Short Description

The Laboratory of Gene Expression, Molecular Diagnosis and Modern Therapeutic Methods of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, of the Health Sciences Schools of the Democritus University of Thrace was established in 2002 with the aim of achieving excellence in the education of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the various fields of molecular biology and genetics and conducting high-level biomedical research. The field of Gene Expression, Molecular Diagnosis and Modern Therapeutic Methods has undergone exciting changes and rapid progress in recent years. This progress, combined with the rapid development of new technologies for genome research, is transforming Molecular Biology and its applications for the benefit of humanity.

The laboratory’s research activities focus on:

  1. The study of gene expression from transcription to the secretion of biopolymers in extracellular vesicles, with the aim of discovering biomarkers and utilizing them as molecular diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets.
  2. The application of recombinant DNA technology to produce synthetic polypeptides.
  3. The study of cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as mechanisms of response to endogenous or exogenous stress in physiological and pathological conditions of chronic stress, such as cancer.
  4. In the study of the relationship between molecular structure and function, as well as in the isolation of natural proteins of high added value with important biotechnological applications, mainly in health and nutrition.
  5. In the study of molecular and cellular mechanisms of action of microorganisms and their exploitation for the development of innovative applications in Molecular Diagnostics and Biotechnology.

  1.  Identification and updating of biomarkers for use as molecular diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets.
  2. Isolation of natural proteins with high added value and significant biotechnological applications.
  3. Application of molecular biology methods in agrobiology to determine ways of increasing crop yields
  4. Isolation, purification, and complete characterization of extracellular vesicles from biological fluids (human, animal and plant) for the discovery of extracellular biomarkers of pathological conditions and the study of their bioactivity as a therapeutic option.

1. 82318: CHECKING THE AUTHENTICITY AND ADULTERATION OF FISH IN THE GREEK MARKET USING MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION (MIS 5033599), Operational Programme ‘FISHERIES AND THE SEA 2014-2020’, Scientific Director Raphael Sandaltzopoulos. 06/2019-06/2023, Laboratory budget: €109,904.46
2. 82528: IMPROVED GENERIC POLYPEptide DRUGS WITH INNOVATIVE PHARMACEUTICAL FORMS (MIS 5067545) T2EDK-00996. Scientific Director: Raphael Sandaltzopoulos. 07/2020-08/2023, Laboratory Budget: €492,006.55.
3. 83070: APPLICATION OF eDNA TECHNOLOGY FOR MONITORING FISH STOCKS AND GENETIC RESOURCES IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE THRACIAN SEA AS AN A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT (ECOeDNA) Member of the research team. 06/2023-05/2025. Budget: €200,000.
4. 82733: BioActiveScreen HFRI-FM17C3-2007 BIOACTIVESCREEN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IN NORTHERN GREECE: IDENTIFICATION OF BIOACTIVE PHYTOCHEMICALS OF HIGH ADDED VALUE FROM ENDEMIC AROMATIC PLANTS (2007). Member of the research team at Democritus University of Thrace, 2021-2025. Project budget: €1,440,000.
5. 82584: MilkSafe Use of Omics Technologies for the Molecular Characterisation and Enrichment of Breast Milk for Newborns. Scientific Director of the Democritus University of Thrace research team Antonis Giannakakis (2020-2023) Total funding: €999,545, Budget for Democritus University of Thrace: €136,050.

