Laboratory of Physiology

The Laboratory of Physiology was founded in January 1981. The present director, professor Maria Albani, took over on Sept 1st 2007. The name of the laboratory was changed to Laboratory of Physiology on Oct 2007, following a decision taken by the  Physiology -Pharmacology sector.  
Education: 

In the undergraduate level, the laboratory is responsible to conduct all lab sessions of the three parts of the discipline of Physiology (namely General Physiology, Physiology I and Physiology II) for the students in medicine and dentistry, while the respective lectures are given in cooperation with the laboratory of Experimental physiology. In addition, the elective courses of Applied Physiology, Physiology and Biochemistry of exercise and Regenerative Medicine are also undertaken.  

In a postgraduate level, Neurophysiology as well as Integrative Physiology, are taught as a part of the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Master Degree, as well as the C3-Basic Research Module of the Medical Research Methodology (MRM) course. 

Indicative research projects: 

2020 – 2023. First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant. “Optogenetic functional mapping of the mouse CA1 hippocampal area using genetically encoded voltage indicators”. OUTMAtcH, HFRI-FM17-286. 

2016 – 2018. Hellenic and International Society of Molecular Targeted and Personalized Treatments. “Alternative intracellular signaling pathways: A study using light sensitive epidermal growth factor receptors.” 93092. 

“Cross border stem cell regenerative medicine center REMEDIC” «Greece – the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia IPA Cross-Border Programme 2007-2013»
URL: www.remedicproject.eu

Research interests: 

The main research topic of the Laboratory of Physiology is neuroscience. Nerve-muscle interactions are investigated following central or peripheral lesions, through application of isometric tension recordings, motoneuron labeling and muscle fiber histochemistry and morphometry. Moreover, molecular biology techniques are implemented (protein expression from recombinant DNA and various cell cultures).

Main laboratory equipment: 

Isometric tension recordings system (osciloscope, stimulation programmer, stimulators, amplifiers, tension transducers) Intracellular recordings system Morphometric analysis system Optical recordings system with fast CMOS camers (10kHz). Temperature-controlled microfluidics. Leica Vibratome VT 1200 with vibrocheck. Western Blotting, ELISA. DNA-RNA analysis PCR Real Time PCR.basic molecular Biology methodologies Protein electrophoresis native SDS-PAGE in one and two dimensions PDQuest software spot analysis Laminar flow hood, (CO2, N2) incubators, autoclave inverted optical microscope centrifuges -70°C Freezers.

Lab tests offered: 

Compound action potential recordings Optical recordings of neuronal cortex activiy Study of the response of the nervous tissue to hypoxia and excitotoxicity in a rat PC12 cell model. Study of the acute phase of inflammation pertaining to the nervous system in a rat model PC12 cells expressing the A2 macrogobulin under the control of the Tet-off system Study of the aldosterone function in myocardium on mouse HL-1 cells. Study of the glioblastoma response to cell death inducers (apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis) in a rat C6 glioblastoma cell model Isolation characterization expansion and differentiation of adult stem cells from different tissues focused in cardiac stem cells.