Background

Magdaline Sakkas joined the AMREPFlow, Core Flow Cytometry Facility in 2017. Prior to this, she was a post-doctoral scientist for 17 years and worked on a range of projects.

She spent most of her postdoctoral career working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. She successfully generated a gene targeting protocol and differentiated these cells into endothelium.

Recently, iPS cells generated from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) were used to investigate this disease in vitro.

Positions

• January 2017-current, Flow Cytometrist, AMREPFlow, Core Flow Cytometry Facility.

• August 2013-January 2017, Senior Research Officer. Monash University, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD). Employer: Associate Professor Jody Haigh. Project title: The generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from leukaemic blood samples to investigate mechanisms leading to aberrant haematopoiesis.

• January 2016-May 2016: Research Officer, Monash University, Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI). Employer Andras Nagy. Cellular Reprogramming.

• February 2002-August 2013: Research Fellow. Monash University, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology/Monash Immunology and stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL)/Institute of Reproduction and Development (IRD). Employers: Professor A.G. Elefanty and Professor E.G. Stanley. Project titles: (i) Genetic modification of human embryonic stem cells using homologous recombination; (ii) Generation, characterisation and maturation of endothelial cells (ECs) derived from hESCs and iPS cells (source: fibroblasts from both healthy individuals and patients with familial pulmonary arterial hypertension, PAH).

• February 2000-February 2002: Research Fellow, Monash University, Department of Medicine, Box Hill Hospital. Employer: Professor R.L. Medcalf. Project title: Mechanisms governing the cell-specific regulation of the human tissue-type plasminogen activator gene.

• July 1999-February 2000: Research Assistant, Monash University, Department of Medicine, Box Hill Hospital. Employer: Professor R.L. Medcalf. Project title: Mechanisms governing the cell-specific regulation of the human tissue-type plasminogen activator gene.

Qualifications

• 1993-1994: Bachelor of Science, Monash University,
• 1995: Bachelor of Science, Honours, Monash University,
• 1996-1999: PhD, Monash University,

Awards

• 2010-2012, Qatar National Research Fund. Application ID NPRP09-1087-3-274, Lead PI, Prof. Ed Stanley (Monash, MISCL), Co-Investigators Prof. Andrew Elefanty (Monash, MISCL), Dr David Elliot (Monash MISCL), Dr Magdaline Costa (Monash, MISCL), Prof J. Arash Tabrizi (Weill-Cornell Medical College, Qatar). Cardiovascular progenitors derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

• 2003-2005, NHMRC grant number 236862, CI’s Medcalf, RL, Costa, M. Molecular mechanisms for the cell-type specific regulation of the tissue-type plasminogen activator gene

• 1999-2001, NHMRC grant number 990219, CI’s Medcalf, RL, Costa M. Molecular control of fibrinolysis

Publications (20)

2017 (1)

• Oncogenic ZEB2 activation drives sensitivity towards KDM1A inhibition in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
  Goossens S, Peirs S, Van Loocke W, Wang J, Takawy M, Matthijssens F, Sonderegger SE, Haigh K, Nguyen T, Vandamme N, Costa M, Carmichael C, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Deforce D, Kleifeld O, Curtis DJ, Berx G, Van Vlierberghe P, Haigh JJ
  Blood. 2017 Jan; Epub ahead of print

2016 (2)

• Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to HOXA+ hemogenic vasculature that resembles the aorta-gonad-mesonephros.
  Ng ES, Azzola L, Bruveris FF, Calvanese V, Phipson B, Vlahos K, Hirst C, Jokubaitis VJ, Yu QC, Maksimovic J, Liebscher S, Januar V, Zhang Z, Williams B, Conscience A, Durnall J, Jackson S, Costa M, Elliott D, Haylock DN, Nilsson SK, Saffery R, Schenke-Layland K, Oshlack A, Mikkola HK, Stanley EG, Elefanty AG
  Nat Biotechnol. 2016 Nov; 34(11):1168-1179
• GAPTrap: A Simple Expression System for Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivatives.
  Kao T, Labonne T, Niclis JC, Chaurasia R, Lokmic Z, Qian E, Bruveris FF, Howden SE, Motazedian A, Schiesser JV, Costa M, Sourris K, Ng E, Anderson D, Giudice A, Farlie P, Cheung M, Lamande SR, Penington AJ, Parish CL, Thomson LH, Rafii A, Elliott DA, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Stem Cell Reports. 2016 Sep; 7(3):518-526

2015 (1)

• ZEB2 drives immature T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia development via enhanced tumour-initiating potential and IL-7 receptor signalling.
  Goossens S, Radaelli E, Blanchet O, Durinck K, Van der Meulen J, Peirs S, Taghon T, Tremblay CS, Costa M, Farhang Ghahremani M, De Medts J, Bartunkova S, Haigh K, Schwab C, Farla N, Pieters T, Matthijssens F, Van Roy N, Best JA, Deswarte K, Bogaert P, Carmichael C, Rickard A, Suryani S, Bracken LS, Alserihi R, Canté-Barrett K, Haenebalcke L, Clappier E, Rondou P, Slowicka K, Huylebroeck D, Goldrath AW, Janzen V, McCormack MP, Lock RB, Curtis DJ, Harrison C, Berx G, Speleman F, Meijerink JP, Soulier J, Van Vlierberghe P, Haigh JJ
  Nat Commun. 2015 Jan; 6:5794

