Division of Basic Sciences - (Research Activities)
Laboratory of Biochemistry- Website: http://biochemistry.med.uoc.gr/D. Kardassis: Understanding the molecular and genetic basis of cardiovascular diseases using genomics approaches and genetically modified animal models..Understanding the mechanisms that control the transcription of human lipoprotein genes under physiological or pathological conditions. Development of novel drugs and biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases. P. Theodoropoulos: Structure, organization and functions of the nuclear envelope. Subcellular localization and nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of plasma membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins. EMT and stem characteristics of cancer cells. E. Papakonstanti: Studying signaling pathways triggered by or regulate oncoproteins. Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlie tumor growth and metastasis using animal models. Investigating approaches for combination therapy targeting both, cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment, aiming at development of promising drugs which will effectively prevent cancer progression. Ch. Stournaras: Functions and regulation of cytoskeletal proteins. The role of cytoskeleton dynamics in the acquisition and the processing of intracellular signals. The role of cytoskeletal proteins in cell differentiation and signaling. V. Zannis |
Laboratory of PharmacologyA. Gravanis, Ph.D (Professor of Pharmacology) His research group is developing synthetic compounds, agonists of neurotrophin receptors, with neuroprotective and neurogenic properties and potential applications in therapeutics of neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, his group is focusing on 3D microscaffold and neural stem cell technologies to develop neuroimplants for spinal cord injury and neurobiosensors for drug screening.K. Thermos, Ph.D (Chair, Professor of Pharmacology) The research interests of her group focus on the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms involved in ischemia induced retinal disease and in the development of new therapeutics for the treatment of ischemia induced retinal neurodegeneration. In vivo animal models of diabetic retinopathy and excitotoxicity are employed to examine the neuroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of novel compounds of three therapeutic targets: a) the endocannabinoid system (agonists of CB1 and CB2 receptors, and inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolic enzymes), b) neurosteroid microneurotrophins, and c) novel NADPH Oxidase (NOX) inhibitors. G. Liapakis, Ph.D (Associate Professor of Pharmacology) My scientific interests are focused on elucidating the mode of interaction of ligands with G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and particularly those which bind the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and angiotensin. Furthermore, I am interested in studying the activation-associated conformational changes in these receptors. These studies will provide us with the information that might lead to the rational design of receptor-selective compounds with predetermined efficacy, among them proteolytically stable non-peptide agonists and/or antagonists. I. Charalampopoulos, Ph.D (Associate Professor of Pharmacology) Our research focuses on the study of molecular mechanisms of regeneration and repair of neural tissue, investigating the cellular effects of neurotrophin receptors and the implicated signaling pathways on mature neuronal and glial cells, as well as their precursors, in the adult brain. The laboratory has developed research protocols and novel chemical molecules that act as agonists of neurotrophin receptors, and recently explores their therapeutic efficacy in animal models of Alzheimer's Disease, as well as in human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived neurons and glia cells. |
Laboratory of NeurophysiologyA. Moschovakis,(Professor)- Website: http://www.iacm.forth.gr/index_main.php?l=en&group=5&page=about Study of the structure and function of the central nervous system focused on eye movements and with particular emphasis on: - Recording and analysis of movements evoked in response to central microstimulation and of movement related spike trains. - Computer assisted light microscopic analysis of neuron morphology. - Simulations of crucial oculomotor structures such as the neural integrator, the burst generator, the metric computers in the superior colliculus and the construction of compartmental models of the neurons that comprise these circuits. |
Laboratory of Functional Brain ImagineV. Raos,(Associate Professor), G. Gregoriou (Associate Professor)- Website: http://www.iacm.forth.gr/index_main.php?l=en&group=5&page=about - Investigation of the cortical cerebral pathways associated with voluntary arm-reaching movements of monkeys executing learned visuo-skeletomotor tasks. Representation of the visual and somatosensory guidance of arm movements. - Cortical regions, related to saccadic eye-movements in the monkey brain. How are saccade parameters (direction, amplitude, eye-position and trajectory) coded in distinct cortical areas. - Cortical areas involved in execution and observation of grasping movements. Mirror-neurons circuit in the monkey brain. |
Laboratory of Cell PhysiologyY. Dalezios,(Associate Professor)Study of the synaptic organization of neural networks in cortical and subcortical oculomotor areas/nuclei, the neocortex and hippocampus. |
Laboratory of Movement PhysiologyV. Raos,(Associate Professor)- Website: http://physiology.med.uoc.gr/?n=LaboratoryOfMovementPhysiology.Home Neurophysiology of premotor cortical areas with emphasis on the control of grasping movements. |
Laboratory of Physiology of CognitionG. Gregoriou (Associate Professor)- Website: http://physiology.med.uoc.gr/?n=LaboratoryOfVisualCognition.Home Neural mechanisms of selective attention and working memory. |
Laboratory of
(I. Iliopoulos, D. Karagogeos, N. Tavernarakis) |
Laboratory of Medical ChemistryG. Mavrothalassitis,(Professor)- Website: http://www.imbb.forth.gr/imbb-people/index.php/en/mavrothalassitis-laboratory-home Decipher the role of ERF in multiple diseases, as craniosynostosis, prostate cancer, anemia etc. Elucidate of the molecular mechanism contributing in the disease development and explore therapies based on the regulation of ERF transcriptional repressor activity. |
