Maria-Ioanna Christodoulou
Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences
22713044
School of Sciences
Department of Life Sciences
Academic Qualifications
| Qualification | Year | Awarding Institution | Department | Thesis title (Optional Entry) |
| PhD | 2010 | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | School of Medicine | Study of regulatory T-lymphocytes in autoimmune epithelitis - Sjögren syndrome (in the context of a detailed analysis of the inflammatory lesions of the disease) |
| MSc | 2015 | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | School of Biology | Study of the synergistic action of metformin with anti-cancer drugs: in-vitro investigation on human ovarian cancer cell lines |
| BSc | 2003 | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki | School of Biology | DNA isolation and identification of Brachionus species (Rotifera) based on mitochondrial markers |
Employment History
| Period of employment | Employer | Location | Position | |
| From | To | |||
| 2019 | today | European University Cyprus | Nicosia, Cyprus | Assistant Professor |
| 2017 | 2019 | University of Glasgow | Glasgow, UK | Post-doctoral fellow |
| 2012 | 2016 | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | Athens, Greece | Post-doctoral fellow |
Publications
| Year | Title | Other authors | Journal and Publisher / Conference | Vol. | Pages |
| 2021 | Common Genetic Aberrations Associated with Metabolic Interferences in Human Type-2 Diabetes and Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Bioinformatics Approach. | Kyriakou TC, Papageorgis P, Christodoulou MI. | Int J Mol Sci. | 22(17) | 9322 |
| 2020 | Blood-based analysis of 84 microRNAs identifies molecules deregulated in individuals with type-2 diabetes, risk factors for the disease or metabolic syndrome | Avgeris M, Kokkinopoulou I, Maratou E, Mitrou P, Boutati E, Scorilas A, Fragoulis EG, Christodoulou MI | Diabetes Res Clin Pract. | 164 | 108187 |
| 2020 | The Role of Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells in Modulating Cancer Therapy | Neophytou CM, Pierides C, Christodoulou MI, Costeas P, Kyriakou TC, Papageorgis P | Front Oncol | 9(10) | 899 |
| 2020 | JQ1 inhibits tumour growth in combination with cisplatin and suppresses JAK/STAT signalling pathway in ovarian cancer | Bagratuni T, Mavrianou N, Gavalas NG, Tzannis K, Arapinis C, Liontos M, Christodoulou MI, Thomakos N, Haidopoulos D, Rodolakis A, Kastritis E, Scorilas A, Dimopoulos MA, Bamias A | Eur J Cancer | 126 | 125-135 |
| 2019 | New Clinical Approaches and Emerging Evidence on Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors as Anti-Cancer Therapeutics: CTLA-4 and PD-1 Pathways and Beyond | Christodoulou MI, Zaravinos A | Crit Rev Immunol | 39(5) | 379-408 |
| 2019 | Decreased expression of microRNAs targeting type-2 diabetes susceptibility genes in peripheral blood of patients and predisposed individuals. | Kokkinopoulou I, Maratou E, Mitrou P, Boutati E, Sideris DC, Fragoulis EG., Christodoulou MI. | Endocrine | 66(2) | 226-239 |
| 2019 | Blood-based analysis of type-2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility genes identifies specific transcript variants with deregulated expression and association with disease risk. | Christodoulou MI, Avgeris M, Kokkinopoulou I, Maratou E, Mitrou P, Kontos CK, Pappas E, Boutati E, Scorilas A, Fragoulis EG. | Scientific Reports | 9(1) | 1512 |
| 2014 | The effect of metronomic versus standard chemotherapy on the regulatory to effector T-cell equilibrium in cancer patients. | Koumarianou A, Christodoulou MI, Patapis, P, Papadopoulos I, Liakata E, Giagini A, Stavropoulou A, Poulakaki N, Tountas N, Xiros N, Economopoulos T, Pectasides D, Tsitsilonis OE, Pappa V. | Experimental Hematology & Oncology | 23;3(1) | 3 |
| 2010 | Characteristics of the minor salivary gland infiltrates in Sjögren's syndrome | Christodoulou MI, Kapsogeorgou EK, Moutsopoulos HM. | J Autoimmunity | 34(4) | 400-7 |
| 2008 | Foxp3+-T Regulatory Cells in Sjögren’s Syndrome: Correlation with the Grade of the Autoimmune Lesion. | Christodoulou MI, Kapsogeorgou EK, Moutsopoulos NM, Moutsopoulos HM. | American Journal of Pathology | 173(5) | 1389-86 |
