Peter Papageorgiou Connecting the Dots:

The Role of beta-FXIIa in Hypertension and Chronic Renal Failure

Peter Papageorgiou was born in Toronto, but it’s only been a few years since he became familiar with the city again. He lived in Greece until high school, where he received the International Baccalaureate diploma. Afterwards, he moved to the United Kingdom for his undergraduate studies, and was exposed to the scientific method in a research course during his final year as a student in the Faculty of Science. With his piqued interest in research, he went on to study the role of gastrin in digestion using transgenic animals. It was the complexity of biological systems and his experiences working with radioactive isotopes that truly got him hooked on research. 

Upon completing his undergraduate degree, Papageorgiou moved back to Toronto to pursue his love of science in a Master’s program. Along with Dr. Daniel Osmond in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto, he discovered a molecule that plays a key role in hypertension. Further research revealed that this protein was in fact the beta-fragment of activated coagulation factor XII (beta-FXIIa). Moreover, Papageorgiou found that injection of beta-FXIIa increased blood pressure and released plasma catecholamines, thereby establishing a physiological connection between the coagulation and sympatho-adrenal systems. 

Hoping to delve further into the relationship between these two systems, Papageorgiou chose to pursue the project further with Dr. John Floras at the IMS. His motivation for joining the PhD program at the IMS was solely driven by his fondness for the work. With the goal of applying his in vitro work to animals and humans, the IMS’ focus on translational research was a perfect match. At the IMS, he was also able to easily form collaborations with experts from cardiology, hematology, nephrology and physiology. 

Now preparing for his final defense, Papageorgiou reflects that his PhD learning experience has been amazing. In a longitudinal cohort study involving hemodialysis patients and in an interventional study using an animal model of chronic renal failure, he was able to demonstrate the participation of beta- FXIIa in blood pressure regulation in chronic renal failure. His hard work has culminated in numerous conference presentations and multiple awards, including being named a Research Fellow of the International Society of Hypertension and winning an educational award from Hypertension Canada. Papageorgiou has also received funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Oliver Studentship for Research on Kidney and Kidney-related Diseases, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Currently, Papageorgiou is working on a manuscript for the Journal of Clinical Investigation, where he aims to publish his PhD research. 

When asked what he likes to do during his spare time, Papageorgiou smiles. “PhD students have no spare time,” he says. Ultimately, however, he is pleased with his experiences as a graduate student. “I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have had as the IMS helped me bridge my work from basic to translational research.” Truly driven by passion, Papageorgiou hopes to continue pursuing research in the future in hopes of elucidating the complex biological systems of hypertension.

September 2011