Vassilis Roukos

Chromosome translocations play key roles in the initiation of tumorigenesis, yet how translocations form is only poorly understood. The goal of our research is to identify cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of oncogenic chromosome translocations. To achieve this we employ molecular and cell biological approaches (incl. CRISPR/Cas9 technology), in combination with genetics and advanced microscopy techniques.

Using novel imaging methodologies we have developed, we are modelling and quantifying the formation of recurrent, cancer-initiating chromosome translocations in living cells in real time. This will allow us to perform targeted and unbiased screens to identify novel factors that suppress or promote translocations in cancer.

Research website

Positions held

• Since 2022: Assistant Professor, Medical School, University of Patras, Greece and Affiliated Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
• 2015 - 2022: Group Leader, Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz
• 2013 - 2014: Research Fellow, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
• 2008 - 2013: Postdoc, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA

Education

• 2008: PhD in Molecular Biology and Cytogenetics, Medical School, University of Patras
• 2005: MSc in Applications in Medical Sciences, Medical School, University of Patras
• 2002: BSc in Biology, University of Patras

Selected publications by Vassilis Roukos

Longo GMC*, Sayols S* and Roukos V (2025) Multilevel characterization of genome editor nuclease activity with BreakTag.Nat Protoc, doi: 10.1038/s41596-025-01271-4  (*indicates joint contribution) Link

Longo GMC*, Sayols S*, Kotini AG, Heinen S, Möckel MM, Beli P and Roukos V (2025) Linking CRISPR-Cas9 double-strand break profiles to gene editing precision with BreakTag.Nat Biotechnol, 43:608-622 (*indicates joint contribution) Link

Longo GMC*, Sayols S*, Stefanova ME*, Xie T*, Elsayed W*, Panagi A, Stavridou AI, Petrosino G, Ing-Simmons E, Melo US, Gothe HJ, Vaquerizas JM, Kotini AG, Papantonis A^#, Mundlos S^# and Roukos V^# (2024) Type II topoisomerases shape multi-scale 3D chromatin folding in regions of positive supercoils.Mol Cell, 84:4267-4281.e8 (*indicates joint contribution, ^#indicates joint correspondence) Link

Bouwman BAM, Agostini F, Garnerone S, Petrosino G, Gothe HJ, Sayols S, Moor AE, Itzkovitz S, Bienko M, Roukos V and Crosetto N (2020) Genome-wide detection of DNA double-strand breaks by in-suspension BLISS. Nat Protoc, 15:3894–3941 Link

Gothe HJ, Bouwman BAM, Gusmao EG, Piccinno R, Petrosino G, Sayols S, Drechsel O, Minneker V, Josipovic N, Mizi A, Nielsen CF, Wagner EM, Takeda S, Sasanuma H, Hudson DF, Kindler T, Baranello L, Papantonis A, Crosetto N and Roukos V (2019) Spatial chromosome folding and active transcription drive DNA fragility and formation of oncogenic MLL translocations. Mol Cell, 75:267-283.e12 Link