Exhibitions
| Date | Topic | International / Local | Location* | Role in Exhibition | ||||||
| November, 2021 | Aberrant Expression and Prognostic Potential of Interleukin-37 in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients | International | 9th Multi-thematic Bio-medical Congress, Nicosia, Cyprus | Oral presentation | ||||||
| November, 2021 | Unveiling the Transcriptional Landscape that Regulates Colonization of Dormant Metastatic Breast Cancer cells to the Lungs | International | 9th Multi-thematic Bio-medical Congress, Nicosia, Cyprus | Oral presentation | ||||||
| September, 2021 | Unveiling the role of ATF4 in metastatic breast cancer dormancy | International | 4th Annual Conference of STRATAGEM “New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tools against Multi-Drug Resistant Tumours”, Prague, Czech Republic | Oral presentation | ||||||
| December, 2020 | Unveiling novel molecular mechanisms that regulate colonization of dormant metastatic breast cancer cells | International | 8th International Conference of The Cyprus Society of Human Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus | Oral presentation | ||||||
| September, 2016 | Investigation of the peripheral blood gene-expression signature in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, using mRNA next-generation sequencing. | International | 41st FEDERATION OF EUROPEAN BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETIES CONGRESS, Ephesus/Kusadasi, Turkey | Oral presentation | ||||||
| December, 2014 | Application of new technologies in Immunology-Microbiology | National (Greek) | 20th HELLENIC CONGRESS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, Athens, Greece | Invited talk | ||||||
| June, 2014 | Incidence and localization of tumor-infiltrating CD163+ macrophages and T-cells in early breast cancer patients. | International | 2014 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY ANNUAL MEETING, Chicago, Illinois | Poster presentation | ||||||
| November, 2010 | Evolution of Autoimmune Minor Salivary Gland (MSG) Lesions in Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) | International | 74th ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY, Atlanta, Georgia | Poster presentation (Included in 2010 ACR Highlights: Sjögren’s Syndrome) | ||||||
| October, 2009 | The Distribution of Inflammatory Cells at the Autoimmune Minor Salivary Gland (MSG) Lesions of Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) Varies According To Lesion Severity: Correlation with Adverse Prognostic Factors | International | 73rd ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Oral presentation | ||||||
| November, 2007 | FOXP3+ T Regulatory Cells (Tregs) in the Autoimmune Lesions of Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS): Correlation with the Number of the Infiltrating Dendritic Cells and Macrophages | International | 71st ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY, Boston, Massachusetts, USA | Oral presentation | ||||||
Research Projects
| Date | Title | Funded by | Project Role* |
| 2022-2024 | Targeting the tumor microenvironment to improve the efficacy of pancreatic cancer immunotherapy | Research and Innovation Foundation; Excellence Hubs | Researcher |
| 2021-2023 | Investigating the phytochemical profile and in-vitro bioactive properties of endemic plant extracts from Cyprus for potential use in medicine and agriculture- PlantexCY | Research and Innovation Foundation; RESTART 2016-2020 | Researcher |
| 2019-2021 | Unveiling novel molecular mechanisms that regulate colonization of dormant metastatic breast cancer cells. | Research and Innovation Foundation; POST-DOC | Researcher |
| 2017-2019 | IL-37a: a novel immunosuppressive cytokine in autoimmune arthritis | Arthritis Research UK | Post-Doctoral Researcher |
