The main objective of the “Molecular & Applied Exercise Physiology” Research Unit of the Physiology Laboratory in the School of Medicine at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) is the promotion of research and the production of new knowledge in the field of exercise physiology, particularly in two main directions: the cellular & molecular exercise physiology and the applied/clinical exercise physiology. The ultimate goal of the Unit is to highlight the beneficial exercise-induced adaptations in the various organs and systems of the body and to promote physical exercise as a complementary intervention, at the level of both prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. To fulfill the above research objectives, the Molecular & Applied Exercise Physiology Unit incorporates special laboratory equipment, utilizing in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experimental models.
Research Directions
1. Cellular & Molecular Exercise Physiology
- Molecular muscle physiology in exercise and disease
- Intracellular signaling
- Gene expression
- Mitochondrial function
- Exercise-induced epigenetic modifications
- Skeletal muscle mechanics/plasticity in exercise, aging and, disease
- Mechanical loading of cells in vitro
- Mechanotransduction
Special laboratory equipment
In vitro cell Stretching and Compression Apparatuses.
Apparatuses for skeletal muscle mechanics, ex vivo (Mouse, Rat).
2. Applied/Clinical Exercise Physiology
Implementation of exercise protocols and investigation of exercise-induced acute effects and chronic adaptations in patients with chronic, non-communicable diseases:
- Cancer
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes,…)
- Hypertension
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Treadmill and Cycle Ergometer.
3. Extroversion/Diffusion in society
- Implementation of tele-exercise programs to elderly and pregnant women
- Π Promotion of exercise in Education: Promotion of activities for primary and secondary education students
Members of the Research Unit
1. L.T.S. / S.E.S..
- Chryssanthopoulos Costas, MSc, PhD
- Zarani Flora, MSc, PhD
2. Doctors
- Koumantou Despoina, PhD
- Manal al Shamari, PhD
- Moustogiannis Athanasios, MSc, PhD
- Nixon Alexander, MD, PhD
- Zevolis Evaggelos, MSc, PhD
3. PhD candidates
- Bardopoulou Mari, BSc, MSc
- Chatzinikita Eirini, BSc, MSc
- Giaskevits Tatiana, BSc, MSc
- Papadopetraki Argyro, BSc, MSc
- Psarianos Alexandros, BSc, MSc
- Tzouvara Sofia, MD, MSc
4. Postdocs/ External Scientific Partners
- Cherouveim Evgenia, MSc, PhD
- Dourida Maria, MSc, PhD
- Mila Alexandra, BSc, MSc
- Mourtakos Stamatis, MSc, PhD
- Simatos Giorgos, MD
- Voudouris Dimitrios, BSc, MSc
5. Postgraduate students
- Filippou Spyridoula, BSc
- Papanikolaou Eleni, BSc
- Patakioutis Konstantinos, BSc
- Sentoukas Konstantinos, BSc
- Stavrianoudakis Eleftherios, BSc
Selected Recent Publications
- The Role of Physical Exercise in Opioid Substitution Therapy: Mechanisms of Sequential Effects. Alexandros Psarianos, Costas Chryssanthopoulos, Thomas Paparrigopoulos and Anastassios Philippou. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2023, 24(5):4763.
- Inflammation- and Tissue Remodeling-Related Gene Responses in Skeletal Muscle of Heart Failure Patients Following High-Intensity Interval Training. Andrea Tryfonos, Giorgos Tzanis, Eleftherios Karatzanos, Michael Koutsilieris, Serafim Nanas and Anastassios Philippou. Rev. Cardiovasc. Med., 2023, 24(2): 46.
- The Role of Mitophagy in Skeletal Muscle Damage and Regeneration. Eirini Chatzinikita, Maria Maridaki, Konstantinos Palikaras, Michael Koutsilieris and Anastassios Philippou. Cells, 2023, 12, 716.
- Does the addition of adding strength training exercise to a high-intensity interval training pro-gram benefit more the patients within chronic heart failure? Alshamari M.; Sanoudou D.; Kourek, C.; Delis D.; Dimopoulos, S.; Rovina N.;Nanas S.;Karatzanos E.; Philippou A. Rev. Cardiovasc. Med. 2022, 24: 29, 2023.
- Physical Exercise Restrains Cancer Progression through Muscle-Derived Factors. Papadopetraki A, Maridaki M, Zagouri F, Dimopoulos MA, Koutsilieris M, Philippou A. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Apr 8;14(8):1892.
- The Effects of Mechanical Loading Variations on the Hypertrophic, Anti-Apoptotic, and Anti-Inflammatory Responses of Differentiated Cardiomyocyte-like H9C2 Cells. Zevolis E, Philippou A, Moustogiannis A, Chatzigeorgiou A, Koutsilieris M. Cells. 2022 Jan 29;11(3):473.
- Acute and delayed hormonal and blood cell count responses to high-intensity exercise before and after short-term high-intensity interval training. Bogdanis GC, Philippou A, Stavrinou PS, Tenta R, Maridaki M. Res Sports Med. 2022 Jul-Aug;30(4):400-414.
- Optimizing mechanical stretching protocols for hypertrophic and anti-apoptotic responses in cardiomyocyte-like H9C2 cells. Zevolis E, Philippou A, Moustogiannis A, Chatzigeorgiou A, Koutsilieris M. Mol Biol Rep. 2021 Jan;48(1):645-655.
- Exercise Training Enhances Angiogenesis-Related Gene Responses in Skeletal Muscle of Patients with Chronic Heart Failure. Tryfonos A, Tzanis G, Pitsolis T, Karatzanos E, Koutsilieris M, Nanas S, Philippou A. Cells. 2021 Jul 28;10(8):1915.
- Expression of tissue remodelling, inflammation- and angiogenesis-related factors after eccentric exercise in humans. Philippou A, Tryfonos A, Theos A, Nezos A, Halapas A, Maridaki M, Koutsilieris M. Mol Biol Rep. 2021 May;48(5):4047-4054.
- The Effects of Muscle Cell Aging on Myogenesis. Moustogiannis A, Philippou A, Taso O, Zevolis E, Pappa M, Chatzigeorgiou A, Koutsilieris M. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 2;22(7):3721.
- The effect of prolonged intense physical exercise of special forces volunteers on their plasma protein denaturation profile examined by differential scanning calorimetry. Mourtakos S, Philippou A, Papageorgiou A, Lembessis P, Zaharinova S, Hasanova Y, Koynova R, Bersimis F, Tenchov B, Geladas N, Mikros E, Sidossis LS, Koutsilieris M. J Therm Biol. 2021 Feb;96:102860.
- Characterization of Optimal Strain, Frequency and Duration of Mechanical Loading on Skeletal Myotubes’ Biological Responses. Moustogiannis A, Philippou A, Zevolis E, Taso O, Chatzigeorgiou A, Koutsilieris M. In Vivo. 2020 Jul-Aug;34(4):1779-1788.
