DrChristina Vagena-Pantoula

Christina is a Research Associate in the Vermot lab, where she investigates the role of mechanical forces in heart development. Her work focuses on understanding how mechanotransduction pathways shape cardiac valve formation in zebrafish, advancing our knowledge of early organogenesis. Christina received her PhD in Bioengineering from Imperial College London under the supervision of Prof. Julien Vermot, following a Master’s degree in Translational Research in Biomedicine and a Bachelor’s in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece.

In addition to her research, Christina is an active member of the UK Zebrafish Research Network (formerly known as the London Zebrafish Club), where she serves on the committee. Her involvement reflects her commitment to fostering scientific collaboration across London, the UK, and Europe, as well as her dedication to promoting public engagement with science.

Before pursuing her PhD, Christina worked as a Bioengineering Departmental Technician at Imperial College London, leading the management of the Genomics, Microbiology, and Histology Core Facilities. In parallel, she served as a Research Assistant in the Department of Life Sciences, investigating the molecular basis of the pathogenicity of novel oomycete pathogens in Caenorhabditis elegans.