Cystic Fibrosis Service
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Service
Cystic Fibrosis Service
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Service
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Service
Cystic Fibrosis Service

ABOUT OUR RESEARCH

The Respiratory Physiology Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art devices for clinical measurements, like Spirometers (Vitalograph), Nitrogen Multiple Breath Washout System (Ecomedics EXHALYZER D), pulse oximeters, one non-portable (Ecomedics CLD 88sp) and two portable (NIOX MINO and NIOX VERO) devices for the measurement of exhaled bronchial and nasal NO, electrical impedance tomography device (ENLIGHT 2100, Innoventiv), forced oscillation technique system (Resmon V3, Restech), 24-hour oesophageal pH-Impedance monitoring system (MMS-Ohmega). Also, the laboratory has access to a ZEISS AxioPhot microscope with a Linkam DC-60 heating plate and a High Speed Video microscopy system (SAVA system, Basler scA640).

Through its collaboration with the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Embryology, the laboratory has access to Air Liquid Interface (ALI) respiratory epithelial cell cultures (using a Memmert ICO 150 CO2 incubator) that allows for a better characterisation of cilia motility. Finally, through its collaboration with the Department of Electron Microscopy/Molecular Pathology of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, there is access to a JEOL-JEM 1010 Transmission Electron Microscope for the study of cilia ultrastructure.

The research objectives of the Respiratory Physiology Laboratory include:

    1

    The development of innovative research in the fields of diagnostics, prophylaxis and treatment of the respiratory diseases as well as in environmental and public health.

    2

    The study of the diagnostic approach of chronic and inherited respiratory diseases, such as: Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

    3

    The conduction of research programs in environmental and public health with emphasis in epidemiology of Asthma along with comorbidities like obesity and Vitamin D deficiency and the tackling of the health effects due to the desert dust storm episodes.

    4

    The participation in international studies for respiratory diseases and for environmental and public health and the collaboration with other academic and research institutes in Cyprus and abroad.

    PROJECTS

    List of some of the Respiratory Physiology Laboratory projects

    1. Motile ciliopathies: Understanding the molecular basis and introducing new technologies towards diagnosis and treatment. Project Acronym: PCD (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
    2. Ciliary Adhesions and their role in Ciliogenesis and Ciliary function. Project Acronym: CILIA (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
    3. Biometeorological Aspect of Thermal environment and Health: impacts on public health and on special populations to improve the quality of life and tourism sustainability. Project Acronym: BeAT Heat (Funded by Research Promotion Foundation (Sustainable RTDI System, Excellence Hubs, RESTART 2016-2020).
    4. Mitigating the Health Effects of Desert Dust Storms through Exposure Reduction Approaches. Project Acronym: LIFE-MEDEA (Funded by European Union’s LIFE programme under Grant Agreement LIFE16 CCA/CY/000041).
    5. Measuring Lung Ventilation Inhomogeneity in health and disease during infancy and childhood: a comparative study of two different methods. Acronym: MeLVI-study (Internal UCY funding).

    Access to project can be found here: https://www.life-medea.eu/

    1. Better Experimental Screening and Treatment for Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Project Acronym: BESTCILIA (Funded by European Union’s FP7 HEALTH.2012.2.4.4-2 Observational trials in rare diseases).

    Access to project can be found here: http://bestcilia.eu/

    1. Translational Research in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia – Bench, Bedside, and Population Perspectives. Project Acronym: BEAT-PCD (Funded by European Program COST Project: oc-2014-1-19034 – BM1407).

    Access to project can be found here: http://www.beatpcd.org/

    PUBLICATIONS

    Selected publications from our lab are available below

    Kouis P, Kakkoura MG, Elia SA, Ioannou P, Anagnostopoulou P, Potamiti L, Loizidou MA, Panayiotidis MI, Kyriacou K, Hadjisavvas A, Yiallouros PK. Observational study of health utilities in adult primary ciliary dyskinesia patients: preliminary data on associations with molecular diagnosis, clinical phenotype and HRQOL measures. Multidiscip Respir Med. 2022 Dec 20;17:881. doi: 10.4081/mrm.2022.881. PMID: 36636646; PMCID: PMC9830407.