2014 (1)

• SIRPA, VCAM1 and CD34 identify discrete lineages during early human cardiovascular development.
  Skelton RJ, Costa M, Anderson DJ, Bruveris F, Finnin BW, Koutsis K, Arasaratnam D, White AJ, Rafii A, Ng ES, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG, Pouton CW, Haynes JM, Ardehali R, Davis RP, Mummery CL, Elliott DA
  Stem Cell Res. 2014 Jul; 13(1):172-179

2013 (1)

• Derivation of endothelial cells from human embryonic stem cells in fully defined medium enables identification of lysophosphatidic acid and platelet activating factor as regulators of eNOS localization.
  Costa M, Sourris K, Lim SM, Yu QC, Hirst CE, Parkington HC, Jokubaitis VJ, Dear AE, Liu HB, Micallef SJ, Koutsis K, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Stem Cell Res. 2013 Jan; 10(1):103-117

2012 (1)

• APELIN promotes hematopoiesis from human embryonic stem cells.
  Yu QC, Hirst CE, Costa M, Ng ES, Schiesser JV, Gertow K, Stanley EG, Elefanty AG
  Blood. 2012 Jun; 119(26):6243-6254

2009 (1)

• Generation of human embryonic stem cell reporter knock-in lines by homologous recombination.
  Davis RP, Grandela C, Sourris K, Hatzistavrou T, Dottori M, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG, Costa M
  Curr Protoc Stem Cell Biol. 2009 Nov; Chapter 5(Unit 5B.1):1-34

2008 (3)

• A protocol for removal of antibiotic resistance cassettes from human embryonic stem cells genetically modified by homologous recombination or transgenesis.
  Davis RP, Costa M, Grandela C, Holland AM, Hatzistavrou T, Micallef SJ, Li X, Goulburn AL, Azzola L, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Nat Protoc. 2008 Oct; 3(10):1550-1558
• Expansion of human embryonic stem cells in vitro.
  Costa M, Sourris K, Hatzistavrou T, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Curr Protoc Stem Cell Biol. 2008 May; Chapter 1(Unit 1C (Suppl 5)):1-7
• Targeting a GFP reporter gene to the MIXL1 locus of human embryonic stem cells identifies human primitive streak-like cells and enables isolation of primitive hematopoietic precursors.
  Davis RP, Ng ES, Costa M, Mossman AK, Sourris K, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Blood. 2008 Feb; 111(4):1876-1884

2007 (1)

• A method for genetic modification of human embryonic stem cells using electroporation.
  Costa M, Dottori M, Sourris K, Jamshidi P, Hatzistavrou T, Davis R, Azzola L, Jackson S, Lim SM, Pera M, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Nat Protoc. 2007 Apr; 2(4):792-796

2005 (2)

• In vivo and in vitro analysis of the human tissue-type plasminogen activator gene promoter in neuroblastomal cell lines: evidence for a functional upstream kappaB element.
  Lux W, Klobeck HG, Daniel PB, Costa M, Medcalf RL, Schleuning WD
  J Thromb Haemast. 2005 May; 3(5):1009-1017
• The hESC line Envy expresses high levels of GFP in all differentiated progeny.
  Costa M, Dottori M, Ng E, Hawes SM, Sourris K, Jamshidi P, Pera MF, Elefanty AG, Stanley EG
  Nat Methods. 2005 Apr; 2(4):259-260

2001 (2)

• Human endothelial cell-derived nuclear proteins that recognise polymorphic DNA elements in the von Willebrand factor gene promoter include YY1.
  Costa M, Grant PJ, Rice GI, Futers TS, Medcalf RL
  Thromb Haemost. 2001 Aug; 86(2):672-679
• Ectopic expression of the cAMP-responsive element binding protein inhibits phorbol ester-mediated induction of tissue-type plasminogen activator gene expression.
  Costa M, Medcalf RL
  Eur J Biochem. 2001 Feb; 268(4):987-96(4):987-996

2000 (1)

• Overexpression of a dominant negative CREB protein in HT-1080 cells selectively disrupts plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 but not tissue-type plasminogen activator gene expression.
  Costa M, Shen Y, Medcalf RL
  FEBS Lett. 2000 Sep; 482(1-2):75-80

1998 (1)

• Transcriptional regulation of the tissue-type plasminogen-activator gene in human endothelial cells: identification of nuclear factors that recognise functional elements in the tissue-type plasminogen-activator gene promoter.
  Costa M, Shen Y, Maurer F, Medcalf RL
  Eur J Biochem. 1998 Nov; 258(1):123-131

1997 (1)

• Urokinase-mediated transactivation of the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2) gene promoter in HT-1080 cells utilises AP-1 binding sites and potentiates phorbol ester-mediated induction of endogenous PAI-2 mRNA.
  Dear AE, Costa M, Medcalf RL
  FEBS Lett. 1997 Feb; 402(2-3):265-272

1996 (1)

• Differential binding of cAMP-responsive-element (CRE)-binding protein-1 and activating transcription factor-2 to a CRE-like element in the human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) gene promoter correlates with opposite regulation of t-PA by phorbol
  Costa M, Medcalf RL
  Eur J Biochem. 1996 May; 237(3):532-538