Dr Athina-Myrto (Myrto) Chioni

Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
Department of Biomolecular Sciences
School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry
Penrhyn Road
Health, Education and Society

Senior Lecturer in Pathobiology and Cancer Biology

[email protected]

+44 20 8417 4195

ORCID

About

Dr Athina-Myrto Chioni is a Senior Lecturer in Pathobiology and Cancer Biology at Kingston University London. She joined the University in 2014 and teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate biomedical science programmes, delivering research-informed teaching in molecular and cellular pathology, cancer biology and disease mechanisms. Her teaching includes core and specialist modules such as LS4001 Genes, Cells and Tissues; LS4014 Genes to Tissues; LS4016 Human Physiology and Anatomy; LS4003 Scientific and Laboratory Skills; LS5024 Medical Physiology; LS5009 Pathobiology (Module Leader); LS6044 Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise; LS6014 Undergraduate Research Project; LS7010 Postgraduate Research Project; LS7001 Research Techniques and Scientific Communication; and LS7002 Immunology and the Biology of Disease. She is currently Level 5 Course Leader for the BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences programme and previously served as Deputy Course Leader from 2014 to 2021, contributing to curriculum development, course delivery and the overall student experience. Her teaching and course leadership are closely aligned with Kingston University’s Town House Strategy, with a strong emphasis on developing students’ future skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, research literacy and employability within biomedical and healthcare-related sectors.

Dr Chioni holds a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology, an MSc in Molecular Medicine, and a BSc (Hons) in Biology, all from Imperial College London. Prior to joining Kingston University, she undertook postdoctoral research at the Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, where she worked within the Centre for Tumour Biology, developing a strong research profile in molecular cancer biology and signal transduction.

Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer progression and resistance to targeted therapies, with particular emphasis on fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signalling in solid tumours. Her work has made important contributions to understanding non-canonical FGFR behaviour, including nuclear localisation of FGFR1 and its role in tumour invasion, tumour–stroma communication and therapeutic resistance in breast, cervical and pancreatic cancers. Her research has been published in leading international journals including Journal of Cell Biology, EMBO Molecular Medicine, FEBS Journal and International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Dr Chioni has presented her research at numerous national and international cancer research conferences and scientific meetings. Her work has received significant recognition, including prestigious awards such as the Papanikolaou First Prize Award (Hellenic Medical Society of Great Britain) and the Sylvia Lawler First Prize for Oral Scientific Presentation (Royal Society of Medicine). She has also received multiple poster and presentation awards at major scientific meetings, including Barts and The London William Harvey Day, the Gordon Conference on Fibroblast Growth Factors in Development and Disease, and the Barts and Queen Mary Science Festival. In addition, she has been awarded two three-year Breast Cancer Campaign project grants as a named researcher, supporting translational cancer research.

Dr Chioni supervises PhD, MRes and MSc research students and has a strong record of postgraduate mentorship, supporting students through experimental research, publication and conference dissemination. She is actively involved in research culture and leadership, serving as Guest Editor for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences and Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology – Cancer Cell Biology. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), an Ambassador for the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR), a member of the Genetics Society, and a Fellow of both the Institute of Biomedical Science and the Royal Society of Biology.

Dr Chioni’s contribution to teaching, student support and academic leadership has been recognised through multiple nominations from both students and colleagues, including repeated nominations for the Kingston University Academic Impact Awards, the Vitae ICE Awards, and a Kingston University International Women’s Day nomination. These nominations reflect sustained recognition of her commitment to inclusive education, mentorship and positive academic impact.

She is co-organiser of the annual Signalling Molecules in Disease Symposium at Kingston University, which brings together researchers and clinicians from across the UK, and co-chaired the international Fusion Conference “Fibroblast Growth Factor Signalling in Development, Health and Disease” (Malta, 2026), reflecting growing international recognition within her field.

Through her combined teaching, research and academic leadership activities, Dr Chioni contributes actively to Kingston University’s mission in high-quality education, research excellence and student success.

