HELENI VASTARDIS

Heleni Vastardis

Associate Professor

Department of Orthodontics

Contact details

Phone: (+30) 210-746-1191
Email: vastard[at]dent.uoa[dot]gr

Mailing Address:
2 Thivon Str, 115 27 Athens, Greece

Profiles and publications

Education / Qualifications

1986-1991: D.D.S., Valedictorian, School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)
1992: Research Fellow, Department of Orthodontics, Kjaer Laboratory, University of Copenhagen
1992-1996: Clinical specialty training in Orthodontics, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
1992-1996: D.M.Sc. (equivalent to Ph.D.) in Oral Biology, Harvard Medical School
1996-1997: Postdoctoral training, Seidman Lab & Tabin Lab, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School

Academic and professional positions held

2020- : Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, NKUA
2015-2020: Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, NKUA
2009- 2015: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, NKUA
2000-2010: Assistant Research Professor, Department of Orthodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
2000-2005: Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
1997-2000: Assistant Professor, Division of Basic Sciences and Division of Growth and Developmental Sciences (Orthodontics), New York University College of Dentistry
1997-2000: Lecturer in Orthodontics, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
1996-1997: Clinical Instructor in Orthodontics, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
1996-1997: Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Administrative and organizational experience

Didactic

Undergraduate: 51253-4 Biology – Genetics (lectures), 51069- Orthodontics I (lectures) School of Dentistry, NKUA
Postgraduate: ΒΣ1-Morphogenesis of the craniofacial complex (coordination- lectures), ΒΣ2-Dysmorphogenesis and syndromes of the craniofacial complex (coordination- lectures), ΓΜ4-Oral Biology I (lectures), ΓΜ8- Head and Neck Anatomy (lectures), School of Dentistry, NKUA

Administrative

Member in Postgraduate Education Committee, Financial Committee, and Ethics Committee, School of Dentistry, NKUA.

Awards and Honours

2000-2001: National Hellenic Scholarship Foundation Award
2000: Best poster presentation, 76^th Congress, European Orthodontic Society
1999: Basil O’ Connor Starter Scholar Award, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1999: Searle Scholars Program Nominee, New York University
1999: Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences Nominee, New York University
1999: Dean’s Faculty Research Fund, New York University College of Dentistry
1998: Finalist, E. H. Hatton Award Competition, AADR
1998: Biomedical Research Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation
1998: New York University Research Challenge Fund, New York University College of Dentistry
1997: Award of Special Merit, American Association of Orthodontists
1997: Biomedical Research Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation
1997: Dean’s Faculty Research Fund, New York University College of Dentistry
1996: Joseph L. Henry Award, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
1995: TELP Fellowship Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation
1995: Alexander S. Onassis Foundation Award
1994: Gerondelis Scholarship Foundation Award
1993: Hellenic Harvard Club Award
1992-1994: National Hellenic Scholarship Foundation Award
1992: Lilian Voudouris Foundation Award
1988-1991: Papadakis Scholarship Foundation Award
1987-1990: Seaman's Welfare
1986-1990: National Hellenic Scholarship Foundation Award

Memberships

1991-2000: Dental Society of Attica, Greece
1991-today: Harvard Society for the Advancement of Orthodontics
1991-today: American Dental Association
1991-today: American Association of Orthodontists
1994-today: American Association for Dental Research
1994-today: International Association for Dental Research
1996-today: Hellenic Association of Medical Geneticists
1999-today: Greek Association for Orthodontic Study & Research
1999-today: European Orthodontic Society
2000-today: Hellenic Society of Odontostomatological Research
2007-today: Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics

Research Theses - Books

Genetic Approaches to Understanding Tooth Development. A Human MSX1 Homeodomain Missense Mutation Causes Selective Tooth Agenesis. (Doctoral degree thesis, 1991)
Craniosynostosis: Phenotype, diagnosis, surgical correction, research. From the operating room to the laboratory bench. (Research monography, 2002)

