Dr Aleksandr Kakinen
Dr

Aleksandr Kakinen

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Background

Dr. Aleksandr Kakinen is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), University of Queensland. He completed his PhD in 2014 at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, and held a postdoctoral fellowship at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences from 2016 to 2020.

Dr. Kakinen’s research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly amyloid-related disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. His expertise spans structural biology, protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, and nanomedicine, with a special emphasis on developing brain-targeted delivery systems for neuroprotective therapies.

He has authored over 65 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Nature Communications, Advanced Science, ACS Nano, and Chemical Society Reviews. Dr. Kakinen also leads a research team that combines fundamental biophysics with translational studies to advance treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

In addition to his scientific work, he founded a design studio specialising in scientific illustrations and biomedical animations, enhancing science communication through creative visual storytelling.

Availability

Dr Aleksandr Kakinen is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Human biophysics Medical physiology Nanomaterials Nanomedicine Nanotoxicology, health and safety Neurosciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tallinn University of Technology

Research interests

  • Neuroscience

    Neurodegenerative diseases, amyloid diseases.

  • Nanomedicine

  • Nanotechnology

Research impacts

Dr. Kakinen’s research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying amyloid-related neurodegenerative diseases and developing innovative therapies to improve brain health, particularly in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's diseases. By investigating how protein aggregates and neuroinflammation contribute to disease progression, his work supports the development of targeted treatments aimed at slowing or preventing neurological decline.

Key impacts of Dr. Kakinen’s research include:

  • Advancing preclinical strategies for brain-targeted delivery of neurotrophic factors to protect and restore neurons affected by Parkinson’s disease.

  • Generating knowledge that informs therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s and related disorders, contributing to improved patient outcomes.

  • Establishing international collaborations that accelerate the translation of discoveries into practical medical applications.

  • Securing competitive funding to sustain research activities and train the next generation of scientists.

Through high-impact publications, invited presentations, and collaborative projects, Dr. Kakinen’s work enhances understanding of neurodegeneration and fosters the development of new treatments that benefit society by reducing the burden of these diseases.

Search Professor Aleksandr Kakinen’s works on UQ eSpace

68 works between 2011 and 2025
All (68) Journal Article (63) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (4)

21 - 40 of 68 works

2019

Journal Article

Inhibition of amyloid beta toxicity in zebrafish with a chaperone-gold nanoparticle dual strategy

Javed, Ibrahim, Peng, Guotao, Xing, Yanting, Yu, Tianyu, Zhao, Mei, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Faridi, Ava, Parish, Clare L., Ding, Feng, Davis, Thomas P., Ke, Pu Chun and Lin, Sijie (2019). Inhibition of amyloid beta toxicity in zebrafish with a chaperone-gold nanoparticle dual strategy. Nature Communications, 10 (1) 3780, 3780. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11762-0

Inhibition of amyloid beta toxicity in zebrafish with a chaperone-gold nanoparticle dual strategy

2019

Journal Article

Amphiphilic surface chemistry of fullerenols is necessary for inhibiting the amyloid aggregation of alpha-synuclein NACore

Sun, Yunxiang, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Zhang, Chi, Yang, Ye, Faridi, Ava, Davis, Thomas P., Cao, Weiguo, Ke, Pu Chun and Ding, Feng (2019). Amphiphilic surface chemistry of fullerenols is necessary for inhibiting the amyloid aggregation of alpha-synuclein NACore. Nanoscale, 11 (24), 11933-11945. doi: 10.1039/c9nr02407g

Amphiphilic surface chemistry of fullerenols is necessary for inhibiting the amyloid aggregation of alpha-synuclein NACore

2019

Journal Article

Mitigation of amyloidosis with nanomaterials

Ke, Pu Chun, Pilkington, Emily H., Sun, Yunxiang, Javed, Ibrahim, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Peng, Guotao, Ding, Feng and Davis, Thomas P. (2019). Mitigation of amyloidosis with nanomaterials. Advanced Materials, 32 (18) 1901690, 1901690. doi: 10.1002/adma.201901690

Mitigation of amyloidosis with nanomaterials

2019

Journal Article

Amyloid self-assembly of hIAPP8-20 via the accumulation of helical oligomers, α-helix to β-sheet transition, and formation of β-barrel intermediates

Sun, Yunxiang, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Xing, Yanting, Faridi, Pouya, Nandakumar, Aparna, Purcell, Anthony W., Davis, Thomas P., Ke, Pu Chun and Ding, Feng (2019). Amyloid self-assembly of hIAPP8-20 via the accumulation of helical oligomers, α-helix to β-sheet transition, and formation of β-barrel intermediates. Small, 15 (18) 1805166, 1805166. doi: 10.1002/smll.201805166

Amyloid self-assembly of hIAPP8-20 via the accumulation of helical oligomers, α-helix to β-sheet transition, and formation of β-barrel intermediates

2019

Journal Article

Probing the aggregation and immune response of human islet amyloid polypeptides with ligand-stabilized gold nanoparticles

