Maira Tampakaki is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Medicine. She holds a Master’s degree in Brain and Mind Sciences from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete (2020) and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the same university (2016). Her research focuses on studying brain cancer physiology using standardized biological systems, such as organoids, organotypic cultures, and humanized animal models for preclinical drug testing and computational modeling of cancer progression. Part of her work also involves the cultivation and imaging of ocular tissue, utilizing hybrid microscopy systems with the aim of studying and identifying imaging biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. Her research interests include the mechanisms of neural system function and development, cancer neurophysiology, the development of biological models for studying human diseases with molecular imaging, and computational/mathematical modeling of cancer
Education
- 2023, Phd cand. , Department of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
- 2020, ΜSc, Department of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
- 2016, BSc, Department of Biology, University of Crete, Greece
Interests
- Mechanisms of neural system function and development
- Cancer neurophysiology
- Molecular imaging
- Μathematical modeling
Michalis Orfanakis is a Physicist and currently a PhD student, member of the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI) of IESL. His research focuses on developing spectroscopic and photoacoustic techniques for bio-marker monitoring. The aim of this doctoral research is the development of spectroscopic and photoacoustic techniques for the identification and real time monitoring of bio-markers, using visible and infrared light. He has a MSc in Microelectronics and Optoelectronics from the Physics Dpt. of the University of Crete with his master thesis in the field of Optical Tweezers. Michalis is also a science teacher in secondary education and he is interested in adapting modern scientific research projects to school level. He is an expert in the field of STEM Education and he is honored with two European Awards. The “European STEM Teacher Award” in 2017 for the development of an Optical CT Scanner and in 2019 for the development of an Optical tweezers set up, aiming at presenting basic phycics principles in Secondary Education.
Awards/Prizes/Distinctions
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Europe 2019
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Greece 2018
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Europe 2017
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Greece 2016
Michail (Mikis) Mylonakis completed his PhD at the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI), part of the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) at the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH), in 2024. He was born in Chania in 1993 and pursued his undergraduate studies in Physics at the University of Crete (2011-2015), followed by a Master’s degree in Materials Science and Technology (2015-2018). His doctoral research focused on wavefront shaping for microscopic imaging of biological samples. Over the course of his studies, Mikis has worked on optical systems for imaging ultra-cold atoms and contributed to various research projects. He has been recognized with several awards, including the 1st Prize at Science on Stage Europe in 2019 for his innovative educational work in science, including an adaptive optics illumination device for in vivo imaging.
Education
- 2024, Phd, Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete
- 2018, MSc, Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, Greece
- 2015, Bsc, Department of Physics, University of Crete, Greece
Interests
- Optical design
- Bioimaging
- Mechanical design
- Wavefront shaping
Awards/Prizes/Distinctions
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Europe 2019
- 1st Prize Science on Stage Greece 2018
Other
AN ASSEMBLY OF OPTICAL ELEMENTS AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT
Ioannis Zacharakis, Michail(Mikis) Mylonakis, Evangelos Marakis, Athanasios Zacharopoulos & Emmanouil Vergis, European Patent application no. 22164624.3
Dr. Konstantinos Mavrakis received his B.Sc. in Materials Science (2013), M.Sc. in Materials Science (2017), and Ph.D. in Biomedical Optical Imaging (2024) from the University of Crete, Greece. He conducted his Ph.D. research at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE).
He worked at the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI) at IESL/FORTH on European projects, including "Dynamic" and "BioImaging-Gr." His research focuses on non-linear microscopy and photoacoustic microscopy for biomedical applications. Dr. Mavrakis has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and presented at international conferences. He has also received a Fulbright scholarship and multiple awards, including the Best Speech Award at the European Molecular Imaging Meeting 2020.
Education
- 2024, Phd, Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete
- 2017, MSc, Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete
- 2014, BSc, Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete
Interests
- Photoacoustic microscopy
- Second Harmonic Generation
- Coherent Raman Scattering
Awards/Prizes/Distinctions
- Fulbright graduate student grant
- Soykoyli grant
Dr. Mariam-Eleni Oraiopoulou has been a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Computational Bio-Medicine Laboratory (CBML) at the Institute of Computer Science (ICS) of the Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (ICS-FORTH) in collaboration with the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI) at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL-FORTH) and the Gene Expression Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-FORTH).
