Simona Chera fullførte sin PhD ved the Department of Genetics and Evolution, at the Faculty of Science, University of Geneva, i 2008, hvor hun studerte mekanismer som er involvert i regnerasjon. Etterfølgende, arbeidet hun som postdoktor i i Prof. Pedro Herreras lab i Geneve, hvor arbeidet dreide seg om identifisering av mekanisme involvert i spontan regenerering av insulin produserende β-celler. (Thorel et al. 2010, Nature and Chera et al. 2014, Nature). 

I mars 2015 flyttet Chera til bergen, hvor hun fortsatte arbeidet som postdoktor i labgruppen til Prof. Helge Ræder. Her forsket hun på differensiering av β-celler fra pluripotente stam-celler fra patienter med Mature Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY). Nå er hun Førsteamanuensis ved Klinisk institutt, UiB og NCMM Young associate Investigator. 

 

Hovedfokuset gjennom hennes karriere har vært å karakterisere cellulære og molekylære signaler som regulerer balansen mellom regeneration og homeostase i vev. Dette arbeidet har resultert i flere publikasjoner

Forelesning

• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Simona Chera (2024). The landscape of islet maturation and ageing is regulated by a signalling loop between Hnf1a and the immune system. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2023). Exploring the role of transcription factors HNF1A, HNF1B, and HNF4A in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived pancreatic islet cell differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2023). The beta cell in ageing. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Joao Paulo et al. (2024). Impact of diabetogenic signals from endocrine disrupting chemicals on a HNF1A cell model. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2024). Supply or Instruct: A luxury problem in mammalian adult regeneration. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Beta to alpha cells and back. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Investigating islet cell plasticity dynamics by exploiting monogenic diabetes contexts. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Regeneration, Rhythms, Regulators. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2021). Using patient-derived iPSC to demultiplex cell fate confinement. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Joao Paulo et al. (2024). Impact of endocrine disruptors on MODY3 iPSCs differentiation toward SC-islets – potential diabetogens. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Investigating islet cell-fate dynamic during in vitro differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Thomas Aga Legøy; Simona Chera et al. (2023). Exploring the role of transcription factors HNF1A, HNF1B, and HNF4A in human pancreatic islet cell differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2024). Regeneration: Death is Only the Beginning. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Using patient-derived iPSC multi-omics to demultiplex pancreatic islet cell fate confinement. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Ulrik Larsen et al. (2023). Hnf1a Is An Important Regulator in Ageing And Maturation Of Pancreatic Islets. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). Mammalian Regeneration Rhythms. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2022). And some that die deserve life: in vivo mechanisms regulating cell identity during beta-cell decay and regeneration. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2023). Mapping master regulators of regeneration rhythms in the pancreatic islet. (ekstern lenke)

