The installation and site acceptance tests of the new cryo-electron microscopy cryo-EM instruments at the NHRF are currently being performed, marking a major milestone for the establishment of the institute’s advanced imaging infrastructure.

The Krios G4 microscope has already produced its first high-resolution cryo-EM micrograph of apoferritin, highlighting the successful deployment of the new infrastructure and its readiness to support cutting-edge research in structural biology and nanoscience.

A new research article co-authored by Prof. Panagiotis Kastritis and Dr. Fotis Kyrilis has been published in one of the most prestigious journals of multidisciplinary science: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The study, addresses a long-standing question in biochemistry regarding how water molecules behave around proteins under acidic conditions. Using atomic-level visualization, the researchers observed that increasing acidity leads to the release of hundreds of water molecules, while a structured hydration shell remains partially preserved.

Dr Theodora Katsila, Senior Researcher and Head of the Biomarker Discovery & Translational Research Laboratory at the ICB/NHRF has been elected Chair of the Marketing and Outreach Committee (MOC) of the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO), the leading global body in Proteomics. This role further enhances opportunities for international collaboration and participation in global research networks of scientific excellence. This appointment recognizes Dr Katsila’s scientific contribution in proteoform-based multi-omics analysis and the repurposing of drugs, advanced materials, and smart systems, as well as the strategic framework developed within the NHRF Centre of Excellence.

A new review article titled “Accessing new dimensions in high-resolution materials exploration by cryo-electron microscopy” by Dr Panagiota Koralli and the ERA Chair Hot4Cryo project team (Dr P. Kastritis, Dr C. Chochos and Dr F. Kyrilis), implemented at the ICB/NHRF, has been published in Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports (Impact Factor 26.8).

The review brings together developments in instrumentation, sample preparation, and analytical methodologies that enable the study of non-biological nanoscale systems. It also discusses emerging approaches such as AI-assisted analysis and open-data practices, which can improve reproducibility and data interpretation in materials science.

The Biomarker Discovery & Translational Research Laboratory of the Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB) at NHRF, led by Dr Theodora Katsila actively participates in the European network IMMUNO-model (COST Action CA21135), which focuses on advancing preclinical models to better understand immunotherapy response and toxicity in cancer. Dr Katsila also serves on the Patient Engagement Task Force of the Action, supporting collaboration between researchers, patients, and patient organisations. This initiative aims to strengthen public engagement in research and promote accessible scientific communication on immunotherapy. Through its participation in IMMUNO-model, NHRF contributes to advancing translational immuno-oncology research and strengthening international collaboration.

A review article entitled “Nanoprecipitation- and Nanoemulsification-Based Systems for Nucleic Acid Delivery” was recently published in Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science (IF 7.0), with the participation of ICB/NHRF researchers and Dr Evgenia Mitsou as corresponding author.

The article presents recent advances in the development of nanosystems based on nanoprecipitation and nanoemulsification techniques for nucleic acid delivery.

ICB-NHRF is among the partners that will implement the recently approved Twinning Light Project between Greece and Serbia (Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation), entitled “Strengthening capacities and introducing EU practices for sustainable operation and management of the Bio4 Campus”. The project will be implemented under the Annual Action Plan 2022 for Serbia, European Integration Facility (Twinning No.: SR 22 IPA SO 02 25 – Publication EuropeAid/185518/DD/ACT/RS). In Greece, the project is coordinated by the Center of International and European Economic Law and, in addition to the NHRF (scientific coordinator: Dr. E. Gonos, Director of ICB-NHRF), the Biomedical Sciences Research Center “Alexander Fleming” and the National Observatory of Athens are also participating.

The second EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise on Cancer JANE-2 (2024-2028), involves 133 organizations from 29 European countries. It is coordinated by Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT), Italy, and co-funded by the European Union with 40.5 million EUR.

JANE-2 project aims at building seven Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the area of oncology that will transform the way cancer care will be delivered at EU level.

The National Hellenic Research Foundation participates in the funded European Project “Universal Platform Components for Safe Fair Interoperable Data Exchange, Monetisation and Trading” (Acronym: UPCAST), which provides a set of universal, trustworthy, transparent and user-friendly data market plugins for the automation of data sharing and processing agreements between businesses, public administrations and citizens.

The second Joint Action (JA) of the EU on Networks of Expertise on Cancer (JANE-2) was launched in Milan, Italy, on January 28-29, 2025. The project is a follow-up of the JA JANE (2022-2024) (https://jane-project.eu) and is coordinated by Italy through the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milan, involving 121 partners from 29 European countries and co-financed by the European Union (EU) with 40.5 million euros. Greece is represented in JANE-2 by the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) as participating institutions.

The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) participates in the implementation of the “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”. Within a 2-year period, JANE aims to establish seven new Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the cancer field, able to function effectively, building on previous and ongoing EU networking experiences, and finding solutions rooted in the European oncology community.