photo

Education

Degree: PhD
Year: 1987
Institution: University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry

Degree: B.Sc.
Year: 1977
Institution: University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry

Marilena E. Lekka

Department of Chemistry

Contact Information

Tel.: +30-26510 08367
e-mail:

Research topics (related to the Institute)

1. Biochemistry and cell signalling

2. Bioactive natural products

Research summary

  • Isolation, analysis and characterisation of bioactive natural products
  • Evaluation of bioactivity of natural products
  • Cell signalling of bioactive compounds

Professional background

2011 – todayProfessor, Dept. of Chemistry, UoI
1993 – 2002Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, UoI
2002 – 2011Assist. Professor, Dept. of Chemistry, UoI
1989 – 1993Lecturer, Dept. of Chemistry, UoI
1980 - 1989Scientific Associate, Dept. of Chemistry, UoI
1979 - 1980Koropoulis AE, Industry of raw materials
1996,1998,2001Invited Professor Lab. of Membrane Biogenesis of the University Victor Segalen, Bordeaux-2. Teaching in undergraduate and graduate programmes
Post-doctoral research experience:
  • INSERM U 200, Paris-France. «Biosynthetic enzymes of PAF» (1988)
  • Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, Health Science Center, (1989-1990). «Molecular characterization of platelet-activating factor inhibitors». Research Fellow
  • Physiology Dept. of Kuopio, Finland, (1995). «Biotransformation of xenobiotics». Research Fellow
  • Lab. of Membrane Biogenesis of the University Victor Segalen , Bordeaux-2 (1998) “Lipid autoantibodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid”

Recent relevant publications/patents

Patent

Lekka ME, Karkabounas A, Res Committee – University of Ioannina (2011)«Immobilisation of lipid substrates for the development and evaluation of a fluorimetric assay of phospholipase A2 in biological fluids” INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION, GR1007801.

Recent publications

1. Kitsiouli E, Antoniou G, Gotzou H, Karagiannopoulos M, Basagiannis D, Christoforidis S, Nakos G, Lekka ME (2015) “Effect of azithromycin on the LPS-induced production and secretion of phospholipase A2 in lung cells”. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1852(7):1288-1297. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.03.008.

2. Karkabounas A, Georgiadou DG, Argitis P, Psycharis V, Nakos G, Kosmas AM, Lekka ME. (2015) “Immobilization of Lipid Substrates: Application on Phospholipase A2 Determination”. Lipids. 50(12):1259-1271. doi: 10.1007/s11745-015-4076-y.

3. Yfanti P, Batistatou A, Manos G, Lekka ME (2015) “The Aromatic Plant Satureja horvatii ssp. macrophylla Induces Apoptosis and Cell Death to the A549 Cancer Cell Line” Am J Plant Sci 6:2092-2103 doi: 10.4236/ajps.2015.613210.

4. Fais S, et al. (2016) “Evidence-Based Clinical Use of Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles in Nanomedicine”. ACS Nano. 10(4):3886-3899. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.5b08015.

5. Vlaikou AM, Kouroupis D, Sgourou A, Markopoulos GS, Bagli E, Markou M, Papadopoulou Z, Fotsis T, Nakos G, Lekka ME, Syrrou M (2017) “Mechanical stress affects methylation pattern of GNAS isoforms and osteogenic differentiation of hAT-MSCs”. Biochim Biophys Acta: Mol Cell Res. 1864(8):1371-1381. doi:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2017.05.005.

6. Vasdekis EP, Karkabounas A, Giannakopoulos I, Savvas D, Lekka ME (2017) Screening of mushrooms bioactivity: piceatannol was identified as a bioactive ingredient in the order Cantharellales. Eur Food Res Technol,244(5), 861-871 DOI:10.1007/s00217-017-3007-y

7. Tzounakas VL, Karadimas DG, Anastasiadi AT, Georgatzakou HT, Kazepidou E, Moschovas D, Velentzas AD, Kriebardis AG, Zafeiropoulos N, Avgeropoulos A, Lekka M, Stamoulis KE, Papassideri IS, Antonelou MH (2018) Donor-specific individuality of red blood cell performance during storage is partly a function of serum uric acid levels. Transfusion 58(1):34-40. doi: 10.1111/trf.14379.

8. Moustaka K, Maleskou E, Lambrianidou A, Papadopoulos S, Lekka ME, Trangas T and Kitsiouli E (2019) Docosahexaenoic Acid Inhibits Proliferation of EoL-1Leukemia Cells and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Cell Differentiation. Nutrients, 11(3), 574- , https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030574, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/574

9. Tzitzilis Α, Boura-Theodorou Α, Michail V, Papadopoulos S, Krikorian D, Lekka ME, Koukkou A-I, Sakarellos-Daitsiotis M, Panou-Pomonis E (2020) Cationic amphipathic peptide analogs of cathelicidin LL-37 as a probe in the development of antimicrobial/anticancer agents. J Peptide Science, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1002/psc.3254.

10. Yfanti P, Karkabounas A, Batistatou A, Tsapinou A, Leneti E, Manos G, Marilena E. Lekka ME (2020) Study of potent cytotoxic activity of Helleborus cyclophyllus Boiss against a human adenocarcinoma cell line. Cytotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-020-00425-4.

11. Papadopoulos S, Kazepidou E, Antonelou MH, Leondaritis G, Tsapinou A, Koulouras VP, Avgeropoulos A, George Nakos G, and Lekka ME (2020). Secretory phospholipase A2-IIA protein and mRNA pools in extracellular vesicles of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with early acute respiratory distress syndrome: A new perception in the dissemination of inflammation? Pharmaceuticals, 13 (accepted)

Recent Research projects / grants (last 5 years)

1 COST Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences (BMBS): BM1202 “European Network on Microvesicles and Exosomes in Health and Disease (ME-HAD)»| 07 Dec 2012 - 06 Dec 2016

2 National Roadmaps for research infrastructures, 2014-2021: «OPENSCREEN-GR: «An open-access research infrastructure of target-based screening technologies and chemical biology for human and animal health, agriculture and the environment»

3 Region of Epirus : «Treatment of Epirus Meat with Medicinal Plants and Herbs to Produce Bio-Functional Meat».

Basilicata Region project (2020) "New molecules with antimicrobial, anticancer and antiviral activity: alternative solutions in the face of three of the main socio-health emergencies (AAA: SAFE SOS)"