    Achilleos S, Michanikou A, Kouis P, Papatheodorou SI, Panayiotou AG, Kinni P, Mihalopoulos N, Kalivitis N, Kouvarakis G, Galanakis E, Michailidi E, Tymvios F, Chrysanthou A, Neophytou M, Mouzourides P, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Papasavvas I, Christophides T, Nicolaou R, Avraamides P, Kang CM, Middleton N, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. Improved indoor air quality during desert dust storms: The impact of the MEDEA exposure-reduction strategies. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Dec 17:160973. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160973. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36539092.

    Kouis P, Michanikou A, Galanakis E, Michaelidou E, Dimitriou H, Perez J, Kinni P, Achilleos S, Revvas E, Stamatelatos G, Zacharatos H, Savvides C, Vasiliadou E, Kalivitis N, Chrysanthou A, Tymvios F, Papatheodorou SI, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. Responses of schoolchildren with asthma to recommendations to reduce desert dust exposure: Results from the LIFE-MEDEA intervention project using wearable technology. Sci Total Environ. 2022 Nov 26:160518. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160518. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36573449.

    Raidt J, Maitre B, Pennekamp P, Altenburg J, Anagnostopoulou P, Armengot M, Bloemsma LD, Boon M, Borrelli M, Brinkmann F, Carr SB, Carroll MP, Castillo- Corullón S, Coste A, Cutrera R, Dehlink E, Destouches DMS, Di Cicco ME, Dixon L, Emiralioglu N, Erdem Eralp E, Haarman EG, Hogg C, Karadag B, Kobbernagel HE, Lorent N, Mall MA, Marthin JK, Martinu V, Narayanan M, Ozcelik U, Peckham D, Pifferi M, Pohunek P, Polverino E, Range S, Ringshausen FC, Robson E, Roehmel J, Rovira-Amigo S, Santamaria F, Schlegtendal A, Szépfalusi Z, Tempels P, Thouvenin G, Ullmann N, Walker WT, Wetzke M, Yiallouros P, Omran H, Nielsen KG. The disease-specific clinical trial network for primary ciliary dyskinesia: PCD-CTN. ERJ Open Res. 2022 Aug 15;8(3):00139-2022. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00139-2022. PMID: 35983540; PMCID: PMC9379353.

    Kentgens AC, Latzin P, Anagnostopoulou P, Jensen R, Stahl M, Harper A, Yammine S, Foong RE, Hall GL, Singer F, Stanojevic S, Mall MA, Ratjen F, Ramsey KA. Normative multiple-breath washout data in school-aged children corrected for sensor error. Eur Respir J. 2022 Aug 18;60(2):2102398. doi: 10.1183/13993003.02398-2021. PMID: 35710262.

    Kinni P, Kouis P, Dimitriou H, Yarza S, Papatheodorou SI, Kampriani E, Charalambous M, Middleton N, Novack V, Galanakis E, Yiallouros PK. Health effects of desert dust storm events in the south-eastern Mediterranean: perceptions and practices of local stakeholders. East Mediterr Health J. 2021 Dec 1;27(11):1092-1101. doi: 10.26719/emhj.21.037. PMID: 34927713.

    Kouis P, Michaelidou E, Kinni P, Michanikou A, Anagnostopoulou P, Dimitriou H, Karanicolas K, Matthaiou AM, Achilleos S, Papatheodorou SI, Koutrakis P, Middleton N, Galanakis E, Yiallouros PK. Pediatric asthma symptom control during lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020: A prospective community-based study in Cyprus and Greece. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2022 Feb;57(2):386-394. doi: 10.1002/ppul.25765. Epub 2021 Nov 24. PMID: 34818465.

