Staff Profile

Current position: 

2019-present: Faculty Fellow, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Areas of expertise:

• Genomics
• Epigenomics
• Computational biology
• Molecular haemato-oncology
• Multiple myeloma

Previous positions:

• 2018–2019: Research Associate, Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
• 2016–2017: Postdoctoral Fellow; Myeloma Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
• 2014: Visiting Scientist; Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
• 2012–2016:  Molecular Cytogeneticist; Department of Medical Genetics (University Hospital Brno) and Department of Experimental Biology (Faculty of Science, Masaryk University), Czech Republic

Qualification:

• 2016: PhD, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; thesis entitled Prognostic significance of genetic abnormalities in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
• 2010: MSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• 2008: BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

Fellowships, grants and awards:

• 2019: Faculty Fellowship, Newcastle University
• 2016: Dean Award for Outstanding Results in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance Research, award of the dean of Faculty of Science (Masaryk University, Czech Republic) for an excellency in research activities
• 2016: Conference Fellowship – 5th Course in Next Generation Sequencing, European Society of Human Genetics (Bertinoro, Italy, 05/2016)
• 2015: Conference Fellowship – 10th European Cytogenetics Conference (Strasbourg, France, 07/2015)
• 2015: Travel Grant – 20th Congress of the European Hematology Association (Vienna, Austria 06/2015)
• 2012: Research team member of grant NT13492 (04/2012 – 12/2015) – Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic: Role of genetic abnormalities in development and progression of precancerosis monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
• 2010:  Brno Ph.D. Talent Award 2010 (09/2010 – 08/2013) – Brno City Municipality, South Moravian Centre for International Mobility, Czech Republic: The role of genetic abnormalities in evolution and progression of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

Invited speaker:

• Mikulasova A et al. Genome wide profiling of chromosomal abnormalities using CGH SNP arrays in patients with MGUS premalignancy. In 12th European Cytogenomics Conference 2019 (Salzburg, Austria, 07/2019; invited speaker for Agilent Satellite Symposium)
• Mikulasova A et al. Array analysis of whole genome analyses DNA. In AIEOP-BFM ALL CGH Array Summit (Vienna, Austria, 07/2013)

Oral presentations at international conferences:

• Mikulasova A et al. Epigenomic translocation of H3K4me3 broad domain: a mechanism of super-enhancer hijacking following oncogenic translocations. In American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting 2019 (Houston, TX, USA, 10/2019)
• Mikulasova A et al. MYC rearrangements in multiple myeloma are complex, can involve more than five different chromosomes, and correlate with increased expression of MYC and a distinct downstream gene expression pattern. In 59th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition (Atlanta, GA, USA, 12/2017)
• Mikulasova A et al. The spectrum of MYC translocations and their effect on gene upregulation in a dataset of 527 multiple myeloma patients. In American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting 2017 (Orlando, FL, USA, 10/2017)
• Mikulasova A et al. Exome sequencing and SNP arrays as a tool to describe genetic diversity of premalignant and malignant cells: lesson from monoclonal gammopathies. In 10th European Cytogenetics Conference (Strasbourg, France, 07/2015)
• Mikulasova A et al. Exome sequencing points to differences in genetic instability level in MGUS compared to MM. In 20th Congress of the European Hematology Association (Vienna, Austria, 06/2015)
• Mikulasova A et al. Whole genome amplification influence to oligonucleotide CGH SNP microarray profile. In 9th European Cytogenetics Conference (Dublin, Ireland, 06/2013)

I am a Faculty Fellow at the Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University. I was always amazed by new technologies in genomics and molecular biology. My expertise lies in the detection and interpretation of structural genomic variation in cancer using next-generation sequencing technology. I have more than 10-year experience in cancer research, especially in haematological malignancies. I started my career in a molecular cytogenetics laboratory in the Czech Republic, continued with my first postdoc by genomic cancer research in the USA and then I joined Newcastle University and obtained skills in bioinformatics. 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=rn97FNEAAAAJ

