Module MCT-5 | International MSc Molecular Biomedicine, Athens

Module MCT-5: "Systems Biology, Biotechnology and Bioinnovation" (Organized by the students)

A distinctive feature of our MSc program is the Student-Organized Seminar Series, designed to connect students with leading scientists from around the world.

In this course, students take an active role in shaping their academic experience by hosting internationally recognized researchers who are conducting cutting-edge research abroad. The seminars focus on key areas such as Systems Biology, Biotechnology, and Bioinnovation.

Through these interactive seminars, students engage directly with distinguished scientists, gaining insight into emerging discoveries, innovative technologies, and global research perspectives. This unique format not only enriches scientific knowledge but also fosters networking, critical discussion, and exposure to the international research community.

Coordinators:

The STUDENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MSc MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE (Coordinators)

1st Year Class

Lecturers 2025 (inviters: MSc Class 2024-2026, coordinator: Theodora Giannousa):

Alexandros TSOMPANIDIS (University of Cambridge, UK)
Senior Research Associate
Autism Research Centre
University of Cambridge, UK
Lecture: "Prenatal environment and autism" (30 May 2025, Host: Eleni Tsamadia)

Dimitris KANELLIS (Karolinska Institute, Sweden)
Researcher (project leader)
SciLife Lab - Department of Medical Biochemistry & Biophysics
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Lecture: "Current developments in ribosome biogenesis and function in cancer" (13 June 2025, Host: Efthimia Lamari)

José A. COSTOYA (University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
Professor of Physiology
Group Leader, Molecular Oncology Laboratory - MOL
Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Lecture: "Cancer Metabolism" (27 June 2025, Host: Anastasia Klimi)

Christina GLYTSOU (Rutgers University, USA)
Assistant Professor
Group Leader, Department of Chemical Biology
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
Lecture: "Mitochondrial biology in blood malignancies and drug resistance" (27 June 2025, Host: Asimina Gatsi)

Lecturers 2024 (inviters: MSc Class 2023-2025, coordinator: Ariadni Damanaki):

Christos GOURNAS (Labiris Research Institute, Belgium)
Researcher
YeAST group,
Labiris Research Institute, Anderlecht, Belgium
Lecture: "Ferroptosis & starvation-protective membrane domains in quiescent fungal cells" (14 June 2024, Host: Sofia Politi)

Triantafyllos CHAVAKIS (Technische Universität Dresden, Germany)
Professor and Director
Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Germany
Lecture: "Inflammation circuits" (21 June 2024, Host: Lampros Karkanis)

Lecturers 2023 (inviters: MSc Class 2022-2024, coordinator: Vasiliki-Zoi Arvaniti):

Dimitra ZAZARA (University of Hamburg, Germany)
MD Clinical Scientist
University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
University of Hamburg, Germany
Lecture: "Fetal programming of children's immunity" (19 May 2023, Host: Cleo Moschou)

Nikos KYRPIDES (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA)
Senior scientist
DOE Joint Genome Institute
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, USA
Lecture: "Microbiome Data Science: from Earth Microbiome to the Global Virome" (23 May 2023, Host: Marios Itsios)

Lisa B. FRANKEL (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)
Associate Professor
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Københavns Universitet, Denmark
Lecture: "Molecular, cellular and organismal implications of autophagy in health and disease" (16 June 2023, Host: Angelos Michailidis)

Anastassis PERRAKIS (Netherlands Cancer Institute, The Netherlands)
Group leader and Head of the division, Biochemistry department, Netherlands Cancer Institute and Oncode Institute
Professor - Utrecht University, EMBO Member
Lecture: "Deciphering the 40-year mystery of tubular detyrosynation: from gene function to atomic-level mechanistic detail and back again" (30 June 2023, Host: Katerina Zacharopoulou)

Klaus H. KAESTNER (University of Pennsylvania, USA)
Thomas and Evelyn Suor Butterworth Professor in Genetics
Associate Director, Diabetes Research Center,
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Lecture: "The gut microbiome controls our health – or is it the other way around?" (21 July 2023, Host: Vasiliki-Zoi Arvaniti)

Module MCT-5: "Systems Biology, Biotechnology and Bioinnovation" (Organized by the students)

Coordinators:

Lecturers 2025 (inviters: MSc Class 2024-2026, coordinator: Theodora Giannousa):

Alexandros TSOMPANIDIS (University of Cambridge, UK) ​Senior Research Associate Autism Research Centre University of Cambridge, UK Lecture: "Prenatal environment and autism" (30 May 2025, Host: Eleni Tsamadia)

Dimitris KANELLIS (Karolinska Institute, Sweden) ​Researcher (project leader) SciLife Lab - Department of Medical Biochemistry & Biophysics Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Lecture: "Current developments in ribosome biogenesis and function in cancer" (13 June 2025, Host: Efthimia Lamari)

José A. COSTOYA (University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain) ​Professor of Physiology Group Leader, Molecular Oncology Laboratory - MOL Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain Lecture: "Cancer Metabolism" (27 June 2025, Host: Anastasia Klimi)

Christina GLYTSOU (Rutgers University, USA) Assistant Professor​ Group Leader, Department of Chemical Biology Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA Lecture: "Mitochondrial biology in blood malignancies and drug resistance" (27 June 2025, Host: Asimina Gatsi)