Vitenskapelig artikkel

• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Shadab Abadpour; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2023). Global proteomics reveals insulin abundance as a marker of human islet homeostasis alterations. (ekstern lenke)
• Laura Maria Daian; Gabriela Tanko; Andrei Mircea Vacaru et al. (2023). Modulation of Unfolded Protein Response Restores Survival and Function of β-Cells Exposed to the Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Ulrik Larsen; Natalie Aasen Kavli et al. (2024). Moderate beta-cell ablation triggers synergic compensatory mechanisms even in the absence of overt metabolic disruption. (ekstern lenke)
• Yngvild Bjørlykke; Anne Mette Søviknes; Laurence Hoareau et al. (2019). Reprogrammed cells display distinct proteomic signaturesAssociated with colony morphology variability. (ekstern lenke)
• Kenichiro Furuyama; Simona Chera; Leon van Gurp et al. (2019). Diabetes relief in mice by glucose-sensing insulin-secreting human α-cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Flore Sinturel; Simona Chera; Marie-Claude Brulhart-Meynet et al. (2023). Circadian organization of lipid landscape is perturbed in type 2 diabetic patients. (ekstern lenke)
• Magnus Berle; Luiza Ghila; Heidrun Vethe et al. (2018). Novel protein signatures suggest progression to muscular invasiveness in bladder cancer. (ekstern lenke)
• Harini Chakravarthy; Xueying Gu; Martin Enge et al. (2017). Converting adult pancreatic islet α cells into β cells by targeting both Dnmt1 and Arx. (ekstern lenke)
• Chencheng Wang; Shadab Abadpour; Petter Angell Olsen et al. (2024). Glucose Concentration in Regulating Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Differentiation Toward Insulin-Producing Cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Luiza Ghila; Yngvild Bjørlykke; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2020). Bioinformatic analyses of miRNA-mRNA signature during hiPSC differentiation towards insulin-producing cells upon HNF4α mutation. (ekstern lenke)
• Preksha Bhagchandani; Charles A. Chang; Weichen Zhao et al. (2022). Islet cell replacement and transplantation immunology in a mouse strain with inducible diabetes. (ekstern lenke)
• Daniel Oropeza; Valentina Cigliola; Agustín Romero et al. (2021). Stage-specific transcriptomic changes in pancreatic α-cells after massive β-cell loss. (ekstern lenke)
• Heidrun Vethe; Yngvild Bjørlykke; Luiza Ghila et al. (2017). Probing the missing mature β-cell proteomic landscape in differentiating patient iPSC-derived cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Andrei Mircea Vacaru; Lucas Unger et al. (2024). Molecular profiling of NOD mouse islets reveals a novel regulator of insulitis onset. (ekstern lenke)
• Chencheng Wang; Shadab Abadpour; Aleksandra Aizenshtadt et al. (2024). Cell identity dynamics and insight into insulin secretagogues when employing stem cell-derived islets for disease modeling. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Luiza Mihaela Ghila; Simona Chera (2024). Targeted Gene Silencing by Using GapmeRs in Differentiating Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSC) Toward Pancreatic Progenitors. (ekstern lenke)
• Luiza Ghila; Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen et al. (2021). Chronically elevated exogenous glucose elicits antipodal effects on the proteome signature of differentiating human ipsc-derived pancreatic progenitors. (ekstern lenke)
• Jakub Vasicek; Ksenia Kuznetsova; Dafni Skiadopoulou et al. (2024). ProHap enables human proteomic database generation accounting for population diversity. (ekstern lenke)
• Luiza Ghila; Thomas Aga Legøy; Simona Chera (2021). A Method for Encapsulation and Transplantation into Diabetic Mice of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSC)-Derived Pancreatic Progenitors. (ekstern lenke)
• Volodymyr Petrenko; Flore Sinturel; Ursula Loizides-Mangold et al. (2022). Type 2 diabetes disrupts circadian orchestration of lipid metabolism and membrane fluidity in human pancreatic islets. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Ulrik Larsen et al. (2024). The age-dependent regulation of pancreatic islet landscape is fueled by a HNF1a-immune signaling loop. (ekstern lenke)
• Manuel Carrasco Fernandez; Chencheng Wang; Anne Mette Søviknes et al. (2022). Spatial Environment Affects HNF4A Mutation-Specific Proteome Signatures and Cellular Morphology in hiPSC-Derived β-Like Cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Heidrun Vethe; Luiza Ghila; Magnus Berle et al. (2019). The effect of WnT pathway modulators on human iPSC-derived pancreatic beta cell maturation. (ekstern lenke)
• Heidrun Vethe; Thomas Aga Legøy; Shadab Abadpour et al. (2019). Encapsulation boosts islet-cell signature in differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells via integrin signalling. (ekstern lenke)
• Valentina Cigliola; Luiza Ghila; Fabrizio Thorel et al. (2018). Pancreatic islet-autonomous insulin and smoothened-mediated signalling modulate identity changes of glucagon+ α-cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Shayla Sharmine; Thomas Aga Legøy; Lucas Unger et al. (2025). Caloric Restriction Substantially Improves Glucose Regulation in Mice With Hnf1a‐Deficient Beta‐Cells. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Ulrik Larsen; Shayla Sharmine et al. (2025). Efficient cytoplasmic cell quantification using a semi-automated FIJI-based tool. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Zaidon Salim et al. (2020). In vivo environment swiftly restricts human pancreatic progenitors toward mono-hormonal identity via a HNF1A/HNF4A mechanism. (ekstern lenke)
• Volodymyr Petrenko; Miri Stolovich-Rain; Bart Vandereycken et al. (2020). The core clock transcription factor BMAL1 drives circadian β-cell proliferation during compensatory regeneration of the endocrine pancreas. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Ghila; Heidrun Vethe et al. (2019). In vivo hyperglycemia exposure elicits distinct period-dependent effects on human pancreatic progenitor differentiation, conveyed by oxidative stress. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Simona Chera et al. (2024). The GLI code controls HNF1A levels during foregut differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Flore Sinturel; Simona Chera; Marie-Claude Brulhart-Meynet et al. (2024). Alterations of lipid homeostasis in morbid obese patients are partly reversed by bariatric surgery. (ekstern lenke)
• Magnus Berle; Kjersti Elvestad Hestetun; Heidrun Vethe et al. (2022). Mapping Proteome Changes in Microsatellite Stable, Recurrent Colon Cancer Reveals a Significant Immune System Signature. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Heidrun Vethe; Shadab Abadpour et al. (2020). Encapsulation boosts islet-cell signature in differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells via integrin signalling. (ekstern lenke)
• Flore Sinturel; Simona Chera; Marie-Claude Brulhart-Meynet et al. (2023). Circadian organization of lipid landscape is perturbed in type 2 diabetic patients. (ekstern lenke)

