Aristidis Sachpatzidis, PhD

Ari was born in Thessaloniki and grew up in Aridaia in northern Greece. He got a Pharmacy degree from AUT and came to Yale to obtain a PhD in Pharmacology. Under the mentorship of Professor Elias Lolis, he obtained basic knowledge of X-ray crystallographic techniques and high-throughput library screening using yeast genetics. Working for João Cabral on Science Hill at MB&B, he gained experience with membrane protein purification-crystallization, and crystallized a novel sodium-proton antiporter. Under the direction of Professor Yong Xiong, he worked on structural and biochemical characterization of protein-DNA complexes involved in the regulation of DNA repair and Fanconi Anemia. In the Eswarakumar lab in Orthopaedics, he developed baculovirus expression protocols for a number of FGFR receptor variants implicated in craniosynostosis. In the lab of Professor Yossi Schlessinger in Pharmacology, he performed crystallographic studies on protein kinase-inhibitor complexes. He studied novel mechanisms of gene expression regulation by long non-coding RNAs in the labs of Professors William Konigsberg and Alan Garen at MB&B. He gained experience in cryo-EM structural studies of kinesin-microtubule complexes under the direction of Dr. Chuck Sindelar in Prof. Enrique De La Cruz’s lab, also at MB&B. Ari joined recently the Spiegel lab as an Associate Research Scientist. He plans to use his expertise on protein, computational and structure-based approaches to expand the ongoing lab’s efforts in the development of innovative chemical platforms for neutralization of current and future threats to public health. Outside the lab, Ari enjoys reading and staying in touch with his friends and family.