Javed, Ibrahim, He, Jiacheng, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Faridi, Ava, Yang, Wen, Davis, Thomas P., Ke, Pu Chun and Chen, Pengyu (2019). Probing the aggregation and immune response of human islet amyloid polypeptides with ligand-stabilized gold nanoparticles. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 11 (11), 10462-10471. doi: 10.1021/acsami.8b19506

Probing the aggregation and immune response of human islet amyloid polypeptides with ligand-stabilized gold nanoparticles

2019

Journal Article

Nucleation of β-rich oligomers and β-barrels in the early aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide

Sun, Yunxiang, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Xing, Yanting, Pilkington, Emily H., Davis, Thomas P., Ke, Pu Chun and Ding, Feng (2019). Nucleation of β-rich oligomers and β-barrels in the early aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1865 (2), 434-444. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.11.021

Nucleation of β-rich oligomers and β-barrels in the early aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide

2019

Journal Article

Physical and toxicological profiles of human IAPP amyloids and plaques

Kakinen, Aleksandr, Sun, Yunxiang, Javed, Ibrahim, Faridi, Ava, Pilkington, Emily H., Faridi, Pouya, Purcell, Anthony W., Zhou, Ruhong, Ding, Feng, Lin, Sijie, Ke, Pu Chun and Davis, Thomas P. (2019). Physical and toxicological profiles of human IAPP amyloids and plaques. Science Bulletin, 64 (1), 26-35. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2018.11.012

Physical and toxicological profiles of human IAPP amyloids and plaques

2019

Journal Article

Graphene quantum dots rescue protein dysregulation of pancreatic β-cells exposed to human islet amyloid polypeptide

Faridi, Ava, Sun, Yunxiang, Mortimer, Monika, Aranha, Ritchlynn R., Nandakumar, Aparna, Li, Yuhuan, Javed, Ibrahim, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Fan, Qingqing, Purcell, Anthony W., Davis, Thomas P., Ding, Feng, Faridi, Pouya and Ke, Pu Chun (2019). Graphene quantum dots rescue protein dysregulation of pancreatic β-cells exposed to human islet amyloid polypeptide. Nano Research, 12 (11), 2827-2834. doi: 10.1007/s12274-019-2520-7

Graphene quantum dots rescue protein dysregulation of pancreatic β-cells exposed to human islet amyloid polypeptide

2018

Journal Article

Mitigating human IAPP amyloidogenesis in vivo with chiral silica nanoribbons

Faridi, Ava, Sun, Yunxiang, Okazaki, Yutaka, Peng, Guotao, Gao, Jie, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Faridi, Pouya, Zhao, Mei, Javed, Ibrahim, Purcell, Anthony W., Davis, Thomas P., Lin, Sijie, Oda, Reiko, Ding, Feng and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). Mitigating human IAPP amyloidogenesis in vivo with chiral silica nanoribbons. Small, 14 (47) 1802825, 1802825. doi: 10.1002/smll.201802825

Mitigating human IAPP amyloidogenesis in vivo with chiral silica nanoribbons

2018

Journal Article

In vivo mitigation of amyloidogenesis through functional–pathogenic double-protein coronae

Javed, Ibrahim, Yu, Tianyu, Peng, Guotao, Sánchez-Ferrer, Antoni, Faridi, Ava, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Zhao, Mei, Mezzenga, Raffaele, Davis, Thomas P., Lin, Sijie and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). In vivo mitigation of amyloidogenesis through functional–pathogenic double-protein coronae. Nano Letters, 18 (9), 5797-5804. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02446

In vivo mitigation of amyloidogenesis through functional–pathogenic double-protein coronae

2018

Journal Article

Serum albumin impedes the amyloid aggregation and hemolysis of human islet amyloid polypeptide and alpha synuclein

Kakinen, Aleksandr, Javed, Ibrahim, Faridi, Ava, Davis, Thomas P. and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). Serum albumin impedes the amyloid aggregation and hemolysis of human islet amyloid polypeptide and alpha synuclein. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Biomembranes, 1860 (9), 1803-1809. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2018.01.015

Serum albumin impedes the amyloid aggregation and hemolysis of human islet amyloid polypeptide and alpha synuclein

2018

Journal Article

Nanoscale inhibition of polymorphic and ambidextrous IAPP amyloid aggregation with small molecules

Kakinen, Aleksandr, Adamcik, Jozef, Wang, Bo, Ge, Xinwei, Mezzenga, Raffaele, Davis, Thomas P., Ding, Feng and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). Nanoscale inhibition of polymorphic and ambidextrous IAPP amyloid aggregation with small molecules. Nano Research, 11 (7), 3636-3647. doi: 10.1007/s12274-017-1930-7

Nanoscale inhibition of polymorphic and ambidextrous IAPP amyloid aggregation with small molecules

