Dr Karakesisoglou started his academic career at the University of Athens (Greece), where he studied Biology. His PhD thesis conducted under the supervision of Prof. Michael Schleicher (LMU-Munich, Germany) aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underpin cellular movement in D. discoideum. Inspired by the power of genetics in addressing fundamental cell biological questions he continued to pursue his goal of elucidating the cytoskeleton in epithelia using relevant mouse models in Prof. Elaine Fuch’s laboratory at the University of Chicago (USA). As a group leader at the University of Cologne (Germany) he pioneered a novel field in cell biology, by studying the functions of a novel complex that spans the mammalian nuclear envelope termed LINC (LInker of the Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton), which functionally integrates the cytoplasmic compartment with the nuclear interior in eukaryotic cells. In 2007 he joined the University of Durham as a senior lecturer. His long-term research interests are to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underpin skin ageing and ageing-associated diseases. Members of his laboratory examine the roles of LINC complex (e.g. nesprins, spectraplakins and SUN-domain proteins) constituents in tissue formation, tissue homeostasis, breast cancer metastasis and motor neuron degeneration.