Research Grants and Contracts

2012-2013: T. Koulouridis Foundation (supported by P & G ) (P.I)
2009-2011: Eea grants (Agreement between the Financial Mechanism Committee established by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Hellenic Republic) (co-P.I)
2004-2009: National Institute of Health (NIH/NIDCR RO1 DE016107-01) (co-P.I)
2002-2005: National Institute of Health (NIH/NIDCR DE 014649-01) (co-P.I)
2002-2005: March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (co-P.I)
2001-2003: Biomedical Research Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (co-P.I)
2000-2001: Hellenic Scholarship Foundation (P.I)
1999-2005: National Institute of Health (NIH/NIDCR K23DE00422) (co-P.I)
1999-2001: Basil O’ Connor Research Award, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (P.I)
1998-1999: Biomedical Research Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (P.I)
1998-1999: Research Challenge Fund, New York University (P.I)
1997-1998: Dean’s Research Award, New York University College of Dentistry (P.I)
1997: Start-up funding for setting up a basic science laboratory, New York University School of Dentistry (P.I)
1997-1998: Biomedical Research Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (P.I)
1995-1996: TELP Fellowship Award, American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (Principal Investigator, P.I)

Selected publications in scientific journals

A human MSX1 homeodomain missense mutation causes selective tooth agenesis. Vastardis H, Karimbux N, Guthua SW, Seidman JG, Seidman CE. Nature Genet. 13:417-21, 1996.
Haploinsufficiency of MSX1: A mechanism for selective tooth agenesis. Hu GZ*, Vastardis H*, Bendall AJ*, Wang Z, Logan MP, Zhang H, Stein S, Greenfield N, Seidman CE, Seidman JG, Abate-Shen C. Mol Cell Biol. 18(10):6044-6051, 1998.* Authors contributed equally
Human NELL-1 expressed in unilateral coronal synostosis. Ting K, Vastardis H, Mulliken JB, Soo C, Tieu A, Do H, Kwong E, Bertolami CN, Kawamoto H, Kuroda S, Longaker MT. J Bone Miner Res. 14(1): 80-89, 1999.
The genetics of human tooth agenesis: New discoveries for understanding dental anomalies. Vastardis H. Am. J. Orthod. Dentofac. Orthop. 117(6):650-656, 2000.
Overexpression of Nell-1, a craniosynostosis-associated gene, induces apoptosis in osteoblasts during craniofacial development. Zhang X, Carpenter D, Bokui N, Soo C, Miao S, Truong T, Wu B, Chen I, Vastardis H, Tanizawa K, Kuroda S, Ting K. J Bone Miner Res. 18(12):2126-34, 2003.
Unilateral coronal synostosis: a histomorphometric study. Vastardis H, Mulliken JB, Glowacki J. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 41(4):439-446, 2004.
Expression of stem cell factor and its receptor, c-kit, in oral mesenchymal cells. Gagari E, Rand MK, Tayari L, Vastardis H, Sharma P, Hauschka PV and Damoulis PD. J Oral Sci. 114:409-415, 2006.
Periodontitis associated with Hajdu-Cheney syndrome. Bazopoulou-Kyrkanidou E, Vrahopoulos TP, Eliades G, Vastardis H, Tosios K, Vrotsos IA. J Periodontol. 78(9):1831-1838, 2007.
Cephalometric Evaluation of the Craniofacial Complex in Patients Treated with an Intra-oral Distraction Osteogenesis Device. A Long Term Study. Chow A, Lee H-F, Trahar M, Kawamoto H, Vastardis H, Ting K. Am. J. Orthod. Dentofac. Orthop. 134(6):724-731, 2008.
Revisiting the morphogenesis of the human lower lip: An overlooked paradigm. Vastardis H, Spyropoulos MN. Front. Physiol. 3:333, 2012.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated chaperones, Bip/GRP78 and calnexin are overexpressed in keratocystic odontogenic tumours. Pavli M, Farmaki E, Merkourea S, Vastardis H, Sklavounou A, Tzerbos F, Chatzistamou I. J Oral Maxillofac Res. 1:5(1), 2014.
Signaling mechanisms implicated in cranial sutures pathophysiology: Craniosynostosis. Katsianou MA, Adamopoulos C, Vastardis H, Basdra EK. BBA Clin. 6:165-176, 2016.
Evidence for APOBEC3B mRNA and protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinomas. Fanourakis G, Tosios K, Papanikolaou N, Chatzistamou I, Xydous M, Tseleni-Balafouta S, Sklavounou A, Voutsinas GE, Vastardis H. Exp Mol Pathol. 101(3):314-319, 2016.
Continuous hydrostatic pressure induces differentiation phenomena in chondrocytes mediated by changes in polycystins, SOX9, and RUNX2. Karamesinis K, Spyropoulou A, Dalagiorgou G, Katsianou MA, Nokhbehsaim M, Memmert S, Deschner J, Vastardis H, Piperi C. J Orofac Orthop. 78(1):21-31, 2017.