About me
I am a PhD candidate in the fields of Neurogenesis and Radiation Biology, working in the Klas Blomgren Laboratory in the Department of Women's and Children's Health. I completed my Bachelor's studies in Biology with a scpecialization in Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and I received my Master's of Medical Science in Biotechnology at Karolinska Institutet, where I had the opprtunity to be part of several groups over the years.
Research description
Radiation therapy is a cornerstone in the treatment of high-grade pediatric brain tumors. While lifesaving, these childhood cancer survivors will potentially experience progressive cogntive dysfuntions, which result from permanent disruptions in brain development and manifest primarily as difficulties in information processing, learning, memory acquisition and psychosocial distress. One hypothesis behind these late complications is the ablation of hippocampal neurogensis that is observed after brain irradiation. My aim is to understand this phenomenon and prevent and/or reverse the loss of newborn neurons in the juvenile brain. Throughout my studies, I focus on memantine, a clinically approved drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as a potential therapeutic agent. At the same, I am exploring the role of microglia in the chronic neuroinflammation that follows radiotherapy and their implication in the process of neurogensis. I am also particularly interested in how astrocytes react after irradiation and the changes that can be observed in their physiology across time.
Education
PhD in Medical Science, Karolinska institutet, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Klas Blomgren group, 2020-currently
Master of Medical Science (MMedSc) with a Major in Biomedicine, Karolinska institutet, 2017-2019
Bachelor’s in Science (BSc), Degree in Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Specialisation Track: Genetics, Developmental and Molecular Biology, 2011-2015