Her academic interests span in cancer biology, cell signaling, developmental biology, biochemistry, biology, and bioethics, with a strong emphasis on translational and interdisciplinary research. Her work integrates molecular, cellular, and spectroscopic approaches to understand disease mechanisms, particularly in reproductive and women’s health.

Her research emphasizes international and interdisciplinary collaborations, including joint work with faculty at Duke University investigating cellular damage and signaling responses to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). She also collaborates with the Department of Gynecology at Fudan University on studies of endometriosis, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at No 1 Affiliated university hospital of Suzhou on the study of Inhibins in uterine myomas and with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wuhan Medical School, where her research focuses on cellular profiling and the generation of molecular fingerprints using Raman spectroscopy.

Her primary research focus is reproductive biology, particularly the regulation of inhibin and progesterone receptors in uterine leiomyomas and ovarian cancers. One of her major scientific achievements was the development of a novel total inhibin (A & B) immunoassay within the TGF-β superfamily. This work led to the successful licensing of antibodies and assays, generating over GBP 2 million in royalties for Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom.She has received several competitive research grants, most recently from the National Natural Science Foundation of China for research on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in cancer biology, and a regional grant from Guangdong Province, in collaboration with Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), for the development of a novel immunoassay targeting vitamin D-binding proteins.

Prof. Tsigkou holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and a D.Phil. from Oxford Brookes University, where she also earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Science. Prior to joining Duke Kunshan University, she was a Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at XJTLU, teaching biochemistry, biotechnology, and cancer biology.