    Yiallouros PK, Matthaiou AΜ, Anagnostopoulou P, Kouis P, Libik M, Adamidi T, Eleftheriou A, Demetriou A, Ioannou P, Tanteles GA, Costi C, Fanis P, Macek M, Neocleous V, Phylactou LA. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory features, and the distribution of pathogenic variants in the CFTR gene in the Cypriot cystic fibrosis (CF) population demonstrate the utility of a national CF patient registry. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2021 Oct 2;16(1):409. doi: 10.1186/s13023-021-02049-z. PMID: 34600583; PMCID: PMC8487500.

    Stylianou-Riga P, Boutsikou T, Kouis P, Kinni P, Krokou M, Ioannou A, Siahanidou T, Iliodromiti Z, Papadouri T, Yiallouros PK, Iacovidou N. Maternal and neonatal risk factors for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in term neonates in Cyprus: a prospective case-control study. Ital J Pediatr. 2021 Jun 3;47(1):129. doi: 10.1186/s13052-021-01086-5. PMID: 34082803; PMCID: PMC8176707.

    Kouis P, Michanikou A, Anagnostopoulou P, Galanakis E, Michaelidou E, Dimitriou H, Matthaiou AM, Kinni P, Achilleos S, Zacharatos H, Papatheodorou SI, Koutrakis P, Nikolopoulos GK, Yiallouros PK. Use of wearable sensors to assess compliance of asthmatic children in response to lockdown measures for the COVID-19 epidemic. Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 15;11(1):5895. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85358-4. PMID: 33723342; PMCID: PMC7971022.

    Yiallouros PK, Kouis P, Kyriacou K, Evriviadou A, Anagnostopoulou P, Matthaiou A, Tsiolakis I, Pirpa P, Michailidou K, Potamiti L, Loizidou MA, Hadjisavvas A. Implementation of multigene panel NGS diagnosis in the national primary ciliary dyskinesia cohort of Cyprus: An island with a high disease prevalence. Hum Mutat. 2021 Jun;42(6):e62-e77. doi: 10.1002/humu.24196. Epub 2021 Mar 25. PMID: 33715250.

    Kouis P, Papatheodorou SI, Kakkoura MG, Middleton N, Galanakis E, Michaelidi E, Achilleos S, Mihalopoulos N, Neophytou M, Stamatelatos G, Kaniklides C, Revvas E, Tymvios F, Savvides C, Koutrakis P, Yiallouros PK. The MEDEA childhood asthma study design for mitigation of desert dust health effects: implementation of novel methods for assessment of air pollution exposure and lessons learned. BMC Pediatr. 2021 Jan 6;21(1):13. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02472-4. PMID: 33407248; PMCID: PMC7786906.

    Goutaki M, Crowley S, Dehlink E, Gaupmann R, Horton KL, Kouis P, Lam YT, Loges NT, Lucas JS, Roehmel JF, Shoemark A; BEAT-PCD Clinical Research Collaboration. The BEAT-PCD (Better Experimental Approaches to Treat Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia) Clinical Research Collaboration. Eur Respir J. 2021 Feb 4;57(2):2004601. doi: 10.1183/13993003.04601-2020. PMID: 33541936.

    Ardura-Garcia C, Goutaki M, Carr SB, Crowley S, Halbeisen FS, Nielsen KG, Pennekamp P, Raidt J, Thouvenin G, Yiallouros PK, Omran H, Kuehni CE. Registries and collaborative studies for primary ciliary dyskinesia in Europe. ERJ Open Res. 2020 May 26;6(2):00005-2020. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00005-2020. PMID: 32494577; PMCID: PMC7248350.

    Ioannou, P., Kouis, P., Kakkoura, G.M., Kaliva, M., Toliopoulou, A., Andreou, K., Behan, L., Lucas, J.S., Papanikolaou, V., Charalambous, G., Middleton, N., Yiallouros, P.K. (2020). Health related quality of life in adult primary Ciliary dyskinesia patients in Cyprus: development and validation of the Greek version of the QOL-PCD questionnaire. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 18. (105).