2018

Journal Article

Profiling the serum protein corona of fibrillar human islet amyloid polypeptide

Pilkington, Emily H., Gustafsson, Ove J. R., Xing, Yanting, Hernandez-Fernaud, Juan, Zampronio, Cleidi, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Faridi, Ava, Ding, Feng, Wilson, Paul, Ke, Pu Chun and Davis, Thomas P. (2018). Profiling the serum protein corona of fibrillar human islet amyloid polypeptide. ACS Nano, 12 (6), 6066-6078. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.8b02346

Profiling the serum protein corona of fibrillar human islet amyloid polypeptide

2018

Journal Article

Uptake and transcytosis of functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in an in vitro blood brain barrier model

Ivask, Angela, Pilkington, Emily H., Blin, Thomas, Käkinen, Aleksandr, Vija, Heiki, Visnapuu, Meeri, Quinn, John F., Whittaker, Michael R., Qiao, Ruirui, Davis, Thomas P., Ke, Pu Chun and Voelcker, Nicolas H. (2018). Uptake and transcytosis of functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in an in vitro blood brain barrier model. Biomaterials Science, 6 (2), 314-323. doi: 10.1039/c7bm01012e

Uptake and transcytosis of functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in an in vitro blood brain barrier model

2018

Journal Article

Graphene quantum dots against human IAPP aggregation and toxicity in vivo

Wang, Miaoyi, Sun, Yunxiang, Cao, Xueying, Peng, Guotao, Javed, Ibrahim, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Davis, Thomas P., Lin, Sijie, Liu, Jingquan, Ding, Feng and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). Graphene quantum dots against human IAPP aggregation and toxicity in vivo. Nanoscale, 10 (42), 19995-20006. doi: 10.1039/c8nr07180b

Graphene quantum dots against human IAPP aggregation and toxicity in vivo

2018

Journal Article

Nanoparticle–proteome in vitro and in vivo

Wang, Miaoyi, Gustafsson, Ove J. R., Pilkington, Emily H., Kakinen, Aleksandr, Javed, Ibrahim, Faridi, Ava, Davis, Thomas P. and Ke, Pu Chun (2018). Nanoparticle–proteome in vitro and in vivo. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 6 (38), 6026-6041. doi: 10.1039/c8tb01634h

Nanoparticle–proteome in vitro and in vivo

2017

Journal Article

Cofibrillization of pathogenic and functional amyloid proteins with gold nanoparticles against amyloidogenesis

Javed, Ibrahim, Sun, Yunxiang, Adamcik, Jozef, Wang, Bo, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Pilkington, Emily H., Ding, Feng, Mezzenga, Raffaele, Davis, Thomas P. and Ke, Pu Chun (2017). Cofibrillization of pathogenic and functional amyloid proteins with gold nanoparticles against amyloidogenesis. Biomacromolecules, 18 (12), 4316-4322. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01359

Cofibrillization of pathogenic and functional amyloid proteins with gold nanoparticles against amyloidogenesis

2017

Journal Article

Lysophosphatidylcholine modulates the aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide

Xing, Yanting, Pilkington, Emily H., Wang, Miaoyi, Nowell, Cameron J., Kakinen, Aleksandr, Sun, Yunxiang, Wang, Bo, Davis, Thomas P., Ding, Feng and Ke, Pu Chun (2017). Lysophosphatidylcholine modulates the aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19 (45), 30627-30635. doi: 10.1039/c7cp06670h

Lysophosphatidylcholine modulates the aggregation of human islet amyloid polypeptide

2017

Journal Article

Star polymers reduce islet amyloid polypeptide toxicity via accelerated amyloid aggregation

Pilkington, Emily H., Lai, May, Ge, Xinwei, Stanley, William J., Wang, Bo, Wang, Miaoyi, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Sani, Marc-Antonie, Whittaker, Michael R., Gurzov, Esteban N., Ding, Feng, Quinn, John F., Davis, Thomas P. and Ke, Pu Chun (2017). Star polymers reduce islet amyloid polypeptide toxicity via accelerated amyloid aggregation. Biomacromolecules, 18 (12), 4249-4260. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01301

Star polymers reduce islet amyloid polypeptide toxicity via accelerated amyloid aggregation

2017

Journal Article

Implications of peptide assemblies in amyloid diseases

Ke, Pu Chun, Sani, Marc-Antonie, Ding, Feng, Kakinen, Aleksandr, Javed, Ibrahim, Separovic, Frances, Davis, Thomas P. and Mezzenga, Raffaele (2017). Implications of peptide assemblies in amyloid diseases. Chemical Society Reviews, 46 (21), 6492-6531. doi: 10.1039/c7cs00372b

Implications of peptide assemblies in amyloid diseases

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2026
    Inflammation and chronic infections in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: the role of amyloid cross-seeding.
    NHMRC Investigator Grants
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Aleksandr Kakinen is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Inflammation and chronic infections in the pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease: the role of amyloid cross-seeding

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Thomas Davis

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Investigating the role of gut-bacteria in neurodegenerative diseases

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Thomas Davis

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Aleksandr Kakinen's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au