Staff Profile

Positions

• 2017 – Lecturer in Metabolic Biochemistry. Biology - School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
• 2011 – Research Associate. Dept. Metabolic Biology/Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
• 2008 – Post-doc. CNAP-School of Biology, University of York, York, UK
• 2005 – Post-doc. Dept. Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
• 2002 – Post-doc. The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK

Qualifications

• Ph.D. School of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Reading, UK
• M.Sc. Crop Physiology, Department of Agricultural Botany, University of Reading, UK
• B.Sc. Plant Biology and Agriculture, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Newcastle Teaching Award

Roles-responsibilities

• Lecturer in Metabolic Biochemistry and Plant Biology
• Degree Programme Director, B.Sc./M.Biol. Biology
• SNES Flexible Learning Group
• Biology Health and Safety Committee
• PARTNERS Academic Summer School - Biological Sciences strand (Co-ordinator; 2017/18)

Peer review

Journals: Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, New Phytologist, Biochemical Society Transactions, Molecular Plant Pathology, Planta, Gene Reports, BMC Plant Biology

Grants: BBSRC

Memberships

International Association of Sexual Plant Reproduction Research (IASPRR)

Research focus

Our expertise is in plant primary metabolism, seed biology and biochemical genetics. We use molecular and chemical genetics, biochemistry and bioimaging to dissect the link between metabolism and growth in developing and in germinating seeds and seedlings.

We study three fundamental aspects of plant biology:

• how carbohydrate availability coordinates with growth during embryogenesis to regulate seed set, embryo morphogenesis and viability,
• how environmental stress impacts on reproductive growth and what molecular processes underpin seed responses to stress,  
• what post-germination processes in the seedling control root growth and development for successful establishment of the new plant.

The lab is located at the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences - Devonshire Building. We are part of the Molecular Life Sciences Research Group of the Biology cluster in SNES (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/nes/our-research/biology/molecular-biology-biotech/).



The lab is always happy to host Stage 3 and Stage 4 undergraduate, as well as taught post-graduate students for lab-based projects. We welcome informal enquiries about potential PhD projects related to our research from talented and enthusiastic researchers/students. Please contact Vasilios Andriotis with a CV and research interests to discuss opportunities to join the lab.

Current Modules

• NES1303 - Cells and Biomolecules (Module leader); Stage 1
• NES1504 - Academic and Professional skills for the Biosciences; Stage 1
• NES2308 - Plant Biology; Stage 2
• NES3505 - Research Project; Stage 3

Past Modules

• BIO1010 - Biology in Action; Stage 1
• BIO1019 - Introductory Biochemistry for Biologists; Stage 1; Module Leader
• BIO2021 - Employability skills for Biologists; Stage 2
• BIO3197 - Biological Literature Review; Stage 3
• BIO3198 - Biological Information Project; Stage 3
• BIO3199 - Biological Research Project; Stage 3
• BIO3048 - Current Research in Plant and Microbial Biology; Stage 3
• BIO3052 - Global Challenges in Plant Science Research; Stage 3
• BIO8096 - M.Sc. Industrial and Commercial Biotechnology (Dissertation)
• BIO8196 - M.Biol. Research Project 
• BIO8198 - M.Res. Research Dissertation Project (PGR)

• NUSU TEA 2018 awards: Outstanding contribution to teaching – SAGE Faculty (nominated); March 2018
• NUSU TEA 2022 awards: Outstanding contribution to teaching – SAGE Faculty (shortlisted); March 2022
• NUSU TEA 2023: Outstanding contribution to teaching – SAGE Faculty (nominated); March 2023  

• Articles

  • Andriotis VME, Smith AM. The plastidial pentose phosphate pathway is essential for postglobular embryo development in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2019, 116(30), 15267-15306.
  • Rugen M, Vernet MJL, Hantouti L, Soenens A, Andriotis VME, Rejzek M, Brett P, van den Berg RJBHN, Aerts JMFG, Overkleeft HS, Field RA. A chemical genetic screen reveals that iminosugar inhibitors of plant glucosylceramide synthase inhibit root growth in Arabidopsis and cereals. Scientific Reports 2018, 8, 16421.
  • Andriotis VM, Saalbach G, Waugh R, Field RA, Smith AM. The Maltase Involved in Starch Metabolism in Barley Endosperm Is Encoded by a Single Gene. PLoS ONE 2016, 11(3), e0151642.
  • Andriotis VM, Rejzek M, Barclay E, Rugen MD, Field RA, Smith AM. Cell wall degradation is required for normal starch mobilisation in barley endosperm. Scientific Reports 2016, 6(1), 33215.
  • Andriotis VM, Pike MJ, Schwarz SL, Rawsthorne S, Wang TL, Smith AM. Altered starch turnover in the maternal plant has major effects on Arabidopsis fruit growth and seed composition. Plant Physiology 2012, 160(3), 1175-1186.
  • Dave A, Hernández ML, He Z, Andriotis VM, Vaistij FE, Larson TR, Graham IA. 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid accumulation during seed development represses seed germination in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 2011, 23(2), 583-599.
  • Andriotis VME, Pike MJ, Bunnewell S, Hills MJ, Smith AM. The plastidial glucose 6-phosphate/phosphate antiporter GPT1 is essential for morphogenesis in Arabidopsis embryos. Plant Journal 2010, 64, 128-139.
  • Andriotis VME, Pike MJ, Kular B, Rawsthorne S, Smith AM. Starch turnover in developing oilseed embryos. New Phytologist 2010, 187, 791-804.
  • Andriotis VME, Kruger NJ, Pike MJ, Smith AM. Plastidial glycolysis in developing Arabidopsis embryos. New Phytologist 2010, 185, 649-662.

• Book Chapter

  • Rugen MD, Andriotis VME, Field RA. Small-Molecule Probes of Plant Glycopolymer Metabolism. In: Reedijk, J, ed. Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering. Elsevier, 2017.

• Review

  • Andriotis VME, Rejzek M, Rugen MD, Svensson B, Smith AM, Field RA. Iminosugar inhibitors of carbohydrate active enzymes that underpin cereal grain germination and endosperm metabolism. Biochemical Society Transactions 2016, 44(1), 159-165.