Team members
Dr. Stylianos Vasileios Kontomaris, Postodoctoral researcher
Dr. Stylianos Vasileios Kontomaris received a degree in Physics in 2008 from the University of Patras (Greece) and a Master of Science in Microsystems and Nanodevices in 2010 from the National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.). Moreover, he received his Ph.D. in the area of Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering and Nanotechnology (February 2016) from the National Technical University of Athens (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biomedical Optics & Applied Biophysics Laboratory). He is the author of more than 58 peer reviewed journal papers in a wide range of scientific fields, including, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and physics (h – index 15, Google Scholar). In addition, he is the author of 6 research papers in Conference Proceedings and he has also been invited in more than 12 national and international conferences to present research activities in the field of Nanotechnology and Biomedical Engineering. He has worked as a Lecturer in Greek Fire Service Academy (2017) and as a research associate at the Biomedical Simulations and Imaging (BIOSIM) Laboratory of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (N.T.U.A.) (2018 -2019). Since September of 2016, he is also a Senior Lecturer in Athens Metropolitan College (A.M.C.) (Faculty of Engineering and Architecture). In addition, since September of 2021 he is also the Program Leader of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Course of Athens Metropolitan College. Since July of 2021, he is the C.E.O. of BioNanoTec LTD. He has worked in several research projects. In particular, he participated in the project entitled ‘Development, installation, and management of a network for measuring non-ionizing radiation from mobile telephony’ (funded by the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of N.T.U.A.), and in the project entitled ‘Provision of recording and control services for the publication of the results of electromagnetic radiation’ (also funded by the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of N.T.U.A). In addition, he is the coordinator of the project 3D NANOBIOSAMPLES /CONCEPT/0521/0069 (3D Characterisation Of The Nanomechanical Properties Of Biological Samples) funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation. In July 2024, he joined European University Cyprus (School of Sciences) as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (project ‘REINFORCE: Tumor Microenvironment Normalization for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy’).
Katerina Polemidiotou, MSc, Phd Student
Katerina received a BSc in Biological Sciences from European University Cyprus and continued her studies by pursuing an MSc in Cancer Biology at the same university. Her master’s thesis focused on studying the biophysical and nanomechanical properties of sarcoma cells. That same year, she joined Dr. Andreas Stylianou as a researcher in his project, The NanoMechanical Profile of Sarcoma, funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation – CYPRUS RESEARCH AWARD – YOUNG RESEARCHER, “MehanoSarcoma”. Their collaboration continued with Dr. Stylianou’s subsequent project, Nanomechanical Fingerprints of Pulmonary Fibrosis, funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation – EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AWARD, “MehanoLung”. During this time, she enrolled in European University Cyprus’s PhD program, Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology. Her research project, supervised by Dr. Andreas Stylianou and co-supervised by Dr. Vasiliki Gkretsi, focuses on exploring the role of Fascin-1 as a bridge between lung cancer metastasis and pulmonary fibrosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic approaches.
Maria Pettemeridi, Master Student
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from the University of Cyprus, where she graduated in 2022. During her undergraduate studies, she worked in the field of microbiology, utilizing the Drosophila melanogaster model organism to investigate various biological processes. Building on her interest in disease research, she decided to do a master’s degree in Cancer Biology at the European University of Cyprus, started in 2023.Her current research project at the laboratory focuses on understanding how Photostimulation affects the biophysical properties of cancer cells. Using advanced image analysis techniques, she will analyze the differences between irradiated and non-irradiated cancer cells, aiming to uncover potential therapeutic implications. Her work combines cell biology, imaging, and biophysics to contribute to a deeper understanding of cancer cells behavior. She is particularly interested in cancer biology research, with a focus on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive cancer progression. Her goal is to contribute to the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, helping to advance our knowledge of cancer treatment strategies.
Magdalini Petrou, Master Student
Magdalini Petrou received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from European University Cyprus in 2024. In her Undergraduate Diploma Thesis, with the title “Advanced Image Analysis Techniques for Assessing Cellular Morphological Characteristics and Cytoskeletal Structures” she dealt with advanced image analysis techniques and tools, specifically the three software ImageJ, Ilastik and FilamentSensor, for the assessment of morphological characteristics and cytoskeletal structures of cancer cells. Currently, she is enrolled in the Cancer Biology master’s program at European University Cyprus. Her master’s thesis is titled “Quantification of Cellular Damage Post-Photodynamic Therapy Using Advanced Image Techniques” and has as a primary objective the quantification of breast cancer cell damage or alterations, post-photodynamic therapy, by using the same advanced image analysis techniques and tools. At the same time part of her project is the development of automated or semi-automated techniques based on these software for quantitative assessment of treatment outcomes of Photodynamic Therapy.
Stefani Torma, Master Student
Stefani Torna graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from the European University Cyprus in 2024. Her undergraduate thesis was titled “Exploring New Trends in Photodynamic Therapy: A Comprehensive Literature Review,” and it allowed her to delve deeply into this innovative therapeutic strategy. Building on this foundation, she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Cancer Biology at the same institution, where she continues to explore the potential of photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment with her master’s thesis titled “Evaluation of Photosensitizer Efficacy in In Vitro Models of Cancer Cells Using Photodynamic Therapy”. Her current research focuses on investigating the effects of photodynamic therapy on murine breast cancer cell lines, aiming to understand further its efficacy and therapeutic potential in combating breast cancer and creating more comprehensive and optimized protocols for in vitro studies that can be further investigated in vivo in the future.
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