She received her PhD in the field of (Computational) Neurosciences – NeuroOncology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece and at the CBML-ICS-FORTH in 2018. She received her Diploma in Biological Applications and Technology in 2011 from the University of Ioannina, Greece with a Diploma Thesis regarding Metabolomics and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Human Subjects. She also holds an MSc in Brain and Mind Sciences since 2014 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete with a Master Thesis regarding Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Human Brain Cancer.
Her main research interests are the Neurobiology of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and in particular, the pathophysiology of the human brain cancer in interplay with non-invasive imaging biomarkers and in silico tumor growth validation based on human, patient-derived, brain cancer models including both in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies.
Education
- 2018, PhD, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete , Greece
- 2014, MSc, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
- 2011, BSc, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Greece
Dr. George Tserevelakis received his B.Sc. in Physics (2006), M.Sc. in Optics and Vision (2008), and Ph.D. in Physics (2013) from the University of Crete, Greece. He is currently a Research Associate at the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI) of IESL/FORTH and a Laboratory Teaching Staff member at the University of Crete.
He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Technical University of Munich (2013-2014), where he developed hybrid imaging systems combining multiphoton microscopy and optoacoustic techniques. His research spans biomedical imaging and cultural heritage science, with a focus on label-free diagnostic methods. Dr. Tserevelakis has published 48 journal articles, 6 peer-reviewed conference papers, and holds 1 patent.
Education
- 2013, PhD, Department of Physics, University of Crete, Greece
- 2008, MSc, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Greece
- 2006, BSc, Department of Physics, University of Crete, Greece
Interests
- Optoacoustic Microscopy
- Optical and optoacoustic imaging systems
Vassilis Tsafas is PhD student in the laboratory for Non-linear microscopy group (NLM Lab). He is enrolled in the Physics Department from where he received his Master and Bachelor degree.
Education
- 2016-2021, PhD Candidate , Physics Department, University of Crete
- 2014-2016, MSc, Physics Department, University of Crete
- 2010-2014, BSc, Physics Department, University of Crete
Interests
- Non-linear microscopy (SHG,THG,MPEF)
- Polarization-resolved second harmonic generation
- Computational Physics
Evangelia Gavgiotaki is currently Ph.D. student in Medical School of University of Crete and a member of Non-linear microscopy laboratory (NLM Lab). She received B.Sc. degree in Physics department from the University of Crete, Greece, in 2011, and the M.Sc. degree in Optoelectronics- Microelectronics from the Physics department of University of Crete in 2013. She has published 6 papers in international referred journals and 4 papers in conference proceedings.
Education
- 2013, M.Sc. in Optoelectronics - Microelectronics, University of Crete
- 20011, B.Sc. in Physics, University of Crete
Interests
- Non-linear imaging (Second and Third Harmonic Generation, Multiphoton Photon Excitation Fluorescence) on biological samples (tissues , cells)
- Nanosurgery of biological specimens by using ultra-short laser pulses
- Raman Spectroscopy in biological samples
- Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in biological samples
M. Papageorgiou is an undergraduate student at the Department of Materials Science & Technology of University of Crete. She is currently working on her bachelor thesis on the interactions between HeLa cells and Synthetic Biomaterials at the Biophotonics group, in collaboration with Dr. Velonia’s Lab (Supramolecular Chemistry & Synthetic Biomaterials Lab, Univ. of Crete).
Education
- 2015-Today BSc in Materials Science & Technology - Department of Materials Science & Technology, University of Crete, Greece
Career
- 06/2017-08/2017: Internship, ‘Drug delivery in mammalian cells via responsive protein-polymeric nanocarriers’ Ultrafast Laser Micro and Nano Processing Lab/Tissue engineering, Regenerative Medicine and Immunoengineering Lab Group, Institute of Electronic Structure & Laser, FORTH, Heraklion, Greece
Interests
- Tissue engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Cell-Biomaterials Interface
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Biomaterials’ Synthesis
- Cell sensing and response to chemical and topographical clues
- Drug Delivery