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3842-512X

• Mikulasova A, Kent D, Trevisan-Herraz M, Karataraki N, Fung KTM, Ashby C, Cieslak A, Yaccoby S, van Rhee F, Zangari M, Thanendrarajan S, Schinke C, Morgan GJ, Asnafi V, Spicuglia S, Brackley CA, Corcoran AE, Hambleton S, Walker BA, Rico D, Russell LJ. Epigenomic translocation of H₃K₄me₃ broad domains over oncogenes following hijacking of super-enhancers. Genome Research 2022, 32, 1343-1354.
• Belhocine M, Simonin M, Abad-Flores JD, Cieslak A, Manosalva I, Pradel L, Smith C, Mathieu EL, Charbonnier G, Martens JHA, Stunnenberg HG, Maqbool MA, Mikulasova A, Russell LJ, Rico D, Puthier D, Ferrier P, Asnafi V, Spicuglia S. Dynamics of broad H3K4me3 domains uncover an epigenetic switch between cell identity and cancer-related genes. Genome Research 2022, 32(7), 1328-1342.
• Oud MS, Smits RM, Smith HE, Mastrorosa FK, Holt GS, Houston BJ, de Vries PF, Alobaidi BKS, Batty LE, Ismail H, Greenwood J, Sheth H, Mikulasova A, Astuti GDN, Gilissen C, McEleny K, Turner H, Coxhead J, Cockell S, Braat DDM, Fleischer K, D'Hauwers KWM, Schaafsma E, Consortium GEMINI, Nagirnaja L, Conrad DF, Friedrich C, Kliesch S, Aston KI, Riera-Escamilla A, Krausz C, Gonzaga-Jauregui C, Santibanez-Koref M, Elliott DJ, Vissers LELM, Tuttelmann F, O'Bryan MK, Ramos L, Xavier MJ, van der Heijden GW, Veltman JA. A de novo paradigm for male infertility. Nature Communications 2022, 13(154).
• Oben B, Froyen G, Maclachlan KH, Leongamornlert D, Abascal F, Zheng-Lin B, Yellapantula V, Derkach A, Geerdens E, Diamond BT, Arijs I, Maes B, Vanhees K, Hultcrantz M, Manasanch EE, Kazandjian D, Lesokhin A, Dogan A, Zhang Y, Mikulasova A, Walker B, Morgan G, Campbell PJ, Landgren O, Rummens J-L, Bolli N, Maura F. Whole-genome sequencing reveals progressive versus stable myeloma precursor conditions as two distinct entities. Nature Communications 2021, 12(1), 1861.
• Singh P, Heer M, Resteu A, Mikulasova A, Reza M, Largeaud L, Dufrechou S, Prade N, Dickinson RE, Bustamante J, Neven B, Bigley V, Delabesse E, Rico D, Pasquet M, Collin M. GATA2 deficiency phenotype associated with tandem duplication of GATA2 and overexpression of GATA2-AS1. Blood Advances 2021, 5(24), 5631-5635.
• Chyra Z, Sevcikova T, Vojta P, Puterova J, Brozova L, Growkova K, Filipova J, Zatopkova M, Grosicki S, Barchnicka A, Jedrzejczak WW, Waszczuk-Gajda A, Jungova A, Mikulasova A, Hajduch M, Mokrejs M, Pour L, Stork M, Harvanova L, Mistrik M, Mikala G, Robak P, Czyz A, Debski J, Usnarska-Zubkiewicz L, Jurczyszyn A, Stejskal L, Morgan G, Kryukov F, Budinska E, Simicek M, Jelinek T, Hrdinka M, Hajek R. Heterogenous mutation spectrum and deregulated cellular pathways in aberrant plasma cells underline molecular pathology of light-chain amyloidosis. Haematologica 2021, 106(2), 601-604.
• Smetana J, Vallova V, Wayhelova M, Hladilkova E, Filkova H, Horinova V, Broz P, Mikulasova A, Gaillyova R, Kuglik P. Case Report: Contiguous Xq22.3 Deletion Associated with ATS-ID Syndrome: From Genotype to Further Delineation of the Phenotype. Frontiers in Genetics 2021, 12, 750110.
• Wayhelova M, Vallova V, Broz P, Mikulasova A, Loubalova D, Filkova H, Smetana J, Drabova K, Gaillyova R, Kuglik P. Novel de novo pathogenic variant in the GNAI1 gene as a cause of severe disorders of intellectual development. Journal of Human Genetics 2022, 67, 209-214.
• Spegarova JS, Lawless D, Mohamad SMB, Engelhardt KR, Doody G, Shrimpton J, Rensing-Ehl A, Ehl S, Rieux-Laucat F, Cargo C, Griffin H, Mikulasova A, Acres M, Morgan NV, Poulter JA, Sheridan EG, Chetcuti P, O'Riordan S, Anwar R, Carter C, Przyborski S, Windebank K, Cant AJ, Lako M, Bacon CM, Savic S, Hambleton S. Germline TET2 loss-of-function causes childhood immunodeficiency and lymphoma. Blood 2020, 136(9), 1055-1066.
• Mikulasova A, Ashby C, Tytarenko RG, Qu P, Rosenthal A, Dent JA, Ryan KR, Bauer MA, Wardell CP, Hoering A, Mavrommatis K, Trotter M, Deshpande S, Yaccoby S, Tian E, Keats J, Auclair D, Jackson GH, Davies FE, Thakurta A, Morgan GJ, Walker BA. Microhomology-mediated end joining drives complex rearrangements and overexpression of MYC and PVT1 in multiple myeloma. Haematologica 2020, 105(4), 1055-1060.
