Konstantinos Gkrintzalis

Assist. Prof

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I am a biologist with significant expertise in Redox Biology and its applications in Biosciences. My postgraduate research focused on clinical biochemistry and following on the sclerotial metamorphosis of filamentous fungi in relation to oxidative stress. As a postdoc I employed biochemical and metabolomic approaches within the fields of nanotoxicology, cell toxicology and ecotoxicology. I am an assistant professor and a SIRG awardee on an research trajectory within applications of Biochemistry in Microbial Physiology and Systems Ecotoxicology. I have established the first freshwater organisms facility in the School of Biotechnology. 

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2018 Ben Barka, Z;Grintzalis, K;Polet, M;Heude, C;Sommer, U;Ben Miled, H;Ben Rhouma, K;Mohsen, S;Tebourbi, O;Schneider, YJ (2018) 'A combination of NMR and liquid chromatography to characterize the protective effects of Rhus tripartita extracts on ethanol-induced toxicity and inflammation on intestinal cells'. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 150 :347-354.
2017 Grintzalis K;Dai W;Panagiotidis K;Belavgeni A;Viant MR; (2017) 'Miniaturising acute toxicity and feeding rate measurements in Daphnia magna'. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 139 .
2016 Martirosyan A;Grintzalis K;Polet M;Laloux L;Schneider YJ; (2016) 'Tuning the inflammatory response to silver nanoparticles via quercetin in Caco-2 (co-)cultures as model of the human intestinal mucosa'. Toxicology Letters, 253 .
2016 Georgiou CD;Zisimopoulos D;Panagiotidis K;Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Quinn RC;McKay CP;Sun HJ; (2016) 'Martian Superoxide and Peroxide O2 Release (OR) Assay: A New Technology for Terrestrial and Planetary Applications'. Astrobiology, 16 (2).
2016 Botsakis K;Theodoritsi S;Grintzalis K;Angelatou F;Antonopoulos I;Georgiou CD;Margarity M;Matsokis NA;Panagopoulos NT; (2016) '17β-Estradiol/N-acetylcysteine interaction enhances the neuroprotective effect on dopaminergic neurons in the weaver model of dopamine deficiency'. Neuroscience, 320 .
2015 Grintzalis K;Georgiou CD;Schneider YJ; (2015) 'An accurate and sensitive Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250-based assay for protein determination'. Analytical Biochemistry, 480 .
2015 Georgiou CD;Sun HJ;McKay CP;Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Zisimopoulos D;Panagiotidis K;Zhang G;Koutsopoulou E;Christidis GE;Margiolaki I; (2015) 'Evidence for photochemical production of reactive oxygen species in desert soils'. Nature Communications, 6 .
2014 Grintzalis K;Vernardis SI;Klapa MI;Georgiou CD; (2014) 'Role of oxidative stress in Sclerotial differentiation and aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus'. Applied And Environmental Microbiology, 80 (18).
2014 Alakhras RS;Stephanou G;Demopoulos NA;Grintzalis K;Georgiou CD;Nikolaropoulos SS; (2014) 'DNA fragmentation induced by all-trans retinoic acid and its steroidal analogue EA-4 in C2 C12 mouse and HL-60 human leukemic cells in vitro'. Journal Of Applied Toxicology : Jat, 34 (8).
2014 Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Zisimopoulos D;Stamatiou I;Georgiou CD; (2014) 'Multiparametric protocol for the determination of thiol redox state in living matter'. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 74 .
2013 Grintzalis K;Zisimopoulos D;Grune T;Weber D;Georgiou CD; (2013) 'Method for the simultaneous determination of free/protein malondialdehyde and lipid/protein hydroperoxides'. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 59 .
2012 Grintzalis K;Georgiou CD;Dailianis S; (2012) 'Total thiol redox status as a potent biomarker of PAH-mediated effects on mussels'. Marine Environmental Research, 81 .
2011 Pytharopoulou S;Grintzalis K;Sazakli E;Leotsinidis M;Georgiou CD;Kalpaxis DL; (2011) 'Translational responses and oxidative stress of mussels experimentally exposed to Hg, Cu and Cd: one pattern does not fit at all'. Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 105 (1-2).
2010 Faropoulos K;Chroni E;Assimakopoulos SF;Mavrakis A;Stamatopoulou V;Toumpeki C;Drainas D;Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Georgiou CD;Konstantinou D; (2010) 'Altered occludin expression in brain capillaries induced by obstructive jaundice in rats'. Journal of Brain Research, 1325 .
2009 Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Assimakopoulos SF;Mavrakis A;Faropoulos K;Karageorgos N;Georgiou C;Chroni E;Konstantinou D; (2009) 'Time-related alterations of superoxide radical levels in diverse organs of bile duct-ligated rats'. Free Radical Research, 43 (9).
2009 Chronidou F;Apostolakis E;Papapostolou I;Grintzalis K;Georgiou CD;Koletsis EN;Karanikolas M;Papathanasopoulos P;Dougenis D; (2009) 'Beneficial effect of the oxygen free radical scavenger amifostine (WR-2721) on spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits'. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 4 .
2009 Georgiou CD;Papapostolou I;Grintzalis K; (2009) 'Protocol for the quantitative assessment of DNA concentration and damage (fragmentation and nicks)'. Nature Protocols, 4 (2).
2008 Assimakopoulos SF;Mavrakis AG;Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Zervoudakis G;Konstantinou D;Chroni E;Vagianos CE;Georgiou C; (2008) 'Superoxide radical formation in diverse organs of rats with experimentally induced obstructive jaundice'. Redox Report : Communications In Free Radical Research, 13 (4).
2008 Konstantinou D;Mavrakis A;Grintzalis K;Papapostolou I;Assimakopoulos SF;Chroni E;Georgiou C; (2008) 'Quantification of superoxide radical in the brain of rats with experimentally induced obstructive jaundice'. Neurochemical Research, 33 (6).
2008 Georgiou CD;Grintzalis K;Zervoudakis G;Papapostolou I; (2008) 'Mechanism of Coomassie brilliant blue G-250 binding to proteins: a hydrophobic assay for nanogram quantities of proteins'. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 391 (1).
2008 Georgiou CD;Papapostolou I;Grintzalis K; (2008) 'Superoxide radical detection in cells, tissues, organisms (animals, plants, insects, microorganisms) and soils'. Nature Protocols, 3 (11).
2008 Pytharopoulou S;Sazakli E;Grintzalis K;Georgiou CD;Leotsinidis M;Kalpaxis DL; (2008) 'Translational responses of Mytilus galloprovincialis to environmental pollution: integrating the responses to oxidative stress and other biomarker responses into a general stress index'. Aquatic Toxicology, 89 (1).
2008 Assimakopoulos SF;Grintzalis K;Thomopoulos KC;Papapostolou I;Georgiou CD;Gogos C;Vagianos CE; (2008) 'Plasma superoxide radical in jaundiced patients and role of xanthine oxidase'. American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 336 (3).
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2021) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2006 Scholarship for MSc studies Cultural Institute for Moral and Social Education
01/01/2019 Postgraduate IRC Scholarship Irisich Research Council
01/01/2019 Starting Investigator Research Grant Science Foundation Ireland
01/01/2019 Charlemont Grant Royal Irish Society
01/01/2006 Honorary distinction State Scholarships Foundation
01/01/2006 Undergraduate Scholarship Aggeliki and Giorgos Skouras Foundation
01/01/2003 Undergraduate Scholarship State Scholarships Foundation
01/01/2008 PhD Scholarship Bodossaki Foundation