Konferanseforedrag

• Simona Chera (2022). Mapping Master Regulators of Regeneration Rhythms. (ekstern lenke)
• Ulrik Larsen; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Natalie Aasen Kavli et al. (2024). Partial insulin-producing β-cell ablation induces compensatory proliferation in mouse pancreatic islets. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Lucas Unger; Joao A. Paulo et al. (2024). Environmental neglect: endocrine disruptors as underappreciated but important diabetogens in HNF1A-MODY cell model. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2021). Islet cell identity and diabetes development. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2021). Mapping cell identity shifts in the adult pancreatic islet. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2024). How to harness human induced pluripotent stem cells for beta cell generation. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera (2023). Regeneration Strategies in Mammals. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Ulrik Larsen et al. (2023). Islet maturation and ageing is governed by the Hnf1a transcription factor. (ekstern lenke)

Konferanseposter

• Shayla Sharmine; Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen et al. (2023). Mapping islet architecture changes upon high fat diet challenge in a HNF1A-MODY mouse model. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Luiza Mihaela Ghila; Simona Chera (2022). Investigating the developmental role of HNF1A, HNF1B and HNF4A in human pancreatic islet cell differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Md Kaykobad Hossain; Altanchimeg Altankhuyag; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2024). Short-term BBN treatment alters the proteomic profile of mouse bladder. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2022). Know your background, know your data. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2022). Investigating the developmental role of HNF1A in human pancreatic islet cell differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Chencheng Wang; Shadab Abadpour; Alexandra Aizenshtadt et al. (2021). Glucose during in vitro pancreatic beta cells regeneration: friends or for?. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2024). Deciphering the HNF1A and Hedgehog Signaling Crosstalk during Stem Cell Islet differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Md Kaykobad Hossain; Altanchimeg Altankhuyag; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2023). Mapping predictive bladder cancer signatures in a mouse model. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Lucas Unger; Joao A. Paulo et al. (2024). Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals During Differentiation of HNF1A-MODY SC-islets has an Adverse Effect on Cell Fitness. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Hanne Scholz et al. (2022). Molecular mechanisms affecting islet like cell fate acquisition in differentiating iPSC derived β-like cells”. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2024). Exploring hedgehog signaling and HNF1A Crosstalk in HNF1A-MODY stem cell islets. (ekstern lenke)
• Shayla Sharmine; Luiza Mihaela Ghila; Simona Chera (2024). Short-term effect of Somatostatin Modulators on Glycemic Control in MODY mice. (ekstern lenke)
• Md Kaykobad Hossain; Altanchimeg Altankhuyag; Thomas Aga Legøy et al. (2024). Dynamic proteome profiling detects progressive alterations induced by BBN in the mouse bladder. (ekstern lenke)
• Lucas Unger; Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen et al. (2023). Investigating the developmental role of HNF1A, HNF1B and HNF4A in human pancreatic islet cell differentiation. (ekstern lenke)
• Ulrik Larsen; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Natalie Aasen Kavli et al. (2024). Investigating stress-induced islet cell proliferation following partial insulin-secreting β-cell ablation in mice. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2022). Hnf1a is a key regulator of β-cell identity and function. (ekstern lenke)
• Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Thomas Aga Legøy; Luiza Mihaela Ghila et al. (2022). Mind your background!. (ekstern lenke)
• Thomas Aga Legøy; Andreas Frøslev Mathisen; Joao Paulo et al. (2023). Human induced pluripotent stem cells as a model for environmental impact on diabetes. (ekstern lenke)

