The AJR group
Dr Maria Chatzopoulou
I obtained my MPharm from the Department of Pharmacy of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2006). Following my graduation I enrolled for a MSc and PhD (Scholarship from the Greek State Scholarship Foundation, IKY) in the same Department. During this time, my research focus was the design and synthesis of bioactive N-heterocyclic derivatives. After the successful defence of my PhD Thesis, I continued working in the group of Prof. Demopoulos as a Postdoctoral Fellow (Excellence award from Aristotle University’s Research Committee for Post-Doctoral studies in Pharmacy, 2012) in the project “Aldose reductase inhibitors unionized in the physiological pH range”. I had also the opportunity to visit the laboratory of Prof. A. Tsantili-Kakoulidou, where I trained in experimental calculation of physicochemical properties. In March 2014, I joined the group of Dr. E. Pitsinos, in the Laboratory of natural product synthesis and bioorganic chemistry, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR “Demokritos”) as a PDRA where I worked on the design, synthesis and in vitro evaluation of analogues of the furanoditerpenoid Taepeenin D targeting the Hedgehog signaling pathway. Currently, I am working in the AJR group in a drug discovery project targeting small molecule modulators of utrophin for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.