Βιογραφικό Σημείωμα

Dr. Maria Koufaki
Research Director

ΠΛΗΡΕΣ ΒΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟ

tel:    +30 210 7273818                                                  
Fax:   +30 210 7273831
e-mail: mkoufa

EDUCATION
1983 Diploma in Chemistry, National University of Athens, Greece.
PhD.  1988, University of Geneva, Pharmacy Department, Switzerland
                
EMPLOYMENT
1983-1988   Teaching Assistant, University of Geneva, Switzerland.  
1989-2007   Researcher, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology,
Division of Organic & Medicinal Chemistry (OMC), National Hellenic Research Foundation, (IOPC/NHRF) Athens.
2007-          Research Director, IOPC/NHRF Athens
           
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Research interests are focused on the design and synthesis of bioactive heterocyclic hybrid molecules. In particular:
a)  Benzopyran analogues bearing antiarrhythmic pharmacophores,
b)  Lipoic acid/chroman conjugates possessing cardioprotective activity,
c) Purine and adenosine analogues bearing nitrate esters, as pharmacological pre- and post- conditioning agents to limit myocardial infarction
e) Neuroprotective benzopyran and 1,2-dithiolane analogues bearing heterocyclic five-membered rings, such as 1,2,4-oxadiazole 1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1,2,3-triazole, tetrazole and isoxazole, as potential pharmacophores or amide bioisosteres.
       
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1983-1988 Teaching Assistant at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Geneva
2001-2002 Co-supervisor of 3 diploma students (National Technical University Athens)  
1993-2009 Supervisor of 2 post-graduate, 5 MSc, 3 PhD and 1 post doctoral fellows (IOPC)   
                                                                                                                                
OTHER ACTIVITIES
2004-   Vice President of the board of Greek Chemical Society, Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division
1994-2000  Member of the board of Fulbright alumni
1993-2008  Member of the Organizing Committee of 13 Greek and 5 International Symposia
2002-2003 Guest Editor of Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Title of the issue: "Therapeutic strategies against HIV infection" (vol.3, no 13, 2003)
 2005-        Member of Editorial Advisory Board of Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 

PUBLICATIONS 2006-2010
Koufaki M.*, Theodorou E., Galaris D., Nousis L., Katsanou E. S, Alexis M.N. Chroman/catechol hybrids: Synthesis and evaluation of their activity against oxidative stress induced cellular damage. J. Med. Chem. 2006, 49, 300-306

Koufaki M.*, Kiziridi C., Papazafiri P., Vassilopoulos A., Varro A., Nagy Z., Farkas A., Makriyannis A. Synthesis and biological evaluation of benzopyran analogues bearing class III antiarrhythmic pharmacophores. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2006, 14, 6666-6678

Detsi A, Bouloumbasi D., Prousis K.C., Koufaki M., Athanasellis G., Melagraki G., Afantitis A., Igglessi-Markopoulou O., Kontogiorgis C., Hadjipavlou-Litina D. J. Design and synthesis of novel quinolinone-3-aminoamides and their α-lipoic acid adducts as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. J. Med. Chem. 2007, 50, 2450-2458

Kapou A., Avlonitis N., Detsi A., Koufaki M., Calogeropoulou T., Benetis N. P., Nikolaropoulos S. Mavromoustakos T. CoMFA and CoMSIA 3DQuantitative Structure-Activity Relationships of New Flexible Antileishmanial Ether Phospholipids. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2007, 15, 1252-1265

Koufaki M.*, Kiziridi C., Nikoloudaki F., Alexis M.N. Design and synthesis of 1,2-dithiolane derivatives and evaluation of their neuroprotective activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2007, 17, 4223-4227

Fotopoulou T., Iliodromitis E. K., Koufaki M.*, Tsotinis A., Zoga A., Gizas V., Pyriochou A., Papapetropoulos A., Andreadou I., Kremastinos D. Th. Design and synthesis of nitrate esters of aromatic heterocyclic compounds as pharmacological preconditioning agents. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2008, 16, 4523-4531

Andreadou I., Koufaki M., Iliodromitis E., Kremastinos T. D. Pharmacological pre- and post- conditioning agents: reperfusion-injury of the heart revisited. Mini Rev. Med.Chem. 2008, 8, 952-959

Andreadou I., Iliodromitis E.K., Farmakis D., Koufaki M., Tsotinis A., Kremastinos D.Th. Alternative pharmacological interventions that limit myocardial infarction. Curr. Med. Chem. 2008, 15, 3204-3213. 

Koini E.N., Papazafiri P., Vassilopoulos A., Koufaki M., Horvath Z., Koncz I., Virag L., Papp G.J., Varro A., Calogeropoulou T. 5,7,8-trimethyl-benzopyran and 5,7,8-trimethyl-1,4-benzoxazine aminoamide derivatives as novel antiarrhythmics against ischemia-reperfusion injury. J. Med. Chem. 2009, 52, 2328-2340  

Koufaki M.*, Detsi A., Kiziridi C. Multifunctional lipoic acid conjugates. Curr. Med. Chem. 2009, 16, 4728-4742

Melagraki G., Afantitis A., Igglessi-Markopoulou O., Detsi A., Koufaki M., Kontogiorgis C., Hadjipavlou-Litina D.J. Synthesis and evaluation of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of novel coumarin-3-aminoamides and their α-lipoic acid adducts. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2009, 44, 3020-3026 

Koufaki M.*, Kiziridi C., Alexi X., Alexis M.N. Design and synthesis of novel neuroprotective 1,2-dithiolane/chroman hybrids.  Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2009, 17, 6432-6441

Koufaki M.*, Theodorou E., Alexi X., Nikoloudaki F., Alexis M.N. Synthesis of tropolone derivatives and evaluation of their invitro neuroprotective activity. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2010, 45, 1107-1112.

Koufaki M.*, Theodorou E., Alexi X., Alexis M.N. Synthesis of a second generation chroman/catechol hybrids and evaluation of their activity in protecting neuronal cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2010, 18, 3898-3909

Patents
Koufaki M., Calogeropoulou T., Makriyannis A. Applicant: UNI-PHARMA SA "Bifunctional agents possessing antioxidant and antiarrhythmic activity" WO 0204438, US2004259763, CA2415523,  EP1301504, DE60106922T, ΕS231514Τ

Calogeropoulou T., Koufaki M., Avlonitis N., Makriyannis A. "Antiprotozoal ring-substituted phospholipids" US2003/34225, WO 2004041167, CN1742017, CA2503058, AU2003285071, EP1578754, US2006105998

Calogeropoulou T., Koufaki M. GR20050100100 ''Ultrasound contrast agents containing anticancer ether phospholipids''

Book Chapter
Koufaki M., Detsi A. Design and Synthesis of Antioxidant α-Lipoic Acid Hybrids. Advanced Protocols for Oxidative Stress II Series: Methods Mol Biol. Armstrong, Donald (Ed.) 2010, 594, 297-309.

39 PRESENTATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIA, 37 PRESENTATIONS IN GREEK SYMPOSIA