Konferanseabstrakt

• Chencheng Wang; Shadab Abadpour; Alexandra Aizenshtadt et al. (2021). 402.2: High Glucose Concentration Increases KATP Channel Activity but Suppresses Mitochondrial Respiration Ability in Insulin-producing Cells Regenerated From Stem Cells. (ekstern lenke)

Vitenskapelig litteraturgjennomgang

• Valentina Cigliola; Fabrizio Thorel; Simona Chera et al. (2016). Stress-induced adaptive islet cell identity changes. (ekstern lenke)
• Simona Chera; Pedro L. Herrera (2016). Regeneration of pancreatic insulin-producing cells by in situ adaptive cell conversion. (ekstern lenke)
• Valentina Cigliola; Luiza Ghila; Simona Chera et al. (2019). Tissue repair brakes: A common paradigm in the biology of regeneration: Concise review. (ekstern lenke)

Lederartikkel

• Simona Chera; Fabian Rentzsch (2023). Stem cells: The cell that does it all. (ekstern lenke)
• Luiza Mihaela Ghila; Kenichiro Furuyama; Shane T. Grey et al. (2022). Editorial: Beta-Cell Fate: From Gene Circuits to Disease Mechanisms. (ekstern lenke)

Populærvitenskapelig artikkel

• Preksha Bhagchandani; Charles Chang; Weichen Zhao et al. (2021). Islet transplantation tolerance in animals with defined histocompatibility and diabetes. (ekstern lenke)

Se en full oversikt over publikasjoner i Cristin

Selected publications:

1. Legøy TA*, Vethe H*, Abadpour S, Strand BL, Scholz H, Paulo JA, Ræder H, Ghila L, Chera S. Encapsulation boosts islet-cell signature in differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells via integrin signaling. Scientific Reports 2020 Jan 15;10(1):414. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-57305-x [BioRxiv 2019 Oct 04, preprint doi: 10.1101/791442]
2. Legøy TA, Mathisen AF, Salim Z, Vethe H, Bjørlykke Y, Abadpour S, Paulo JA, Scholz H, Raeder H, Ghila L, Chera S. In vivo Environment Swiftly Restricts Human Pancreatic Progenitors Toward Mono-Hormonal Identity via a HNF1A/HNF4A Mechanism. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 2020 Feb 25;8:109. eCollection 2020. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00109
3. Legøy TA, Ghila L, Vethe H, Abadpour S, Mathisen AF, Paulo JA, Scholz H, Raeder H, Chera S. In vivo hyperglycemia exposure elicits distinct period-dependent effects on human pancreatic progenitor differentiation, conveyed by oxidative stress. Acta Physiologica (Oxf) 2020 Apr;228(4):e13433. Epub 2020 Jan 8. doi: 10.1111/apha.13433. PMID:31872528