• Duncan CJA, Thompson BJ, Chen R, Rice GI, Gothe F, Young DF, Lovell SC, Shuttleworth VG, Brocklebank V, Corner B, Skelton AJ, Bondet V, Coxhead J, Duffy D, Fourrage C, Livingston JH, Pavaine J, Cheesman E, Bitetti S, Grainger A, Acres M, Innes BA, Mikulasova A, Sun R, Hussain H, Wright R, Wynn R, Zarhrate M, Zeef LAH, Wood K, Hughes SM, Harris CL, Engelhardt KE, Crow YJ, Randall RE, Kavanagh D, Hambleton S, Briggs TA. Severe type I interferonopathy and unrestrained interferon signaling due to a homozygous germline mutation in STAT2. Science Immunology 2019, 4(42), eaav7501.
• Mikulasova A, Wardell CP, Murison A, Boyle EM, Jackson GH, Smetana J, Kufova Z, Pour L, Sandecka V, Almasi M, Vsianska P, Gregora E, Kuglik P, Hajek R, Davies FE, Morgan GJ, Walker BA. The spectrum of somatic mutations in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance indicates a less complex genomic landscape than that in multiple myeloma. Haematologica 2017, 102(9), 1617-1625.
• Sandecka V, Hajek R, Pour L, Spicka I, Scudla V, Gregora E, Radocha J, Walterova L, Kessler P, Zahradova L, Adamova D, Valentova K, Vonke I, Obernauerova J, Starostka D, Wrobel M, Brozova L, Jarkovsky J, Mikulasova A, Rihova L, Sevcikova S, Straub J, Minarik J, Adam Z, Krejci M, Kral Z, Maisnar V. A first Czech analysis of 1887 cases with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. European Journal of Haematology 2017, 99(1), 80-90.
• Mikulasova A, Smetana J, Wayhelova M, Janyskova H, Sandecka V, Kufova K, Almasi M, Jarkovsky J, Gregora E, Kessler P, Wrobel M, Walker BA, Wardell CP, Morgan GJ, Hajek R, Kuglik P. Genome-wide profiling of copy‑number alteration in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. European Journal of Haematology 2016, 97(6), 568–575.
• Wayhelova M, Mikulasova A, Smetana J, Vallova V, Blazkova D, Filkova H, Moukova L, Kuglik P. Detection of oncogenic mutations in cervical carcinoma using method High Resolution Melting (HRM). Neoplasma 2016, 63(5), 779-788.
• Walker BA, Boyle EM, Wardell CP, Murison A, Begum DB, Dahir NM, Proszek PZ, Johnson DC, Kaiser MF, Melchor L, Aronson LI, Scales M, Pawlyn C, Mirabella F, Jones JR, Brioli A, Mikulasova A, Cairns DA, Gregory WM, Quartilho A, Drayson MT, Russell N, Cook G, Jackson GH, Leleu X, Davies FE, Morgan GJ. Mutational Spectrum, Copy Number Changes, and Outcome: Results of a Sequencing Study of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Myeloma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2015, 33(33), 3911-3920.
• Vsianska P, Rihova L, Varmuzova T, Suska R, Kryukov F, Mikulasova A, Kupska R, Penka M, Pour L, Adam Z, Hajek R. Analysis of B-cell subpopulations in monoclonal gammopathies. Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia 2015, 15(4), e61-e71.
• Smetana J, Frohlich J, Zaoralova R, Vallova V, Greslikova H, Kupska R, Nemec P, Mikulasova A, Almasi M, Pour L, Adam Z, Sandecka V, Zahradova L, Hajek R, Kuglik P. Genome-wide screening of cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma patients using array-CGH technique: a Czech multicenter experience. BioMed Research International 2014, 2014, 209670.
• Smetana J, Dementyeva E, Kryukov F, Nemec P, Greslikova H, Kupska R, Mikulasova A, Ihnatova I, Hajek R, Kuglik P. Incidence of cytogenetic aberrations in two B lineage subpopulations in multiple myeloma patients analyzed by combination of whole-genome profiling and FISH. Neoplasma 2014, 61(1), 48-55.
• Smetana J, Berankova K, Zaoralova R, Nemec P, Greslikova H, Kupska R, Mikulasova A, Frohlich J, Sevcikova S, Zahradova L, Krejci M, Sandecka V, Almasi M, Kaisarova P, Melicharova H, Adam Z, Penka M, Jarkovsky J, Jurczyszyn A, Hajek R, Kuglik P. Gain(1)(q21) is an unfavorable genetic prognostic factor for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma treated with thalidomide but not for those treated with bortezomib. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia 2013, 13(2), 123–130.