Kyriakos (Akis) Varypatakis

Research Scientist
Cell and Molecular Sciences
E: Kyriakos.Varypatakis@hutton.ac.uk
Akis is an experienced molecular biologist with significant postgraduate work experience in genomics and next-generation sequencing. He combines his role as Research Scientist within the Cell and Molecular Sciences department with his role as deputy Biological Safety Officer since 2024.    

Biography

Akis joined the James Hutton Institute in 2022 as a Research Scientist at the Molecular Physiology Group. Previously he completed a PhD at The James Hutton Institute & University of St Andrews in plant nematology and genomics. His background combines a BSc in Agricultural Engineering and an MSc in Plant Protection and Environment from the Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), as well as a second MSc in Plant Sciences (specialised in Plant Pathology & Entomology) from Wageningen University (the Netherlands).

Research

Akis’ current research projects mainly include:

  • Tubergene: A pipeline to produce gene-edited potatoes to enhance consumer satisfaction – Innovate UK
  • PhenoTUB: Automated, accurate, in-field detection of potato diseases by precision computer vision approaches – Innovate UK
  • Optimising Genetics by Management (GxM) interactions to enhance productivity and quality in indoor lettuce cultivation – BBSRC PACE

He is also involved in the Scottish PCN working group (WP tolerance to potato cyst nematodes), as well as providing support for various genomic data analyses (e.g. RNA-seq).

 

Past research

  • 2019: Research Assistant in plant nematology (University of St Andrews).
  • 2015 – 2019: PhD in plant nematology  (The James Hutton Institute & the University of St Andrews). Thesis title: Genome-based approaches for identification of avirulence genes in potato cyst nematodes.

Previous Publications

Sonawala, U.; Beasley, H.; Thorpe, P.; Varypatakis, K.; Senatori, B.; Jones, J.; Derevnina, L.; Eves-van den Akker, S. (2024) A gene with a thousand alleles: the hyper-variable effectors of plant-parasitic nematodes., Cell Genomics, 4(6):100580

Varypatakis, K.; Véronneau, P-Y.; Thorpe, P.J.; Cock, P.J.A.; Tze-Yin Lim, J.; Armstrong, M.R.; Janakowski, S.; Sobczak, M.; Hein, I.; Mimee, B.; Jones, J.T.; Blok, V.C. (2020) The genomic impact of selection for virulence against resistance in the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida., Genes, 11, Article No. 1429.

Varypatakis, K.; Jones, J.T.; Blok, V.C. (2019) Susceptibility of potato varieties to populations of Globodera pallida., Nematology, 21(9), 995-998

Papasotiriou, F.; Varypatakis, K.; Christofi, C.; Tjamos, S.E.; Paplomatas, E.J. (2013) Olive mill wastes: a source of resistance for plants against Verticillium dahliae and a reservoir of biocontrol agents., Biological Control, 67(1), 51-60