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Laboratory of Molecular Genetics & Pharmacogenomics-Toxicogenomics Director: Dr. Sotiria
Boukouvala, Associate Professor Building 10, University Campus, Tel./Fax.: +30-25510-30632,
email: sboukouv@mbg.duth.gr More info: http://utopia.duth.gr/~sboukouv/Sotiria_Boukouvala_BIO.pdf
and http://nat.mbg.duth.gr/ |
Scientific interests
The group undertakes
comparative genomic and functional investigations of enzymes that modulate the
effects of chemicals (drugs, carcinogens, pollutants, toxic agents etc.) on
living organisms. Projects have investigated a family of xenobiotic
metabolizing enzymes, called arylamine N-acetyltransferases
(NATs), which serve diverse metabolic functions in prokaryotic
and eukaryotic microorganisms of medical and/or biotechnological interest. In
humans, the highly polymorphic NAT genes
have been landmark examples of how genetic variability may determine individual
susceptibility to chemical carcinogenesis and drug induced toxicity.
The group has
maintained a strong biomedical-biotechnological orientation, building on the
director's previous experience in the diagnostics and the pharmaceutical
industry. Previous research ventures have included a cross-border
collaboration with
More recently, the
lab is pursuing ambitious drug discovery research, aiming to characterize and
activate microbial biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for the production of
antimicrobials and other natural products of potential pharmaceutical utility.
Expertise and infrastructure
The laboratory shares its infrastructure
with the Laboratory of Human Genetics & Model Organisms and is fully
equipped to support methodologies ranging from in silico genomic
surveys to advanced molecular genetic and biochemical applications. Current
expertise includes high-throughput PCR and real-time PCR, cloning, protein expression and purification, western
blot, various spectrophotometric, chemiluminescent
and fluorescent assays, differential scanning fluorimetry,
pulse field gel electrophoresis, cell culture, microbiology, Nanopore sequencing technology, etc.
Available equipment
includes a DNA 4x96 Engine Tetrad for PCR (MJ), a TECAN M1000 reader for high-throughput
colorimetric, chemiluminescent or fluorescent in vitro/cell-based assays, a BioScreen apparatus for fully-automated microbial growth monitoring,
a BioRad ChemiDoc XRS+ Imaging System for gels and chemiluminsescent
blots, a Nanodrop spectrophotometer (Thermo), a BioRad Experion Automated System
for chip-based electrophoresis and qualitative/quantitative analysis of RNA/DNA
and protein, various specialized electrophoresis instruments (e.g. for PFGE, E-gels etc.), electroporator,
sonicator, various incubators, -80°C freezer, etc.
The laboratory has
three dedicated areas, one for PCR (with sterile
hood), a second for microbiology (equipped with a BL2 hood, incubator and
microscopes) and a third for cell culture (equipped with a BL2-Cytotoxic hood, inverted
microscope, CO2 incubator and accessory instruments). State-of-the-art
facilities are also accessible on campus.
International Collaborations
· Department of
Pharmacology,
· Department of
Microbiology, Faculty of Biology,
· Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research Unit, Agricultural Research
·
Université Paris-Décartes and Paul Sabatier-Toulouse (France)
·
Department
of Genetics and Evolution, Université de
Genève (
·
School
of Biomedical Sciences,
·
Department
of Pharmacology & Toxicology,
·
Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz (
·
Participation in pharmacogenomics
networks coordinated by the US Centers for Disease
Control & Prevention, the PharmacoGenomics KnowledgeBase and the Pharmacogene
Variation Consortium.
Vacancies
Post doctoral
position available immediately (deadline for applications: Friday 9 September 2022, at 15:00)
HFRI project titled: «Genomic investigation and engineering of microbial
biosynthetic gene clusters with potential biotechnological interest»
Click
here for Call and guidelines for applicants
