dr. Krisztina Takács-Vellai assoc. professor

dr. Krisztina Takács-Vellai assoc. professor
Date and place of birth: 16 June, 1971, Budapest, Hungary

 
Nationality: Hungarian
Education:




 

1989-1995 BSc and MSc in Biology and German translator in biology, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
PhD title in Biology: Institute of Zoology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland, 2006.
Habilitation – Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 2012

Languages:

 
German: Advanced Level certificate (C1)
French and Russian: Intermediate Level certificate (B2)
English: Conversational Level
Neptun code: MA4EAA
 
MTMT id.: 10013108
ORCID id.: G-hk5JAAAAAJ&hl
Google Scholar id.: HTj3U1QAAAAJ
 
Researcher id.: AAF-9062-2020
 
Scopus id.: 6507274841

 

Working places

2007-2013 Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University

2013-2022 Head of Department, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University

2022-         Associate Professor, Department of Biological Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University


Teaching activities

Lectures:  Human biology, Human evolution, Evolutionary biology; Molecular evolution (HUN and ENG), Human molecular genetics (HUN and ENG), Eukaryotic gene regulation (HUN and ENG), Anatomical variations and developmental disorders, Primate evolution

Practical courses: Applied human biology I, Human biology II, Paleoantropology examinations’ methodology


Activity as supervisor (name, year of defense)

BSc: Légrádi Regina (2015), Végh Tamás (2015), Uhrin Éva (2016), Vörösházi Júlia (2016), Sárközy Eszter (2016), Dudás Máté (2016), Süveges Anna (2016), Keszei Zsófia (2017), Vizvári Zsófia (2017), Tóth Fanni (2018)

MSc: Dudás Eszter (2015), Gráf Alexandra (2016), Mátyási Barbara (2017), Végh Tamás (2018)

PhD: Erdélyi Péter and Barna János (year of defense: 2013), Fancsalszky Luca (year of defense: 2015), Farkas Zsolt (year of defense: 2020)

Stégmár Balázs- co-supervisor with Balázs Egyed (2015-2019), Saskői Éva (2016-2020), Mátyási Barbara (2017-2021), Dudás Eszter co-supervisor with Pamjav Horolma (2018-2022).

Scientific Students' Associations Conference: Gráf Alexandra (2016), Mátyási Barbara (2017): SE TDK II. prize


Prizes

2008-2011   Bolyai János research fellowship

2012-2015   Bolyai János research fellowship


Role and activity in scientific communities

2005 -  Association of Hungarian Geneticists, member

2014 -  Hungarian Biological Society, Section of Anthropology, member

2010 -  Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science, ELTE, council of institute: member

2010 -  Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science, ELTE, council of the faculty: alternate member (one semester)

2006 -  Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Science, ELTE, supervisor

2012 -  Institute of Biology, Scientific and Operational Subcommittee, member

2015-2018: International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES), member

2018 -  Török Aurél Anthropological Association, member

2019 - strategic vice-director of the Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science, ELTE


Research interest

Tumor genetics, developmental genetics, C. elegans genetics, human molecular genetics

Main research topics

2000-2009: Genetic analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans labial/HoxB1 orthologue ceh-13: transcriptional regulation and functional analysis.

2000-2005: Genetic analysis of the Pbx/exd orthologues ceh-20 és ceh-40 in C. elegans.

2000-2002: Genetic analysis of the C. elegans orthologue of C21orf80, implicated in Down syndrome.

2002-2005: Examining the role of the C. elegans beclin orthologue bec-1 in apoptosis and autophagy.

2005-2010: Genetics of apoptosis and autophagy in C. elegans.

2008-2009: Target genes of the worm GLI homologue TRA-1.

at present: Genetic analysis of the C. elegans orthologue of NM23, the first identified human metastasis suppressor.

at present: Extracellular NM23 as a potential biomarker

at present: The role of SDHB mutations in the development and progression of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma.


Reviewer

Journal: Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, Autophagy, PORE (Pathology and Oncology Research), Oncotarget, BBA General Subjects, Protein Journal, Cellular Signalling, Laboratory Investigations, Biologia Futura

Grants: Hungarian Scientific Research Fund: Section for Molecular Biology; Section of Supraindividual Sciences), jury member, European Science Foundation (ESF) 2019: invitation to “ESF College of Expert Reviewers”

PhD theses: Bors András (2007, ELTE), Biacsi Rea (2009, ELTE), Nagy Olga (2012, University of Szeged), Róna Gergely (2015, ELTE), Takáts Szabolcs (2015, ELTE), Maruzs Tamás (2016, ELTE), Pircs Karolina (2016, ELTE), Vedelek Viktor (2017, University of Szeged), Neparáczki Endre (2017, University of Szeged), Marilena Ignesti (2017, University of Bologna), Spekker Olga (2018, University of Szeged), Nagy Noémi (2018, Semmelweis University), Készné Fodor Lili (2019, Semmelweis University). Furthermore secretary or committee member on numerous PhD defenses at ELTE, Semmelweis University and University of Szeged.

Projects and funding as Principal Investigator

OTKA K, 115587: The function of the metastasis inhibitor Nm23 homolog NDK-1 in apoptosis, the role of extracellular Nm23 funds: 28. 736 000 HUF, time intervall: 2015.09.01.-2020.02.28.