  1. Gouzouasis, V., Sarrigeorgiou, I., Tsifintaris, M., Markoglou, N., Georgopoulou, U., Lymberi, P., Anagnostouli, M., Probert, L. and Giannakakis, A (2025). Double-stranded RNA Antiviral Signature in Early Multiple Sclerosis. Frontiers in Microbiology - Virology IF: 4.5
  2. Tsifintaris, M., Grigoriadis, D., Sitmalidis, M., Repanas, P. Lazarashvili, E., Anastasiadi, C., Kavakiotis, I., Sandaltzopoulos, R., Pavlopoulos G.A., and Giannakakis, A (2025). ASTRA: A Comprehensive Resource of Stress-induced Transcriptional Activity in Human Cell Lines. Νucleic Acid Research, Database issue, https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaf1174 IF: 13.1
  3. Tsifintaris, M., Sitmalidis, M., Tokamani, M., … Sandaltzopoulos, R., Giannakakis, A. 2024. Analysis of Human Milk Microbiota in Northern Greece by Comparative 16S rRNA Sequencing vs. Local Dairy Animals. Nutrients, 2024, 16(14), 2175
  4. Giannakakis, Α., Tsifintaris, Μ., Gouzouasis, V., Ow, G. S., Aau, M. Y., Papp, C. Ivshina, , A. V., and Kuznetsov, V. A. 2024. KDM7A-DT induces genotoxic stress, tumorigenesis, and progression of p53 missense mutation-associated invasive breast cancer. Frontiers in Oncology, vol. 14, pp. 1227151.
  5. Stefanidis, E., Semilietof, A., Pujol, J., … Coukos, G., Irving, M. 2023. Combining SiRPα decoy–coengineered T cells and antibodies augments macrophage-mediated phagocytosis of tumor cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 134(11), e161660.
  6. Varsamis, G.D., Karafyllidis, I.G., Gilkes, K.M., … Jessen, H.C., Wong, J. 2023. Quantum gate algorithm for reference-guided DNA sequence alignment. Computational Biology and Chemistry, 107, 107959.
  7. Varsamis, G.D., Karafyllidis, I.G., Gilkes, K.M., … Kolovos, P., Sandaltzopoulos, R. 2023. Quantum algorithm for de novo DNA sequence assembly based on quantum walks on graphs. BioSystems, 233, 105037.
  8. Chronopoulou, S., Tsochantaridis, I., Tokamani, M., … Pappa, A., Sandaltzopoulos, R. 2023. Expression and purification of human interferon alpha 2a (IFNα2a) in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Protein Expression and Purification, 211, 106339.
  9. Tokamani, M., Figgou, E., Papamichail, L., … Matthaiou, E.I., Sandaltzopoulos, R. 2023. A Multiplex PCR Melting-Curve-Analysis-Based Detection Method for the Discrimination of Five Aspergillus Species. Journal of Fungi, 9(8), 842.
  10. Chatzoglou, E., Tsaousi, N., Apostolidis, A.P., … Triantaphyllidis, G., Miliou, H. 2023. High-Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis for Rapid Molecular Identification of Sparidae Species in the Greek Fish Market. Genes, 14(6), 1255.
  11. Giantsis, I.A., Tokamani, M., Triantaphyllidis, G., … Sandaltzopoulos, R., Apostolidis, A.P. 2023. Development of Multiplex PCR and Melt–Curve Analysis for the Molecular Identification of Four Species of the Mullidae Family, Available in the Market. Genes, 14(5), 96
  12. Mourtzi N., Siahanidou, T., Tsifintaris, M., Karamichali, E., Tasiopoulou, A., Sertedaki, , A., Pesmatzoglou, M., Kapetanaki, A., Liosis, G., Baltatzis, G., Vlachakis, D., Chrousos, G., and Giannakakis, A. 2021. LncRNA NORAD is consistently detected in breastmilk exosomes and downregulated in mothers of preterm infants. Int J Mol Med 48: 216.

Name Title Supervisor Year Status
Semiliotof Katerina Development and evaluation of a system of humanised mice as a preclinical model for innovative anti-cancer immunotherapies Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2019 Completed
Tokamani Maria Study of miRNAs involved in signalling pathways in lung cancer Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2018 Completed
Matthaiou Efthimia-Iliana Nanotherapeutic approaches in epithelial cancers Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2017 Completed
Karapetsas Thanasis Study of molecular markers in ovarian cancer Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2014 Completed
Evripidis Lanitis Development and evaluation of an experimental cell-based immunotherapy system for ovarian cancer Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2013 Completed
Denarda Dangai The role of membrane glycoproteins in ovarian cancer Raphael Sandaltzopoulos 2013 Completed
Margaritis Tsifidaris High-Performance Computational Analysis of Non-coding Mechanisms and Epigenetic Markers in the Pathophysiology of Stress Antonis Giannakakis 2024 Completed
Vasileios Gouzouasis Genomic mapping of intracellular and extracellular non-coding RNAs from biological fluids of patients with multiple sclerosis and their correlation with stress pathways Antonis Giannakakis 2025 Completed

Name Capacity
Αντώνης Γιαννακάκης [get_post_data title="Γιαννακάκης Αντώνης" field="meta" key="job_title"]
Αριστέα Μαρίνα Ζήγκου Υποψήφια Διδάκτωρ
Χριστίνα Αναστασιάδη Υποψήφια Διδάκτωρ

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Information

Director

Sandaltzopoulos Rafail, Professor

https://theranostics.edu.gr/

+30 25510 30623

rms.lab.duth@gmail.com

Τμήμα Μοριακής Βιολογίας και Γενετικής, κτήριο «Φώτης Καφάτος», 1ος όροφος, Δραγάνα, Δ.Π.Θ. Αλεξανδρούπολη, 68100