H. Kiaris

Variations in cellular unfolded protein response, respiratory capacity, and stress tolerance in skin and lung fibroblasts of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus)

This study examines UPR, respiratory capacity, and stress tolerance in skin and lung fibroblasts of deer mice, finding only tunicamycin-induced BiP expression is repeatable across cell types and predicts stress resistance and bioenergetics.

The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein induces long-term transcriptional perturbations of mitochondrial metabolic genes, causes cardiac fibrosis, and reduces myocardial contractile in obese mice

This study shows that the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein causes long-term mitochondrial gene suppression, cardiac fibrosis, and reduced myocardial contractility in obese mice.

SARS-CoV-2 infects multiple species of North American deer mice and causes clinical disease in the California mouse

This study shows SARS-CoV-2 infects multiple North American deer mice and causes clinical disease in California mice, suggesting potential wildlife reservoirs and co-morbidity factors for severe COVID-19.

The Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 impairs lipid metabolism and increases susceptibility to lipotoxicity: implication for a role of Nrf2

This study shows that the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein disrupts lipid metabolism and autophagy, increasing lipotoxicity via ferroptosis, which can be mitigated by Nrf2 inhibition.

DNA Methylation Networks Underlying Mammalian Traits

This study analyzes DNA methylation across 11,117 samples from 176 species to identify modules related to traits like age, lifespan, and phylogeny, revealing epigenetic patterns across evolution and aging.