Brief description

The Laboratory of Biochemistry belongs to “Basic Science” Sector and has been in operation since the foundation of the Medical Department in Larissa (1992). It also covers the activities of the Laboratory of Chemistry, which does not exist independently.

The Lab is responsible for teaching Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry to the medical students in the first three semesters (Courses: Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II). It also provides related elective courses (Clinical Biochemistry, Biochemistry of Special Cases) and participates in the organization and teaching of courses in three Postgraduate Study Programs of the Faculty of Medicine.

The Lab also provides practical laboratory training (supervision of graduate Theses) to undergraduate students of the Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry - Biotechnology as well as to postgraduate students of the “Clinical Applications of Molecular Medicine” program. It also offers doctoral (PhD) training to graduates of Medicine, Biology, Biochemistry and Chemistry.

The Lab was responsible for organizing the study program and teaching of 13 courses in the Interdepartmental Extended University Program “Medical Biochemistry” which operated in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Thessaly between 1998 and 2004 and produced 36 graduates.

The Lab is equipped and has the know-how to perform research in the fields of Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Analytical Chemistry. The common research project of the faculty members of the Laboratory is the study of the Molecular Mechanisms of the Cellular Response to Hypoxia with particular emphasis on the activation and function of the hypoxia inducible transcription factors HIF and their involvement in carcinogenesis.

Research in the Lab has been funded by competitive grants (total of 525.000 €) and, since 2001, has led to the successful completion of 11 Doctorate Theses (PhDs) and the publication of 71 original articles in international scientific journals (27 in the field of hypoxia and 44 in other fields).

Members of the Lab participate in the Institute of Biomedical Research and Technology (BIOMED) of the Centre for Research and Technology – Thessaly (CE.RE.TE.TH) as the ‘Biochemistry of Cellular Homeostasis’ group directed Dr. G. Simos.


The members of the Lab of Biochemistry (2012)