    Kouis, P., Papatheodorou, S. I., Middleton, N., Giallouros, G., Kyriacou, K., Cohen, J. T., Evans, J.S., Yiallouros, P. K. (2019). Cost-effectiveness analysis of three algorithms for diagnosing primary ciliary dyskinesia: a simulation study. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 14(1), 142.

    Yiallouros, P. K., Kouis, P., Pirpa, P., Michailidou, K., Loizidou, M. A., Potamiti, L., et al. (2019). Wide phenotypic variability in RSPH9-associated primary ciliary dyskinesia: Review of a case-series from Cyprus. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 3(2).

    Menditto, E., Costa, E., Midão, L., Bosnic‐Anticevich, S., Novellino, E., Bialek, S., et al. (2019). Adherence to treatment in allergic rhinitis using mobile technology. the MASK study. Clinical & Experimental Allergy,49 (4): 442-460. doi: 10.1111/cea.13333.

    Bousquet, J., Hellings, P. W., Agache, I., Amat, F., Annesi-Maesano, I., Ansotegui, I. J., et al. (2019). Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) phase 4 (2018): Change management in allergic rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity using mobile technology. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 143(3), 864-879. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.08.049.

    Lucas, J. S., Gahleitner, F., Amorim, A., Boon, M., Brown, P., Constant, C., et al. (2019). Pulmonary exacerbations in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia: An expert consensus definition for use in clinical trials. ERJ Open Research, 5(1), 00147-2018. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00147-2018.

    Lucas, J. S., Gahleitner, F., Amorim, A., Boon, M., Brown, P., Constant, C., et al. (2019). Pulmonary exacerbations in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia: An expert consensus definition for use in clinical trials. ERJ Open Research, 5(1), 00147-2018. doi: 10.1183/23120541.00147-2018.

    Bosnic‐Anticevich, S., Costa, E., Menditto, E., Lourenço, O., Novellino, E., Bialek, S., et al. (2018). Aria pharmacy 2018 “Allergic rhinitis care pathways for community pharmacy”. Allergy, 2018 doi: 10.1111/all.13701.

    Bousquet, J., Arnavielhe, S., Bedbrook, A., Bewick, M., Laune, D., Mathieu-Dupas, E., et al. (2018). MASK 2017: ARIA digitally-enabled, integrated, person-centred care for rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity using real-world-evidence. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 8(1), 45. doi: 10.1186/s13601-018-0227-6.

    Kouis, P., Hadjisavvas, A., Middleton, N., Papatheodorou, S. I., Kyriacou, K., & Yiallouros, P. K. (2018). The effect of l-arginine on ciliary beat frequency in PCD patients, non-PCD respiratory patients and healthy controls. Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 48, 15-21. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2017.10.010.

    Stylianou-Riga, P., Kouis, P., Kinni, P., Rigas, A., Papadouri, T., Yiallouros, P. K., et al. (2018). Maternal socioeconomic factors and the risk of premature birth and low birth weight in cyprus: A case–control study. Reproductive Health, 15(1), 157. doi: 10.1186/s12978-018-0603-7.

    Halbeisen, F. S., Goutaki, M., Spycher, B. D., Amirav, I., Behan, L., Boon, M., et al. (2018). Lung function in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia: An iPCD cohort study. The European Respiratory Journal, 52(2), doi: 10.1183/13993003.01040-2018.

    Werner, C., & Kouis, P. (2017). Should transmission electron microscopy and ultrastructural cilia evaluation remain part of the diagnostic work-up for primary ciliary dyskinesia? Ultrastructural Pathology, 41(6), 386-389. doi: 10.1080/01913123.2017.

    Goutaki, M., Halbeisen, F. S., Spycher, B. D., Maurer, E., Belle, F., Amirav, I., et al. (2017). Growth and nutritional status, and their association with lung function: A study from the international primary ciliary dyskinesia cohort. The European Respiratory Journal, 50(6), 10.1183/13993003.01659-2017. doi:1701659.

