Scientific Personnel

Brief Bio

Popi Syntichaki graduated from the Agricultural University of Athens, Department of Crop Production and continued her post-graduate studies at the University of Crete, Department of Biology. Having scholarships from the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) acquired a M.Sc. Degree specialization in molecular plant physiology and a Ph.D. in yeast molecular biology. The doctoral dissertation focused on mechanisms of Chromatin Remodeling and transcriptional activation, in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Then as a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of “Molecular Genetics of the nematode” (IMBB), studied the molecular mechanisms of cell death and ageing in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. These investigations led to the identification of new factors and pathways that affect both procedures. In 2006, Dr. Syntichaki was elected at the IMBB as Research Scientist B´ with research interests in ageing of the model-organisms C. elegans and S. cerevisiae. In 2007, she was awarded with Starting Grant (Ideas) of the European Research Council (ERC). In 2008 she was elected at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA) as Principal Investigator-Assistant Professor level, with the main research field in molecular genetics of ageing and stress response using as experimental system the nematode C. elegans.

Selected Publications

Taouktsi E, Kyriakou E, Voulgaraki E, Verganelakis D, Krokou S, Rigas S, Voutsinas G.E. and Syntichaki P. (2023). Mitochondrial p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase: Insights
into Its Regulation of and Role in LONP1-Deficient Nematodes. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24, 17209.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242417209

Taouktsi E†, Kyriakou E†, Smyrniotis S, Borbolis F, Bondi L, Avgeris A,  Trigazis E, Rigas S, Voutsinas G.E. and Syntichaki P. (2022).
Organismal and Cellular Stress Responses upon Disruption of Mitochondrial Lonp1 Protease. Cells, 11, 1363. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11081363. †Authors equally contributed.

Borbolis F and Syntichaki P. "mRNA decapping beyond bulk mRNA decay", “State-of-the-Art” Review, The FEBS Journal 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/febs.15798

Borbolis F., Rallis J., Kanatouris G., Kokla N., Karamalegkos A., Vasileiou C., Diallinas G., Stravopodis D.J., Zervas C.G., and Syntichaki P. (2020). mRNA decapping is an evolutionarily conserved modulator of neuroendocrine signaling mechanisms that regulate development and ageing. eLife 9:e53757, IF=7.551, DOI: 10.7554/eLife.53757

Borbolis F., Flessa CM., Roumelioti F., Diallinas G., Stravopodis D. and Syntichaki P. (2017). Neuronal function of the mRNA decapping complex determines survival of Caenorhabditis elegans at high temperature through temporal regulation of heterochronic gene expression. Open Biol. 7: 160313.

Rousakis A., Vlanti A., Borbolis F., Roumelioti F., Kapetanou M. and Syntichaki P. (2014). Diverse functions of mRNA metabolism factors in stress defense and aging of Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS ONE, 9: e103365.

Rousakis A., Vlassis A., Vlanti A., Patera S., Thireos G. and Syntichaki P. (2013).The GCN-2 kinase mediates stress response and longevity induced by TOR-inactivation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging Cell, 12(5): 742-751.

Syntichaki P. Troulinaki K. and Tavernarakis N. (2007). eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, 445: 922-926.

Syntichaki P., Xu K., Driscoll M. and Τavernarakis N. (2002). Specific aspartyl and calpain proteases are required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans. Nature, 419: 939-944.

Syntichaki P., Topalidou I. and Thireos G. (2000). The Gcn5 bromodomain co-ordinates nucleosome remodeling. Nature, 404: 414-417.

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