Nektarios Tavernarakis, PhD

Professor / Researcher A'

School of Medicine / Department of Basic Sciences –

University of Crete / IMBB FORTH

Affiliated member, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - FORTH

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: +30 2810391069

Lab web page: http://www.tavernarakislab.gr and/or CV: http://www.tavernarakislab.gr/nektarios/nektarios_tavernarakis.html

Education

1989: BS in Biology, Aristotle University, Department of Biology, Thessaloniki, Greece.

1995: PhD in Molecular Genetics, University of Crete, Department of Biology and Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece.

1995-2001: Postdoctoral Fellow in Neurobiology, C. elegans Molecular Genetics, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, USA.

Research Interests

Molecular mechanisms of necrotic cell death and neurodegeneration, interplay between cellular metabolism and ageing, mechanisms of sensory transduction and integration by the nervous system, and development of novel genetic tools for biomedical research.

Funding

National Network for Precision Medicine: Unit in Heraklion, Crete, General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Greek Ministry of Education, Coordinator, Proof of Concept Grant, European Research Council (ERC), Coordinator, BioImaging Research Infrastructure for Greece (BioImaging-GR), General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Greek Ministry of Education, “MANNA”, Advanced Investigator Grant, European Research Council (ERC), “NeuronAge”, Advanced Investigator Grant, European Research Council (ERC), Coordinator, Bodossakis Foundation, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards, Research support grants Empeirikeion Foundation. Specific Targeted Research Project European Commission,6th Framework Programme, National matching funds for competitive international grants.

Selected Publications

Palikaras K., Lionaki E. & Tavernarakis N. (2015) Coordination of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis during ageing in Caenorhabditiselegans. Nature, 521: 525-528.

Kourtis N., Nikoletopoulou V. & Tavernarakis N. (2012) Small heat shock proteins protect from heat stroke-associated neurodegeneration. Nature, 490: 213-218.

Artal-Sanz M. & Tavernarakis N. (2009) Prohibitin couples diapause signaling to mitochondrial energy metabolism during ageing in Caenorhabditiselegans. Nature, 461: 793-797.

Syntichaki P. Troulinaki K. & Tavernarakis N. (2007) eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditiselegans. Nature, 445: 922-926.

Syntichaki P., Xu K., Driscoll M. & Tavernarakis N. (2002) Specific aspartyl and calpain proteases are required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans. Nature, 419: 939-944.