    Abarca-Gómez, L., Abdeen, Z. A., Hamid, Z. A., Abu-Rmeileh, N. M., Acosta-Cazares, B., Acuin, C., et al. (2017). Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: A pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128· 9 million children, adolescents, and adults. The Lancet, 390(10113), 2627-2642. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32129-3.

    Bousquet, J., Bewick, M., Cano, A., Eklund, P., Fico, G., Goswami, N., et al. (2017). Building bridges for innovation in ageing: Synergies between action groups of the EIP on AHA. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 21(1), 92-104. doi: 10.1007/s12603-016-0803-1.

    Rubbo, B., Behan, L., Dehlink, E., Goutaki, M., Hogg, C., Kouis, P., et al. (2016). Proceedings of the COST action BM1407 inaugural conference BEAT-PCD: Translational research in primary ciliary dyskinesia-bench, bedside, and population perspectives. Paper presented at the BMC Proceedings, , 10. (9) pp. 66. doi: 10.1186/s12919-016-0067-0.

    Yiallouros, P. K., Kouis, P., Kolokotroni, O., Youhanna, S., Savva, S. C., Dima, K., et al. (2016). Shared genetic variants between serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and wheezing in a cohort of children from Cyprus. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 42(1), 67. doi: 10.1186/s13052-016-0276-1.

    NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. (2016). Trends in adult body-mass index in 200 countries from 1975 to 2014: A pooled analysis of 1698 population-based measurement studies with 19· 2 million participants. The Lancet, 387(10026), 1377-1396. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30054-X.

    Bousquet, J., Farrell, J., Crooks, G., Hellings, P., Bel, E., Bewick, M., et al. (2016). Scaling up strategies of the chronic respiratory disease programme of the european innovation partnership on active and healthy ageing (action plan B3: Area 5). Clinical and Translational Allergy, 6(1), 29. doi: 10.1186/s13601-016-0135-6.

    Kouis, P., Papatheodorou, S. I., & Yiallouros, P. K. (2015). Diagnostic accuracy of nasal nitric oxide for establishing diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia: A meta-analysis. BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 15(1), 153. doi: 10.1186/s12890-015-0147-3.

    Papadopoulou, A., Kouis, P., Middleton, N., Kolokotroni, O., Karpathios, T., Nicolaidou, P., et al. (2015). Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and vitamin D levels with asthma and atopy in Cypriot adolescents: A case–control study. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine, 10(1), 26. doi: 10.1186/s40248-015-0025-0.

    Yiallouros, P. K., Kouis, P., Middleton, N., Nearchou, M., Adamidi, T., Georgiou, A., et al. (2015). Clinical features of primary ciliary dyskinesia in cyprus with emphasis on lobectomized patients. Respiratory Medicine, 109(3), 347-356. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2015.01.015.

    Yiallouros, P. K., Savva, S. C., Kolokotroni, O., Dima, K., Zerva, A., Kouis, P., et al. (2014). Asthma: The role of low high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol in childhood and adolescence. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 165(2), 91-99. doi: 10.1159/000368405.

    PRESENTATIONS

    Selected presentations from our lab are available below

    Effect of PM2.5 and regulatory thresholds on all-cause mortality among active commuters in two mega-cities
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    Comparison of diagnostic accuracy between the chemiluminescence and electrochemical methods for nasal nitric oxide measurements in PCD
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    Development and psychometric validation of the Greek version of the adult QOL PCD questionnaire: preliminary results
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    Development and psychometric validation of the Greek version of the adult QOL PCD questionnaire: preliminary results
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    RespiHub

    RespiHub is a multi-disciplinary science core housing several individual laboratories at the University of Cyprus. The scientific alliance of RespiHub aims to promote excellence of research in the area of respiratory medicine and biomechanics. Focus areas include human respiratory physiology, pathology and function, chronic and acute respiratory diseases.

    Go To respiHub