Wolfson Women in Science: Anastasia Kosmidou
This week, we celebrate Wolfson’s Women in Science. To mark British Science Week and International Women’s Day, we are sharing the stories of 5 female members of Wolfson’s community who are making incredible contributions to their academic fields.
Anastasia Kosmidou is a clinical researcher and third-year DPhil student in the Molecular Haematology Unit (MHU) at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) and the Department of Oncology at Oxford University supervised by Professor Adam Mead, Professor Tao Dong, and Dr Eleni Louka.
Anastasia, tell us more about your research.
My research focuses on polycythaemia vera (PV), a chronic blood cancer most commonly caused by a mutation in the JAK2 gene that leads to an overproduction of blood cells. While current treatments can control blood counts and reduce complications such as blood clots, patients vary considerably in how well their disease is controlled at a biological level.
We study patients in clinical trials and track how their genetic markers and blood parameters change over time during treatment. This helps us understand why some patients achieve better molecular control of the disease than others. In parallel, we investigate whether the immune system – particularly T cells, which are key immune cells involved in recognising and attacking abnormal cells – helps patients achieve better control of the mutated blood cell population.
By combining clinical data, genetic analysis, and immune profiling, our goal is to identify markers that predict which therapies are most effective for individual patients, ultimately supporting more personalised treatment strategies.
What initially inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
Growing up, I was always drawn to STEM. When I cloned my first GFP-carrying plasmid into E. coli at the DKFZ Heidelberg Life Science Lab during high school, I realised I wanted to pursue cancer research in the future. During medical school at the University of Ulm in Germany, biochemistry quickly became my favourite subject and further strengthened my interest in translational research in medicine.
I was grateful for the opportunity to undertake a dedicated research year during my studies, supported by the Experimental Medicine Program of the International Graduate School Ulm, the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes), and my mentors in Germany and the United States. In Professor Ann Mullally’s laboratory at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, I entered the field of myeloid haematology, working on calreticulin-driven myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and developed a lasting interest in the area. Several years later, I continue to focus my research on MPNs.
What continues to motivate you today?
As I move toward a career as a clinician scientist in the highly dynamic field of haematology, I am motivated by the opportunity to bridge both worlds – asking biologically meaningful questions in the lab to address the unmet needs of patients with blood cancer.
What advice would you give to young women who are interested in pursuing a career in science?
Whenever I feel I am reaching a dead end, I remind myself of two lessons from my early mentor, Professor Mullally. The first lesson is that life is a continuous learning process: setbacks are opportunities for growth, rather than reasons for frustration. The second is to ask questions: in research, as well as in most areas of life, seeking guidance, advice, support, or clarification is essential for progress.
What does the Wolfson community mean to you?
Being part of the Wolfson College Boat Club has been a highly enriching experience during my PhD in Oxford and an integral part of my life at Wolfson College. As an important counterbalance outside the lab, starting the day training with my teammates is a steady anchor during demanding periods and helps me reset for the day.
