Angiogenesis & Cancer Drug discovery group

Matina

Malamati Kourti

Group Leader
Lecturer, Pharmacy
Department of Life Sciences
European University Cyprus

Short Bio:

Dr. Malamati Kourti is a Lecturer of Pharmacy at the Department of Life Sciences of the European University Cyprus (2019-today), where she teaches Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacology, Biotechnology and Toxicology. She received her B.Sc. degree in Pharmacy in 2013 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, receiving a rewarding scholarship from the Department of studies (2009) and a scholarship for Excellence from the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (2010). She received her M.Sc. degree in Pharmacy (with Honours, 2015) specialized in “Medicinal Chemistry, Development of pharmaceutical compounds” from the same university. Malamati then joined the laboratories of Prof. A. Westwell (School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences) and Dr. J. Cai (School of Medicine) at Cardiff University, UK, to pursue a Ph.D. in cancer research, as a Life Sciences Research Network Wales fellow (Ph.D. in Medicine/Pharmacy, 2019). Her research interests mainly focus on malignant angiogenesis and the interplay between oxidative stress and cancer. She is interested in unraveling the underlying mechanisms of angiogenesis, with the aim to identify novel anti-angiogenic drug targets, especially for breast cancer. She has previously worked with a group of organometallic complexes called carbon monoxide-releasing compounds (CORMs), which are currently explored as potential anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic agents. Moreover, the use of synthetic or natural prooxidant and antioxidant compounds as novel anti-cancer strategies is of interest. Her publications cover a range of Medicinal Chemistry and Cancer Biology topics in high impact factor journals (h-index=5; citations=99; source: Scopus. h-index=5; citations=108; source: Google Scholar). She is also a member of several professional bodies, including the European Association for Cancer Research. Malamati is currently leading the “Angiogenesis and Cancer Drug Discovery” group of the BTCRC.

Research focus:

Our research group mainly focuses on malignant angiogenesis and the interplay between oxidative stress or inflammation and cancer. In this scope, one of the interests of the group is to unravel the underlying mechanisms of angiogenesis, with the aim to identify novel anti-angiogenic drug targets, especially for breast cancer. Specific mention shall be made to carbon monoxide-releasing compounds (CORMs), which are a group of organometallic complexes currently explored as potential anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic agents, and are part of our research endeavors. Moreover, the use of synthetic or natural prooxidant and antioxidant compounds as novel anti-cancer strategies is of interest, as well as the potential use of anti-inflammatory drugs against inflammatory cancer subtypes. The findings will be considered under the scope of Medicinal Chemistry, where novel compounds will be identified or derivatives of existing agents will be synthesized and explored as potential anti-cancer approaches.

Current Group Members

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Constantinos Tsoumas

BSc student
His main interests include the use of Artificial Intelligence in Medicinal Chemistry applications.
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Dimitris Familias

BSc student
His main interests include the use of Artificial Intelligence in Medicinal Chemistry applications.
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Anastasia Kyprianou

BSc student
Her main interests include the identification of novel biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Eleni Tsigki

BSc student
Her main interests include the identification of novel biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Aristi Kyriakou

BSc student
Her main interests include investigating the role of oxidative stress in angiogenesis for tumour progression.
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Stavrina Makri

BSc student
Her main interests include deciphering the role of telomerase as a novel anti-cancer drug target and biomarker.
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Christiana Papasavva

BSc student
Her main interests include the use of dietary polyphenols against cancer.
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Evgenia Gioldasi

BSc student
Her main interests include the use of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules as a therapeutic strategy against inflammation.
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Paraskevi-Maria Lioliou

BSc student
Her main interests include the use of glutathione depleters as prooxidant anti-cancer drugs.
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Marina Kyriakou

BSc student
Her main interests include the use of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules as a therapeutic strategy against ischemia/reperfusion injury.
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Anna Maria Papanastasiou

BSc student
Her main interests include the discovery of new synthetic opioid analogues for chronic pain.
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Kormpos Demetris

BSc student
His main interests include targeting the metabolic tumor microenvironment as a therapeutic strategy against cancer.
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Pavlidis Michalis

BSc student
His main interests include the exploration of calorie restriction as an anti-ageing dietary intervention.

Past Group Members

Evripides Iakovou

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: The role of oxidative stress in the physiology of aging and the effects of environmental factors in accelerating this process. Current position: Pharmacist.

Anna-Maria Kyriazou

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: Nitric oxide (NO) releasing drugs in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Current position: Pharmacist.

Ioannis Mitsios

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: Carbon monoxide (CO) releasing techniques for therapeutic applications. Current position: Pharmacist.

Thekla Theofanous

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: The role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease and related treatment strategies. Current position: Pharmacist.

Stephanie Christodoulou

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: Carbon monoxide (CO) releasing molecules as a new strategy for the treatment of various cancer subtypes. Current position: Pharmacist.

Polyxeni Vafopoulou

BSc (2021)
BSc Thesis Title: New anticancer drugs that target the process of angiogenesis. Current position: Pharmacist.

Grigoria-Kalliopi Marioli-Sapsakou

BSc (2020)
BSc Thesis Title: Anticancer drugs that act through the regulation of free radical production. Current position: Pharmacist.

Research Grants

Completed

Life Sciences Research Network Wales (NRN509876, 01/10/2015 – 30/09/2018) and Cardiff University School of Medicine and School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (internal funding) 

Role: Project Coordinator 

Selected Publications

Full list of publications

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