5 minutes with Marika Charalambous

Briefly, tell us about your career journey up to this point. What drew you to developmental epigenetics?

I did my graduate studies in the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Developmental Biology at the University of Bath, surrounded by classical vertebrate developmental biologists with a very deterministic view of molecular genetics. However, in my lab, we worked on embryonic growth pathways that were controlled by a set of epigenetically regulated genes called ‘imprinted genes’. At that time some of the first studies demonstrating that epigenetic mechanisms can be altered by the environment were being published. I was inspired by the idea that there may be more than one possible body plan encoded by our genes, and that there might be mechanisms by which the early life environment can influence development in an adaptive way. Since then I have been using genetic manipulation of imprinted genes in mice as a system in which to understand the relationships between the maternal environment, growth, body composition and lifelong metabolic health.

Can you tell us more about your new appointment as School Research & Impact Lead? What made you apply and what do you hope to achieve?

For me one of the pleasures of being a scientist is connecting with other researchers, talking about ideas and finding ways to collaborate. Since coming to King’s in 2017 I’ve noticed that it can be difficult to meet others outside of our Departments and immediate network. This is a shame because we have such a breadth of knowledge and expertise across our School. As Research & Impact Lead, I’d like to remove some of the barriers to communication and try to stimulate more interaction at all levels; students, postdocs, PIs and professional services.

What do you think the major challenges and opportunities are for researchers at this time?

There is so much uncertainty in our profession, and this has only got worse in the past year. One ray of light for me has been the spectacular demonstration that if sufficient political will and resources are put behind it, scientific research can make a tangible difference to a global crisis. I’m hoping that this support and optimism about research is going to carry forward. However, I believe it’s important for us as researchers to continue to engage with the public and communicate why what we do is so valuable.

Do you have any current projects that you would like to tell us about? How do you think they could impact people’s lives?

Recent work in the lab has been focused on the molecular mechanisms by which the mother and fetus communicate during pregnancy. We are interested in how signals produced by the placenta and developing embryo can influence how the mother makes energy available for the growing fetus. We are also trying to understand how genetic pathways that act in the maternal brain and endocrine system influence her response to these signals. A few years ago we found that an imprinted gene product, DLK1, is produced by the fetus and enters the maternal circulation. There it appears to influence how the mother generates energy from fat during pregnancy. Importantly, work with clinical colleagues revealed that the amount of DLK1 in the mother’s blood was a good readout of how well the baby is growing in late pregnancy. We are currently trying to understand more about this process, and our collaborators are incorporating DLK1 into their protocols to see if it will stand up as a diagnostic marker for pregnancy complications.

Anything else you would like to include?

If you have ideas about improving interaction and collaboration, I’m keen to hear them!

QUICK-FIRE...

What advice would you give to your 16-year-old self? Put down that snakebite and black and exercise! It’s a great way to maintain your mental health.

What’s your favourite movie? Grosse Pointe Blank

Favourite way to spend an afternoon? Walking briskly in the fresh air.