Qualifications

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2015)
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2015)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London, Barts Cancer Institute, Department of Tumour Biology (2006-2014)
PhD Imperial College London (2003-2006)
MSc Molecular Medicine, Imperial College London (2001-2002)
BSc (Hons) Biology, Imperial College London (1998-2001)
Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (2022)
Fellow of Institute of Biomedical Sciences (FIBMS) and Fellow of Royal Society of Biology (FRSB)

Domains

My teaching is research-informed and strongly student-centred, with a clear emphasis on active learning and meaningful student engagement. I design learning activities that promote critical thinking, problem-solving and independent enquiry, including case-based learning, research-led discussion and formative assessment. Alongside my teaching, I have held key academic leadership roles, including Module Leader for Pathobiology, Deputy Course Leader for BSc Biomedical Sciences (2014–2021) and current Level 5 Course Leader, contributing actively to curriculum development, assessment design and course coherence. I have been closely involved in IBMS accreditation processes and course revalidation, ensuring alignment with professional body requirements, academic standards and sector expectations. My teaching and curriculum leadership are strongly aligned with Kingston University’s Town House Strategy, with a focus on embedding future skills such as communication, analytical thinking, collaboration, research literacy and employability, while creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment that enables students to succeed and progress.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught teaching activities

LS4001: Genes, Cells and Tissues
LS4014: Genes to Tissues
LS4016: Human Physiology and Anatomy
LS4003: Scientific and Laboratory Skills
LS5024: Medical Physiology
LS5009: Pathobiology (Module leader)
LS6044: Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise
LS6014: UG Research Project
LS7010: PG Research project
LS7001: Research Techniques and Scientific Communication
LS7002: Immunology and the Biology of Disease

Qualifications

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA; 2022)
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA; 2015)
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA, 2015)
External Examiner for MSc Cancer and Molecular and Cellular Biology and MSc Cancer and Molecular Pathology and Genomics courses at QMUL (2014-Present)
External Examiner for Bioscience undergraduate BSc programmes at the university of Hertfordshire (2021-2025)
External Advisor for a new MSc Cancer Course at QMUL (2022)
External Examiner for BSc Medical Biosciences at Imperial College London (2017-2021)

Course director

Biomedical Science BSc (Hons)

Courses taught

My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer progression and resistance to targeted therapies, with particular emphasis on fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signalling in solid tumours. A central theme of my work is the investigation of non-canonical FGFR behaviour, particularly the nuclear localisation of FGFRs and their role in regulating gene expression, tumour invasion and tumour–stroma communication. My research has contributed important mechanistic insight into how aberrant FGFR signalling promotes aggressive cancer phenotypes in breast, cervical and pancreatic cancers.

A major strand of my work examines mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, including adaptive signalling rewiring involving integrin–FAK and mTOR pathways. Using clinically relevant cancer models, including drug-resistant cell lines and 3D invasion systems, my research aims to identify vulnerabilities that can inform rational combination therapies and improve treatment response. This work bridges fundamental cell signalling with translational cancer biology.

I work collaboratively with academic and clinical colleagues within Kingston University and externally, contributing to multidisciplinary research projects that integrate molecular biology, cancer signalling and translational approaches. These collaborations support knowledge exchange, strengthen research outputs and underpin the development of joint funding applications and shared research infrastructure.

Alongside my research activity, I contribute actively to research supervision, governance and research culture. I supervise PhD, MRes and MSc students and support early-career researchers through experimental training, publication and conference dissemination. I also serve as a Faculty Research Degrees Committee (FRDC) representative, contributing to doctoral governance, quality assurance and the enhancement of postgraduate research provision. Through editorial roles, peer review and conference leadership, I contribute to Kingston University’s research environment and to national and international research communities in molecular and translational biosciences.

