Laboratory of Biochemistry
Government gazzette:
181 06/10/1993
E-mail:
enousiou@med.uth.gr
Webpage:
http://www.med.uth.gr/biochemistry/index.html
Department:
- School of Medicine
Tel.:
+30 2410 685713
The Laboratory of Biochemistry (5 faculty members) teaches Chemistry and Biochemistry to medical students. The Lab is equipped for research and services in Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Analytical Chemistry. Research is focused on the cellular response to hypoxia, iron homeostasis and the involvement of hypoxia in cancer and other major diseases. Research in the Lab has been funded by competitive grants (total of 525.000 €) and, since 2001, has led to the successful completion of 11 Doctorate Theses (PhDs) and the publication of 71 original articles in international scientific journals (27 in the field of hypoxia).
Research Activities:
The induction mechanisms of HIF-1α and HIF-2α by chemical and biological agents (DFO, cobalt, flavonoids) under normal or hypoxic conditions in human primary and cancer cell lines or tissues.
The roles of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in cellular survival, proliferation and apoptosis of cancer cells.
Regulation of HIF-1α by phosphorylation and nucleocytoplasmic transport in adenocarcinoma and hepatocarcinoma cells.
Identification of proteins that interact with HIF-1α and the biological-medical significance of these interactions.
Synthesis and application of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the targeted isolation of bioactive natural compounds that modulate the HIF-1 signaling pathway and could be used in anticancer treatment.
The role of hypoxia and HIFs in the expression and secretion of hepcidin, a new hepatic hormone that regulates iron homeostasis.
The role of HIF-1α in the responsiveness and physiology of airway smooth muscle cells (in collaboration with the Lab. of Physiology).
Development of specific antibodies for immunohistochemical analysis of HIF-1α expression in tumor samples (in collaboration with the Lab. of Pathology).
Expression analysis of hypoxia target genes in biopsies from patients suffering from liver diseases in order to develop prognostic or diagnostic methods (in collaboration with the Internal Medicine Department).
Detection of simple nucleotide polymorphisms of the HIF-1α gene in patients in order to correlate them with disease states (in collaboration with the Orthopedic Department).
Biogenesis, transport and aminoacylation of tRNA with emphasis on the structure and function of the Arc1p aminoacylation complex (G. Simos).
The role of SR kinases in gene expression with emphasis on the interaction between SRPK1 and the nuclear matrix factors SAFB1/2 (E. Georgatsou).
Oxidative stress and its role in endothelial function (P. Liakos).
Application of chromatography/mass-spectroscopy in biomedical, clinical research and environmental toxicology research (A. Tsakalof).
Research Projects:
PENED 2001 "Molecular mechanisms of the hypoxia response – activation and function of the transcription factor HIF–1" (2002–2005).
Greek–French Collaboration Project PLATON "Functional and biochemical analysis of the role of pseudouridine modifications in tRNA" (2002–2003).
R+T Greek–German Collaboration Project "Development of a bioanalytical method in yeast for the study of human hypoxia inducible factor HIF–1" (2003–2004).
Ε.P.ΑΝ 2003 "Hepsidin, a novel iron–regulatory hormone implicated in the anemia of chronic disease and in hemochromatosis: Development of diagnostic tools, study of the mechanism of action and design of potential therapeutic interventions" (2004–2006).
Research Committee of the University of Thessaly: "Investigation of the role of the protein Arc1p complex in aminoacylation and transport of tRNA" (2003–4).
Ministry of Education, Program HERAKLITOS: "Investigation of the role of SR protein kinases in gene expression: study of the molecular interactions of a new family member, SRPK1a" (2004–2006).
Ministry of Education, Program HERAKLITOS "Study of tRNA biogenesis and transport: the role of modifications and aminoacylation" (2004–2006).
Ministry of Education, Program PYTHAGORAS "Investigation of the signaling pathways activated by hypoxic stress and their role in apoptosis" (2005–2006).
Ministry of Education, Program PYTHAGORAS II "Study of the transcriptional factor HIF–1 and its role in iron metabolism" (2005–2006).
Ε.P.ΑΝ–ΙΙ COOPERATION 2009 "Hepatidanalysis: Development of automated methods for the determination of hepsidin and investigation of its diagnostic and pathogenetic role in iron homeostasis deregulation diseases" (2011–2013).
Ministry of Education, Program THALIS "The new biology of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP): a targeted, multidisciplinary analysis of IDP structure, function and properties in real time and true cellular conditions" (2012–2014).
Laboratory Infrastructure:
The Laboratory of Biochemistry occupies a wing of the new Medical School buildings in BIOPOLIS (Mezourlo, Larissa), with a total space of approx. 1000 m2. They include 5 research labs with equipped benches (for approx. 20 people), 2 cell-culture rooms (with hoods, CO2 incubator, reverse microscope, bench centrifuge and an INVIVO2 hypoxia workstation), 2 radioactive “hot” labs (with β-counter), 2 instrument labs (with centrifuge, ultra-centrifuge, shaking incubators, speed-vac, etc.), 1 “cold” room, 1 “warm” room, 1 dark room, 2 small-animal labs, 1 meeting room and 1 library. The available equipment and expertise permit and are used to culture bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells under “normal” and “hypoxic” conditions; clone, isolate and analyze DNA; produce, isolate and study recombinant proteins; use and quantify radioactive labelling; apply fluorescence microscopy, photometry, luminometry, fluorometry, real-time quantitative PCR and HPLC analysis. The Lab has access to mass spectroscopy and confocal microscopy facilities through established collaborations with the Research Center "A. Fleming" (Dr G. Panayotou) and the Laboratory of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Patras (Prof. Z. Lygerou), respectively.
Research Results / Products:
71 original articles in international scientific journals (27 in the field of hypoxia).
1 national patent (OBI).
Development of bioanalytical methods measuring HIF activity applicable to high-throughput screening of chemical libraries for the discovery of novel compounds with anticancer activity.
Targeted isolation of bioactive chemo-protective anti-cancer or anti-ischemic natural compounds using molecular imprinted polymers.
Production of novel biotechnological products (plasmids, recombinant human proteins, antibodies) for use in research and application in diagnostic immunochemical analysis of HIFs and their target genes in cancer patients.
Personnel:
| First Name | Last Name | Position | Telephone | Web-link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George | Simos | Director | simos@med.uth.gr | +30 2410 685723 | |
Eleni | Georgatsou | Associate Professor | egeorgat@med.uth.gr | +30 2410 685581 | |
Panagiotis | Liakos | Assistant Professor | atsakal@med.uth.gr | +30 2410 685580 | |
Andreas | Tsakalof | Assistant Professor | pliakos@med.uth.gr | +30 2410 685579 | |
Ilias | Mylonis | Lecturer | mylonis@med.uth.gr | +30 2410 685578 |
