (2010). Effects of perfluorinated compounds on hepatic fatty acid oxidation in avian embryos using a tritium release assay. In: In Vivo. International Institute of Anticancer Research.
Johansson, J. , Vumma, R. , Sirsjö, A. & Venizelos, N. (2010). Interleukin-1beta inhibits tyrosine transport in fibroblasts from patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. In: In Vivo. Paper presented at The 3rd Swedish-Hellenic Life Sciences Research Conference, Athens, March 25-27, 2010. (pp. 365-367). International Institute of Anticancer Research.
Venizelos, N. (2008). Amino acids and cognition in schizophrenia and bipolar-I disorders. In: Book of Abstracs, 3rd dual INA-WFSBPcongress on “Psychiatry and the Neurosciences” Athens, Greece. Paper presented at 3rd dual INA-WFSBP congress on “Psychiatry and the Neurosciences”, 16-19 October 2008, Athens, Greece. (pp. 25-26).

Manuscripts

Johansson, J. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. , Vumma, R. , Åhlin, A. , Bjerkenstedt, L. & Venizelos, N. Altered tryptophan and alanine transport in fibroblasts from boys with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) : an in vitro study.
Westman, O. , Larsson, M. , Venizelos, N. , Hollert, H. & Engwall, M. An oxygenated metabolite of benzo[a]pyrene increases hepatic β-oxidation of fatty acids in chick embryos.
Johansson, J. , Larsson, C. , Landgren, M. , Fernell, E. , Lewander, T. & Venizelos, N. Decreased density of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in fibroblasts from children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Logotheti, M. , Pilalis, E. , Venizelos, N. , Kolisis, F. & Chatziioannou, A. Development and validation of a skin fibroblast biomarker profile for schizophrenic patients.