Current PhD Supervision

First Supervisor

Mrs Nauf Bou Antoun (Part Time PhD, registered Oct 2017-writing up mode)
Miss Ruixuan Li (Full time PhD, registered Oct 2024)

Second Supervisor

Mrs Amal Sewwandi Perera (PhD)
Mr Aidan Patrick Bristow (PhD)
Miss Adejoke Omolara Sunday (PhD)
Miss Caroline Fathy Lamie Soliman (PhD)
Miss Lina Fatima Mohamed Rabi (PhD)
Dr Mohamed Maged Mahmoud Mohamed Kassab (PhD)
Miss Darya Amini (PhD)

Completed Supervision

Giselle Laquis (Full time PhD, 2026)
Thesis: FGFR1 Signalling in Breast Cancer: Dissecting Expression Patterns and the Role of MMP-Mediated Nuclear Localization
Mahmood, Hiba-Tun-Noor A. (Full time PhD, 2020)
Thesis: “FGFR Signalling in Human Cervical Cancer Cell Lines”
Ashiq, Fazeela (MSc by Research, 2017)
Thesis: FGFR signalling in cervical cancer (3D organotypic model)
Scanlon, James J – MSc by Research, 2021)
Thesis: Design and synthesis of novel non-peptidic KISS1R antagonists to restore drug sensitivity to triple-negative breast cancer patients

Qualifications

Internal and External Examiner for Research Degrees (PhD and MRes)
Guest Editor – International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023-present)
Editor at Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology-Cancer Cell Biology (2024-Present)
Faculty Representative, Research Degrees (FRDC), Kingston University
Referee for international high-impact journals including Frontiers in Cell and Development Biology, IJMS, and research grants on ad hoc basis (2014 - present)
Co-organiser – annual Signalling Molecules in Disease Symposium (Kingston University) (2023-present)
Co-Chair – Fusion Conference FGFR Signalling (Malta, 2026)
Cancer Study Group / Cancer Theme Member (KU)
Participant in the RISE Research Leadership Academy (2023)
Participant in the Aurora Leadership Course for Woman in Higher Education (2022)
New Academic Leaders: Strategies for Success course (Magna Publications) (2021)
Scientific expert reviewer for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND PhD programme INTERACT, funded under Horizon Europe. (2024-present)

Specialisms

Confocal & Fluorescent Microscopy
Cell, Tissue & 3D Organotypic Cultures
Immunocytochemistry and Immunohistochemistry
Cell, Molecular & Cancer Biology
Functional Studies
Cell Signalling
Cancer Drug Resistance

Scholarly affiliations

Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (FIBMS)
Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
Member of the Genetics Society
Member of the European Association of Cancer Research (EACR)

Publications

Development of a high-content stem cell focused drug screening platform for Schistosoma mansoni using developmentally advanced liver Schistosomula: functional insights and new protein target leads

Perera, Sewwandi, Chioni, Athina Myrto and Walker, Anthony J, 2026, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, E-pub ahead of print

Dr Athina-Myrto (Myrto) Chioni

About

Qualifications

Domains

Teaching and learning

Research

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

Leadership and management

Publications

Articles

Book Sections/Chapters

Conference Items

Gallery of work

Front Cover at The FEBS Journal Volume 289, Issue 12 Jun 2022; Pages3281-3588

Guest Editor for a Special Issue in IJMS

Oral presentation of our work on drug resistant in cervical cancer cell lines at ICC 2023 Conference by Dr Chioni's PhD Student , Nauf Bou Antoun

EACR Member & Ambassador

PGC Cancer World Conference

Bou Antoun N, Chioni AM. Dysregulated Signalling Pathways Driving Anticancer Drug Resistance. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 30;24(15):12222. doi: 10.3390/ijms241512222. PMID: 37569598; PMCID: PMC10418675.

EACR conference

Fibroblast Growth Factor Signalling in Development, Health & Disease Conference: A Perspective on Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Biology (Co-Chair)

Graphical Abstract: Development and Characterization of Three Novel FGFR Inhibitor Resistant Cervical Cancer Cell Lines to Help Drive Cervical Cancer Research

Special Issue in IJMS

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