| 2017-2019 | Investigation of the molecular profile of patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus utilizing high throughput, new generation sequencing technologies: development of a panel of microRNAs (miRNAs)-potential biomarkers for the disease. | Greek State Scholarships Foundation | Post-Doctoral Researcher (individual scholarship) |
| 2014-2015 | UtilizAtion of bioinfoRmatics and microchip Emerging Technologies towArds a nExt generation architectUre health system for diabetes mellitus type 2 management, prevention and perSonalized medical care - ARETAEUS” | European Regional Development Fund– ERDF & Greek national funds, Operational Program “Competitiveness & Entrepreneurship” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSFR); SYNERGASIA (COOPERATION) 2011 | Post-Doctoral Researcher |
| 2011-2014 | INtegrating the emerging research Potential of the University of Athens Cancer Research Group in the European research area – InsPiRe | Commission of the European Community; EU-FP7 REGPOT-2011-1 | Post-Doctoral Researcher |
| 2008 | Study of the role of regulatory T cells in autoimmune epithelitis (Sjögren syndrome) | The Special Account for Research Grants of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Kapodistrias | PhD student |
| 2005-2007 | The role of enteroviral sequences in autoimmune lesion | General Secretariat of Research and Technology (Greece); PYTHAGORAS II-Funding of Research Groups in the Universities | PhD student |
| 2002-2004 | Genetic implications in the production of rotifers in commercial finfish hatcheries - ROTIGEN | Commission of the European Community | Undergraduate student; Thesis-project |
Academic Consulting Services/Councils/Boards/Editorial Committees
| Period | Organization | Title of Position or Service | Key Activities |
| 2020-today | European University Cyprus | Member of the EUC School of Sciences Council | Attendance of meetings and participation in voting decisions on subjects regarding academic operations, general welfare and the development of the School |
| 2020-today | European University Cyprus | Supervision of Theses’ Projects | Mentoring and supervision of seven BSc and four MSc theses project |
| 2020 | Applied Sciences Journal; Special Issue on Big Data Analytics for Cancer Research and Precision Medicine | Guest Editor | Invitation of authors/submissions and reviewers, decision making on acceptance/rejection of manuscripts upon reviewers’ comments |
| 2019-today | Journals: 1. The International Journal of Immunology and Immunobiology (2017-today) 2. Obesity and Diabetes Research Journal (2019-today) 3. Annals of Molecular and Genetic Medicine (2021-today) | Editorial board member | Review of submitted manuscripts, invitation of new authors/submissions |
| 2012-today | International-peer reviewed journals (>35 journals (impact factors ranging from 2.84 to 16.02; > 165 manuscripts) | Reviewer | Review of submitted manuscripts |
Awards/International Recognition
| Date | Title | Awarded by: |
| November, 2007 | Outstanding Abstract Award for exceptional research in Sjögren's syndrome: “FOXP3+ T Regulatory Cells (Tregs) in the Autoimmune Lesions of Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS): Correlation with the Number of the Infiltrating Dendritic Cells and Macrophages” | Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
| December, 2006 | Best Abstract Award: Regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) in Sjögren syndrome (SS): correlation with progression of tissue damage | Hellenic Society for Rheumatology at the 19th Hellenic Rheumatology Congress, Athens, Greece |
| December, 2004 | Best Abstract Award: Detection of enteroviral sequences in Sjögren syndrome: persistent infection of salivary gland epithelial cells | Hellenic Society for Rheumatology at the 18th Hellenic Rheumatology Congress, Athens, Greece |
Other Achievements
| Date | Title | Key Activities: |
| 2006-today | 19 articles in international peer-reviewed journals First/Last author in 11 Citations: 860; h-index=12, i-index=13 (Google Scholar, as of 24/11/2021) | Author/Researcher |
| 2019-today | “Ambassador” Bentham Science in Greece | Promote Bentham Science journals, invitations for submission of articles |