Dr Elena Mitsi

Senior Research Associate

Elena obtained a BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology from the University of Patras (Greece) in 2005, following an MRes in Biotechnology from the same University (2005-2008). She was awarded a 2-year Research Fellowship sponsored by the Hellenic Institute of Research and Technology as part of her post graduate studies.

Elena holds a PhD in Immunology of infectious diseases from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM). Her thesis was focused on the impact of nasal pneumococcal colonisation on the lung immune landscape.

After the completion of her post-doctoral training (2019-2021), Elena was promoted to Senior Research Associate.

Research

Her research focuses on: 

- host and pathogen interactions during respiratory bacterial and viral (SARS-CoV-2, RSV and flu) co-infection

- Mucosal (nasal and lung) immune responses to respiratory pathogens

- Identifying correlates of susceptibility to respiratory infections in susceptible groups, such the elderly and children.

Projects

• Treatment of Respiratory Infections with Inhaled Antimicrobials (EPSRC Award to Dr Elena Mitsi & Prof D. Ferreira)

• Investigation of the breadth and longevity of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 (Pfizer grant awarded to Dr Elena Mitsi)

• SARS-CoV-2 and S. pneumoniae interactions during COVID-19 disease (Pfizer grant awarded to Dr Elena Mitsi & Prof D. Ferreira)

• Impact of pneumococcal colonisation and of Live Attenuated and Inactivated virus in the human lung (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation award to Dr Elena Mitsi & Prof D. Ferreira)

Teaching

During her MSc (2005 - 2008) she was teaching undergraduate students PCR and ELISA techniques in Molecular Biology practical courses. Since 2013 she has been teaching the laboratory session on pneumonia and respiratory health for the MSc Tropical Infectious Diseases course at LSTM.

Current Projects

SARS-CoV-2 and S. pneumoniae interactions during COVID-19 disease- Pfizer granted to Dr Elena Mitsi & Prof Daniela Ferreira

Impact of pneumococcal colonisation and of Live Attenuated and Inactivated virus in the human lung- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Dr Elena Mitsi & Prof Daniela Ferreira

Effect vaccines on Experimental Human Pneumococcal Carriage – Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant to Dr. Daniela Ferreira.

Recent publications: 

    Selected publications

    • Carniel F.B, Marcon F, J. Rylance, S. Zaidi, J. Reiné, E. Negera, E. Nikolaou, A. Collins, D. Bogaert, S.B. Gordon, N. Helder, D.M Ferreira, S. P. Jochems, E. Mitsi. Pneumococcal colonization impairs mucosal immune responses to live attenuated influenza vaccine. JCI Insight. 2021;6(4)

      Mitsi, E., D. McLenaghan, A. S. Wolf, S. Jones, A. M. Collins, A. Hyder-Wright, D. Goldblatt, R. S. Heyderman, S. B. Gordon, and D. M. Ferreira. 2021. 'PCV13 induced IgG responses in serum associate with serotype-specific IgG in the lung', J Infect Dis.

      Mitsi, E., B. Carniel, J. Reine, J. Rylance, S. Zaidi, A. Soares-Schanoski, V. Connor, A. M. Collins, A. Schlitzer, E. Nikolaou, C. Solorzano, S. Pojar, K. C. Jambo, M. R. Oggioni, M. De Ste Croix, S. B. Gordon, S. P. Jochems & D. M. Ferreira (2019) Nasal Pneumococcal Density is Associated with Microaspiration and Heightened Human Alveolar Macrophage Responsiveness to Bacterial Pathogens. Am J Respir Crit Care Med.

      Mitsi, E., A. M. Roche, J. Reine, T. Zangari, J. T. Owugha, S. H. Pennington, J. F. Gritzfeld, A. D. Wright, A. M. Collins, S. van Selm, M. I. de Jonge, S. B. Gordon, J. N. Weiser and D. M. Ferreira (2017). Agglutination by anti-capsular polysaccharide antibody is associated with protection against experimental human pneumococcal carriage. Mucosal Immunol 10(2): 385-39

      Mitsi E, Kamng’ona R, Rylance J, Reiné J, Solórzano CD, Mwandumba HC, Ferreira DM,Jambo KC. Human alveolar macrophages phenotype in steady state has a combined M1 and M2 signature independent of environmental exposures. Respir Res 2018; 19: 66.