MedInProt, Szinergia IV, time intervall: 2016 jan. 1.-2016. jun. 30.: Analysis of NM23 (NME) homologs in metastatic processes of breast cancer: intra- and extracellular expression and function. Cooperating partners: Dr. Buzás Edit, Dr. Sebestyén Anna, funds: 2.400.000 HUF.

MedInProt, Feasibility Study Program: Investigation of the role of dynamin mediated and mitochondrial pathways in the background of centronuclear myopathy. Cooperating partners: Dr. Gál Anikó, 2017. jan.1.- dec.31.; funds: 1.000.000 HUF

FIEK: Molecular biomarker research; subproject: Extracellular NM23 as a potential biomarker, funds: 50.000.000 HUF, time intervall: 2017.04.01.-2021.03.31.

FIKP: Excellence Program-Diagnostics and therapy; subproject: Generation of a familial pheochromocytoma (neuroendocrine tumor) nematode model. Funds and time intervall:14.252.000 Ft, 2018.07.01.-2019.06.30.

Findacure Foundation support 6.840.000 HUF (2017-18) and 3.000.000 HUF (2019).


Projects and funding as participant

OTKA (K83966; 2011/14) 14.000k HUF,. Changes in body structure by reproductive ageing in menopausal women (PI: Zsákai Annamária).

OTKA (K109349; 2013/17) 40.00k HUF,: Uncovering novel developmental (cellular) functions and transcriptional regulators of autophagy (cellular self- eating) genes (PI: Vellai Tibor).

OTKA (FK128013; 2018/22) 39.117k HUF: Cultural or demic diffusion? Transformations of population and subsistence strategies in the 2nd millennium B.C. in the Carpathian Basin (PI: Hajdu Tamás).

OTKA (FK128404; 2018/22) 36.892k HUF: Metabolic tissue heterogeneity related alterations in mTOR activity and their role in tumour biology (PI: Sebestyén Anna).

OTKA (FK132812; 2019/23) 93.728k HUF: Investigation of pathways of mitochondrial dynamics based on our own patients (PI: Gál Anikó)


Selected publications (10)

The Function of NM23-H1/NME1 and Its Homologs in Major Processes Linked to Metastasis. Mátyási B, Farkas Z, Kopper L, Sebestyén A, Boissan M, Mehta A, Takács-Vellai K. Pathol Oncol Res. 2020 Jan;26(1):49-61. doi: 10.1007/s12253-020-00797-0. (IF: 2.4) Review.

The nucleoside diphosphate kinase NDK-1/NME1 promotes phagocytosis in concert with DYN-1/Dynamin. Farkas Z, Petric M, Liu X, Herit F, Rajnavölgyi É, Szondy Z, Budai Z, Orbán TI, Sándor S, Mehta A, Bajtay Z, Kovács T, Jung SY, Afaq Shakir M, Qin J, Zhou Z, Niedergang F, Boissan M, Takács-Vellai K. FASEB J. 2019 Oct;33(10):11606-11614. doi: 10.1096/fj.201900220R. (IF: 5.49)

The dosage-dependent effect exerted by the NM23-H1/H2 homolog NDK-1 on distal tip cell migration in C. elegans. Farkas Z, Fancsalszky L, Saskői É, Gráf A, Tárnok K, Mehta A, Takács-Vellai K. Lab Invest. 2018 Feb;98(2):182-189. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2017.99. (IF: 4,8) Review.

Nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs) in animal development. Takács-Vellai K, Vellai T, Farkas Z, Mehta A. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2015 Apr;72(8):1447-62. doi: 10.1007/s00018-014-1803-0. (IF: 5.6) Review.

Fancsalszky L, Monostori E, Farkas Z, Pourkarimi E, Masoudi N, Hargitai B, Bosnar MH, Deželjin M, Zsákai A, Vellai T, Mehta A, Takács-Vellai K* (2014). NDK-1, the Homolog of NM23-H1/H2 Regulates Cell Migration and Apoptotic Engulfment in C. elegans. PLoS One 9(3):e92687. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092687. eCollection 2014. (IF: 3.53)

Masoudi N, Fancsalszky L, Pourkarimi E, Vellai T, Alexa A, Reményi A, Gartner A, Mehta A, Takács-Vellai K* (2013). The NM23-H1/H2 homolog NDK-1 is required for full activation of Ras signaling in C. elegans. Development 140(16):3486-95. doi: 10.1242/dev.094011. (IF: 6.273)

Tóth ML, Sigmond T, Borsos É, Barna J, Erdélyi P, Takács-Vellai K, Orosz L, Kovács AL, Csikós G, Sass M, Vellai T (2008). Longevity pathways converge on autophagy genes to regulate life span in Caenorhabditis elegans. Autophagy 4 (3): 330-338 (IF: 5.479).

Takács-Vellai K, Vellai T, Puoti A, Passannante M, Wicky C, Streit A, Kovács AL, Müller F (2005). Inactivation of the autophagy gene bec-1 triggers apoptotic cell death in C. elegans. Curr Biol 15 (16): 1513-1517 (IF: 11.732).

Vellai T, Takács-Vellai K, Zhang Y, Kovács AL, Orosz L, Müller F (2003). Influence of TOR kinase on lifespan in C. elegans. Nature 426 (6967): 620 (IF: 30.979).

Streit A, Kohler R, Marty T, Belfiore M, Takacs-Vellai K, Vigano MA, Schnabel R, Affolter M, Müller F (2002). Conserved regulation of the Caenorhabditis elegans labial/Hox1 gene ceh-13. Dev Biol 242 (2): 96-108 (IF: 5.6).