ΘΕΜΑ: Alumni of the BRAIN and MIND Sciences Seminar Series ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΕΑΣ: Raos Vasileios raos@xxxxxx Δείτε τα σχετικά αρχεία που βρίσκονται στις παρακάτω υπερ-συνδέσεις : https://news.uoc.gr/news/2025/05-11/B&M_ALUMNI_seminars_ANNOUNCEMENT_Ioannou.pdf https://news.uoc.gr/news/2025/05-11/Alumni_of_the_BRAIN_and_MIND_Sciences_Seminar_Series.pdf Alumni of the BRAIN and MIND Sciences Seminar Series Tracking the interplay between protein deposition and neuroinflammatory response in dementia disorders, as measured with multimodal imaging and biofluid markers Konstantinos Ioannou, MD, MSc PhD candidate, Nordberg Translational Molecular Imaging Lab Karolinska Institutet, SWEDEN
Info: Vassilis Raos, 4512, raos@xxxxxx The speaker: Konstantinos Ioannou I completed my MD at the University of Ioannina in 2016 and obtained a MSc in Brain and Mind Sciences from the University of Crete in 2021. Later that year, I joined the Nordberg Translational Molecular Imaging Lab at Karolinska Institutet as a research assistant. In March 2023, I started my PhD in the same lab, with the project titled “Tracking the interplay between protein deposition and neuroinflammatory response in dementia disorders, as measured with multimodal imaging and biofluid markers.” My research interests include elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders, validating PET imaging and fluid biomarkers through autopsy studies, and applying these biomarkers to assess emerging disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Summary of the presentation: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides forming extracellular plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins forming intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. These pathological aggregates disrupt neuronal communication, impair synaptic function, and trigger neuroinflammatory responses. The progressive interplay between Aβ deposition and tau pathology ultimately leads to neuronal loss and cognitive decline. Recent advances now allow the in vivo detection of Aβ and tau pathology, as well as the visualization of inflammatory responses, using positron emission tomography imaging, which serves as the gold standard for evaluating these hallmark processes of AD. Complementary to imaging, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma biomarkers have emerged as minimally invasive tools for quantifying Aβ and tau levels. However, the clinical implementation of these biomarkers remains challenging. Validation against neuropathological findings and longitudinal clinical studies is essential to ensure their accuracy and reliability. Current visualization and quantification methods lack standardization, with variable cut-offs and limited understanding of technical and biological factors that may influence the measurement of Aβ and tau proteins. Furthermore, autopsy studies have shown that mixed pathologies (i.e., the co-presence of misfolded Aβ, tau, α-synuclein, or TDP-43 proteins) are a common finding in older individuals. This suggests that, in many cases, cognitive impairment may stem from the cumulative effect of the overall pathological burden rather than being the exclusive outcome of AD pathology. These challenges, alongside the recent approval of the first disease-modifying treatments for AD, underscore the need for the development of accurate biomarkers and a further understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms. Alumni of the BRAIN and MIND Sciences Seminar Series The Postgraduate Programme in Brain & Mind Sciences is launching a new online seminar series for the 2025–2026 academic year, entitled “Alumni of the BRAIN and MIND Sciences Seminar Series.” This initiative aims to highlight the achievements of our graduates by showcasing their research and professional paths, providing insight into the diverse career opportunities available after completing the MSc in Brain & Mind Sciences, and fostering connections among alumni, current students, and members of the Hellenic neuroscience community. In addition, the series seeks to offer an accessible platform for learning about current research in Systems, Computational, and Cognitive Neuroscience, fields that remain underrepresented in Greece. Speakers will include alumni at various stages of their careers, from doctoral candidates to postdoctoral researchers and independent investigators, who will present their research topics and ongoing scientific work. The seminar dates for the 2025–2026 academic year are as follows: November 20 and December 18, 2025; and January 22, February 19, March 19, April 23, May 21, June 18, and July 16, 2026, all at 14:00.
About the MSc in Brain & Mind Sciences The Postgraduate Programme in Brain and Mind Sciences (B&M) is an inter-institutional, interdisciplinary program organized and operated by the University of Crete (UoC) in collaboration with the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH). The B&M Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Programme brings together the UoC Medical School and the Departments of Computer Science, Philosophy and Social Studies, Physics, and Psychology, along with the FORTH Institutes of Computer Science, Applied & Computational Mathematics, and Molecular Biology & Biotechnology. The B&M was the first postgraduate program in Europe to provide integrated education in Biological, Computational, and Social Neurosciences for the study of the nervous system and its functions, serving as a model subsequently followed by other European neuroscience postgraduate programs. Research within the program covers a wide range of fields, including Developmental Psychology, Neuropsychology, Brain Imaging, Neuroanatomy, Electron Microscopy, Neuroendocrinology, Neuropharmacology, Neurophilosophy, Neurophysiology, Neural Networks, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Neuroscience, and Computational Vision. Investigating the mechanisms of brain function and their relationship to behavior is an inherently interdisciplinary endeavor that requires approaches from the biological, social, and physical sciences. The B&M program promotes an integrated, cross-disciplinary perspective on fundamental scientific questions concerning the brain and the emergence of thought, consciousness, and behavior, providing a unique platform that bridges Biological, Computational, and Social Neurosciences. Established in 2003, the B&M was the first inter-institutional, interdisciplinary postgraduate program to operate in Greece. It is accredited by the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education. -- Vassilis Raos, PhD |