Molecular Immunology Group

Our research efforts are focused on understanding the complex interplay between innate immune mediators and inflammatory processes in health and disease. The knowledge gained from these studies forms a base for the selection of appropriate disease biomarkers and also guides the integrated evaluation of therapeutic targets that may be amenable to clinical intervention. In this regard, our main research interests lie in the field of complement pathobiology and how complement-triggered inflammation modulates host-pathogen interactions in disease processes underlying human pathology. We employ in vitro biochemical, immunochemical and cell-based platforms to characterize and monitor protein biomarkers as well as in vivo disease models for interrogating the role of host or pathogen-derived immunomodulatory factors in disease pathogenesis.

The main research activities of the group are:

• Mechanistic basis of complement’s involvement in disease pathogenesis: Complement anaphylatoxin-triggered signaling in pathological processes that entail acute or chronic inflammation.
• Complement diagnostics: Development of comprehensive diagnostic platforms for monitoring complement activity and biomarker changes in clinical disorders and in clinical trials evaluating complement inhibitors
• Host-microbe biomolecular interactions: Development of antibody-based diagnostic/therapeutic tools for monitoring and controlling bacterial infections, pathogen virulence and microbial inflammation.

The Molecular Immunology Group is located within the Biodiagnostic Sciences and Technologies Research Area of INRASTES at NCSR ‘Demokritos’.