Charalampopoulos Ioannis
November 20, 2025 2025-11-21 11:53Charalampopoulos Ioannis
Charalampopoulos Ioannis
Professor of Pharmacology
Medical School, University of Crete, P.C. 70013 Heraklion, Crete
Ioannis Charalampopoulos received B.Sc. in Biology from the Department of Biology of the University of Patras and his MSc in Neuroscience and Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Medical School, University of Crete. Then, for a period of 2 years, he moved to the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institute, where he worked as a researcher in the neurotrophin receptor biology. In 2010, he joined the Pharmacology Dept., Medical School, University of Crete as a Lecturer and currently holds the position of Professor. From 2018 he is an affiliated Researcher at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), Foundation of Research and Technology Greece (FORTH). From 2021 till 2024, he served as Director of the Graduate Program in Neurosciences at the University of Crete. He is an expert on Regenerative Pharmacology, and more specifically to neuropharmacology for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, published more than 80 research papers (h index: 36, Citations>3300). His research has been funded by both international (European Innovation Council, Marie S. Curie) and national organizations (HFRI, GSRI). Professor Charalampopoulos is member of 7 Graduate Programs in Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Biomedical Engineering, while he was invited speaker to many international and national conferences. He has been a member of the ISSCR, FENS and Greek Society for Neuroscience. He is an inventor at Bionature LTD and co-founder of ReNeuroCell Therapeutics, spin-off companies of the University of Crete and FORTH, which aim to provide precise tools for drug screening as well as novel cell therapies against neurological disorders.
– Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Neuroscience and Center of Excellence in Developmental Biology for Regenerative Medicine (DBRM), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
– Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, University of Crete.
– M.Sc. in Neurosciences, Post-Graduate Program of the School of Medicine, University of Crete.
-B.Sc. in Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras.
The Regenerative Pharmacology Lab at the Medical School, University of Crete, aims to translate basic research’s findings to pre-clinical drug development processes and human models of nervous system diseases. Our research interests are focusing on the investigation of endogenous Neurotrophins and their receptors, which control brain development and maintenance during adulthood and in aging, while they importantly participate in neuronal survival, differentiation and repair. We exploit the neurotrophin receptors mechanisms by developing novel ligands exerting therapeutic effects on human and animal models of neurological diseases (like Alzheimer’s Disease), targeting on their pharmacological use as new therapeutic factors. We decipher the multiple neuronal effects of these receptors and thus we have produced novel neurotrophin analogs with desired pharmacological properties (targeted signalling, small size, lipophilicity etc), inducing adult neurogenesis and neuroprotection. In order to explore the aforementioned effects of neurotrophin analogs to their receptors and in parallel to define their pharmacological actions against specific neurodegenerative disease, we use primary neuronal and glial cultures (neurons, microglia, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes) or embryonic (cortical) and adult (SVZ and hippocampal) neural stem cells cultures. Moreover, as a novel translational outcome, we have developed protocols and standard operating procedures for producing human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs)-derived neurons, astrocytes and microglial cells, from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients or healthy individuals. Additionally, we test our prototypic compounds for their efficacy to promote neuroprotection or neurorepair through their ability to induce adult neurogenesis, in in vivo animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s Disease (using the 5xFAD mice), in combination with conditional, genetically-modified for specific neurotrophin receptors, mice (p75NTR-KO, p75NTRflox-Nestin-cre and p75KO/5xFAD). Finally, we have developed 3D platforms of specific materials -like collagen scaffolds- that efficiently support mouse and human neuronal cultures, mimicking specific brain circuits under normal or pathological conditions in a more realistic way, and in collaboration with bioengineers, we use soft nanorobotics for their administration to the brain in a less invasive way (www.softreach.eu, EIC-PATHFINDER). The last 4 years, we have also expanded our interest to the interplay of neurotrophins with other key factors in neurological diseases, like glucocorticoids or hyperglycaemia. In this aspect, we explore the potential interactions of glucocorticoid rhythmicity (circadian and ultradian rhythms) or hyperglycaemic conditions in the expression and functional alterations of neurotrophic factors and their receptors, in order to reveal their synergy or antagonism on neuroinflammation under physiological or pathological conditions. To this end, we have set up and operate a microfluidic platform for precise drug administration in human neurons and astrocytes.
Selected Publications: 1. Maria Kokkali, Kanelina Karali, Evangelia Thanou, Maria Anna Papadopoulou, Ioanna Zota, Alexandros Tsimpolis, Paschalis Efstathopoulos, Theodora Calogeropoulou, Ka Wan Li, Kyriaki Sidiropoulou, Achille Gravanis, Ioannis Charalampopoulos. Molecular Psychiatry, Jun;30(6) 2025 (*Corresponding Author). 2. Despoina Charou, Thanasis Rogdakis, Alessia Latorrata, Maria Valcarcel, Vasileios Papadogiannis, Christina Athanasiou, Alexandros Tsengenes, Maria Anna Papadopoulou, Dimitrios Lypitkas, Matthieu D. Lavigne, Theodora Katsila, Rebecca C. Wade, M. Zameel Cader, Theodora Calogeropoulou, Achille Gravanis & Ioannis Charalampopoulos*. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 15, 200 2024 (*Corresponding Author) 3. Zota I, Chanoumidou K, Charalampopoulos I*, Gravanis A. Glia. 2024 Jan 11. (*Corresponding Author) 4. Efstathopoulos P, Kourgiantaki A, Karali K, Sidiropoulou K, Margioris AN, Gravanis A, Charalampopoulos I. Transl Psychiatry. 2015 Nov 24;5:e685 (# Corresponding author). 5. Charalampopoulos I, Vicario A, Pediaditakis I, Gravanis A, Simi A, Ibáñez CF. Cell Rep. 2012 Dec 27;2(6):1563-70 6. Lazaridis I.*, Charalampopoulos I*, Alexaki VI, Avlonitis N, Pediaditakis I, Efstathopoulos P, Calogeropoulou T, Castanas E, Gravanis A. PloS Biol., Vol 9(4), 2011, (*equal contributors) 7. Vilar M*, Charalampopoulos I*, Kenchappa RS*, Simi A*, Karaca E, Reversi A, Choi S, Bothwell M, Mingarro I, Friedman W, Schiavo G, Bastiaens P, Verveer P, Carter BD, Ibáñez CF. Neuron, 2009, 62(1): 72-83 (* equal contributors) 8. Charalampopoulos I, Remboutsika E, Margioris AN, Gravanis A. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2008, 19(8):300-7. 9. Charalampopoulos I, Tsatsanis C, Dermitzaki E, Alexaki VI, Castanas E, Margioris AN, Gravanis A. PNAS, 2004, 101:8209-14 Patent Application: PCT (International Publication Number): WO 2008/155534 A2 EPO-UK 711948,0: Neuroprotective synthetic spiro-neurosteroids.
• Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS).
• Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS).
• Hellenic Brain Council (HBC)
• International Brain Research Organization (IBRO).
• Hellenic Society of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
• Hellenic Society for Neuroscience.
• Hellenic Society of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine
