Institution: National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (NCSRD)
Department: Institute of Biology, Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Ageing
Website: http://bio.demokritos.gr/kletsas/final.htm
Role in project: NCSRD will be implemented at WP3 (Bioevaluation of the cosmetic properties), WP6 (Dissemination) and WP7 (Project management)
Contribution: Participation in WP3, WP6 and WP7
Brief description of Organisation:
The basic research activities of the Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Ageing, Institute of Biology, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” include a) the study of tissue regeneration during development and ageing focusing on the role of growth factors, and b) the study of the mechanisms of ageing and longevity. The expertise and the methodologies, as well as, the infrastructure of the Laboratory are also being used in applied research, in collaboration with several academic and industrial partners. In particular, the Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Ageing is involved in the screening of natural products and novel synthetic compounds with wound healing properties, as well as anti-ageing/anti-oxidant effects or anti-tumor action.
The Laboratory is equipped with the entire instrumentation and technical infrastructure for biochemical and molecular biological research. Furthermore, it possesses an extensive Cell Bank comprising primary and established cell strains, such as the human skin fibroblasts to be used in the proposed task (WP3).
The Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Ageing is currently supported by research grants from the EU, the Greek Ministries of Health and Development, pharmaceutical companies and other foundations. The collaboration of the Laboratory with the Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, University of Athens, as well as, KORRES Natural Products S.A. has been a long one, leading to a series of common publications with the former and funded by the General Secretariat for Research & Technology, Ministry of Development.
Short Profile of Staff and relevant experience:
- Dimitris Kletsas, Ph.D., Research Director, is the head of the Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Ageing. He is a specialist in cell biology, and especially in mechanisms cell proliferation and cell senescence. A major goal of the research of the laboratory is the biological evaluation of natural products, isolated compounds and new chemically synthesized molecules with anticancer, anti-ageing and wound healing properties.
- Anastasia Hiskia, Ph.D., Research Director is an expert in techniques of analytical chemistry and her laboratory is equipped with all relevant infrastructures and the relevant know-how.
- Gerassimos Voutsinas, Ph.D., Senior Researcher is an expert on molecular biology techniques.
- Harris Pratsinis, Ph.D., Assistant Researcher is expert on in vitro techniques for assaying cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of extracts or pure compounds.
- Adamadia Papadopoulou, MSc, is a Ph.D. fellow with experience in cell culture methodology and several tests on cell viability, proliferation and function.
Selected publications in line with scope of the project:
- ATHANASAS K, MAGIATIS P, FOKIALAKIS N, SKALTSOUNIS A-L, PRATSINIS H, KLETSAS D, Hyperjovinols A and B: Two new phloroglucinol derivatives from Hypericum jovis with antioxidant activity in cell cultures. J. Nat. Prod., 2004, 67, 973-977
- BARTKOVA J, REZAEI N, LIONTOS M, KARAKAIDOS P, KLETSAS D, ISSAEVA N, et al. Oncogene-induced senescence is part of the tumorigenesis barrier imposed by DNA damage checkpoints. Nature, 2006, 444, 633-637.
- GIONI V, KARAMPINAS T, VOUTSINAS G, ROUSSIDIS AE, PAPADOPOULOS S, KARAMANOS NK, KLETSAS D, Imatinib mesylate inhibits proliferation and exerts an antifibrotic effect in human breast stroma fibroblasts. Mol. Cancer Res., 2008, 6, 706-714.
- MAVROGONATOU E, KLETSAS D, High osmolality activates the G1 and G2 cell cycle checkpoints and affects the DNA integrity of nucleus pulposus intervertebral disc cells triggering an enhanced DNA repair response. DNA Repair, 2009, 8, 930-943.
