Current Position

Senior Scientist, Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Genetics
Director of the Laboratory of Forensic Genetics
Associate Professor & Molecular Genetics Course Coordinator, CING Postgraduate School
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics
 

Education

BSc, Microbiology, 1988, University College London, University of London, UK
PhD, Human Genetics, 1994, University College London, University of London, UK
 

Research Interests

• Transfer, persistence, prevalence and recovery of Trace DNA including genetic basis of shedder status
• Genetics of Familial Hypercholesteroleamia
• Multiomics studies focusing on the understanding and risk stratification of patients with thoracic (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA)
   

Biography

Dr Stavroulla Xenophontos is the Head of the Department of Cardiovascular Genetics and the Director of the Laboratory of Forensic Genetics at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING) since the 1st of October 2024. In 1994, she joined the CING as a postdoctoral scientist in Molecular Genetics Department C where she worked with an international team towards the mapping of the second gene for Polycystic kidney disease. In 1997, she joined the Department of Cardiovascular Genetics and the Laboratory of Forensic Genetics where she contributed to the diagnostic and forensic services of the department and laboratory respectively, participated in the activities of the missing persons programme and served as the liaison between the laboratory and the Committee on Missing Persons. She also spearheaded the implementation of the laboratory’s ISO 17025 quality assurance programme as its quality assurance manager from 2013-2025. Further to these responsibilities, Dr Xenophontos is involved in the research and academic activities of her team and provides expert testimony in courts of law of the Republic of Cyprus and the British Sovereign Bases as a DNA expert. She has supervised several post-graduate students as a faculty member of the CING Postgraduate School and collaborated with national and international organizations in high impact research studies in both forensic and cardiovascular genetics. She is also an active member in the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Expert DNA Working Group and the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. 

Selected Publications

1. Peter Gill, Ane Elida Fonneløp, Tacha Hicks, Stavroulla Xenophontos, Marios Cariolou, Roland van Oorschot et al. The ReAct project: Analysis of data from 23 different laboratories to characterise DNA recovery given two sets of activity level propositions. FSI Genetics: DOI of original article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2025.103223.
2. Moutsouri I, Manoli P, Christofi V, Bashiardes E, Keravnou A, Xenophontos S, et al. (2024) Deciphering the maternal ancestral lineage of Greek Cypriots, Armenian Cypriots and Maronite Cypriots. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0292790. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292790.
3. Rafailia Kazamia, Anna Keravnou, Areti Moushi, Kleitos Sokratous, Kyriaki Michailidou, Kristia Yiangou, Marinos Soteriou, Stavroulla Xenophontos, Marios A. Cariolou and Evy Bashiardes. Tissue and plasma proteomic profiling indicates AHSG as a potential biomarker for ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders (2023) 23:138 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-023-03154-6.
4. Stavroulla Xenophontos, Margarita Zachariou, Pavlos Polycarpou, Elena Ioannidou, Vera Kazandjian, Maria Lagou, Anna Michaelidou, George M. Spyrou, Marios A. Cariolou, Leonidas Phylactou. The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, an emerging paradigm of a gender egalitarian organisation. PLoS One. 2022 Sep 15;17(9):e0274356. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274356. eCollection 2022.
5. Moutsouri Irene, Keravnou Anna, Manoli Panayiotis, Bertoncini Stefania, Michailidou Kyriaki; Christofi Vasilis, Xenophontos Stavroulla, Cariolou, Marios A, Bashiardes Evy. Comparative Y-chromosome analysis among Cypriots in the context of historical events and migrations. PLoS One. 2021; 16(8): e0255140. PMID: 34424929