Welcome!

I am Marianthi and I am an Assistant Professor of Medical Biology-Medical Genetics. I majored in Biology and specialized in Human Genetics. I graduated in honors from the Department of Biology (http://www.bio.auth.gr/) of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) (2004), after experiencing being an Erasmus exchange student in Umeå University in Northern Sweden (http://www.medbio.umu.se) (2002). In 2008, I obtained my PhD (approved with distinction) from the Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, in Finland (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-medicine). For nearly four years I worked and studied hard in Biomedicum Helsinki (http://www.biomedicum.fi), under the supervision of Academy Professor Lauri A. Aaltonen, MD, PhD (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/tumor-genomics/people). My PhD project was on human tumor genomics and the genetic basis of pituitary adenoma predisposition causing acromegalia and gigantism; our studies led to the identification of a novel tumor suppressor gene, namely AIP (Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Interacting Protein). Throughout my PhD, I was a scholar of Bodossaki (2005-2007) and Alexander Onassis (2007-2008) Public Benefit Foundations. Dr. Constantine A. Stratakis, MD, DMSci from NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA served as my dissertation opponent (https://science.nichd.nih.gov/confluence/display/segen/Home).    
 
In 2009 I worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Erasmus Medical Center (EMC), Department of Cell Biology (https://www.erasmusmc.nl/cellbiology) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands as a European Molecular Biology Organization scholar, under the supervision of Dr. Sjaak Philipsen, PhD (https://www.erasmusmc.nl/en/research/researchers/philipsen-sjaak). At EMC we demonstrated yet another role of the erythropoietic transcription factor KLF1 in regulating γ-globin gene expression, through the characterization of a molecular mechanism of Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin in adults. From 2010-2013 I worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Immunology (EMBIA) of the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Patras in Greece (http://www.pharmacy.upatras.gr/), initially as a State Scholarships Foundation scholar and later as research associate in EU-funded (FP7) projects. Research at EMBIA focused mainly on pharmacogenomics, the genetic basis of rare disorders and the creation of human genome variation databases. In 2013 I moved to Alexandroupolis to work as a post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics (MBG) of Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) in Northern Greece (https://www.mbg.duth.gr/), in EU-funded (FP7, Marie-Curie ITN) and nationally-funded projects, under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Peristera Paschou, PhD (https://www.bio.purdue.edu/lab/paschou/index.html). Since 2013, I have been involved in genetic and molecular studies of complex phenotypes, such as neurodevelopmental disorders (Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, Specific Learning Disorder-Dyslexia), Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and autoimmune diseases, such as Myasthenia.
 
I obtained teaching experience initially as an appointed Lecturer at the Department of Pharmacy - University of Patras (Cell Biology, Molecular Biology-Genetics, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology) and later as guest lecturer at the Department of MBG - DUTH (Genetics I, Population Genetics & Evolution). In 2011 I was elected Lecturer of General Biology-Genetics at the Department of Medicine (AUTH), and since then I have been teaching at the mandatory courses of Medical Biology (1st semester) and Medical Genetics (4th semester) of the AUTH Departments of Medicine and Dentistry, the optional course of Clinical Genetics (9th semester), as well as at post-graduate (MSc) courses of AUTH and DUTH Departments. I was promoted to the position of Assistant Professor of Medical Biology-Medical Genetics in October 2016 and as of June 2020 I hold a tenured position at the same level.
 
In 2012, I received the Hellenic National Commitee of UNESCO prize L’ORÉAL-UNESCO "For Women in Science" along with two other exceptional colleagues (https://www.womeninscience.gr/el/vravevmenes). Since 2006, I have published 47 scientific articles, many of which in high impact factor journals (including Science, Nature Genetics, Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Nucleic Acids Research, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Journal of Medical Genetics, Genomics). Despite the difficulties, I do hope that more joyous days of discovery are yet to come, through devotion, hard work and love for the profession of the academic teacher and researcher. Just to paraphrase Thomas Edison ... "Science is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”.