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Foundation of Research and Technology of Hellas Postdoctoral Fellow 01/05/2012 - 31/08/2013
Université catholique de Louvain Postdoctoral Fellow 01/09/2013 - 28/02/2015
University of Birmingham Research Fellow 01/03/2015 - 30/09/2017

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
University of Patras PhD
University of Patras MSc Degree
University of Patras Degree

Other Activities

Description
Editor in scientific journals: Elyns Journal of Microbes, Enliven: Microbes and Microbial Techniques, Journal EC Nutrition (ECNU), Journal of Medical Toxicology and Clinical Forensic Medicine, Journal of Nutrition and Food Science Forecast. Reviewer in scientific journals: PLOS One, Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta, Archives of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Journal of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, Electrophoresis

Research Interests

I am a Biologist with a focus in Biochemistry by training. My postgraduate research was oriented on Oxidative Stress and Redox Biology which are crucial to physiological phenomena (i.e. signaling, aging etc.) and in the underlying mechanisms of several pathological conditions (i.e. cancer, neurodegenerative diseases).

During my postgraduate studies, I developed novel biochemical methodologies for biomarkers of oxidative stress and specifically for the quantification of protein and lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, thiol redox state, reactive oxygen species, and two ultrasensitive protocols for the quantification of proteins. During my PhD thesis I studied sclerotial metamorphosis and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus and provided a biochemical link between these two processes via oxidative stress. I extended this project to a metabolic perspective as a postdoctoral fellow using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Furthermore, I participated in several collaborations among different fields of research. Specifically, in a collaboration with the astrogeophysicist Dr. Christopher P. McKay (from NASA Ames Research Center) I studied the formation of life-inhibiting oxidants in Mars-like analogue desserts and developed novel biochemical methods useful for planetary research. My biochemical experience allowed me to participate in a diverse set of research projects ranging from bioindicators for environmental pollution, animal models for ischemia/reperfusion injury, in vitro assessment of anticancer drugs, neurodegeneration models and ageing in mice, and clinical samples for obstructive jaundice.

In 2014 I was a postdoctoral fellow at the Université catholique de Louvain, where I worked on the mechanisms of cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on human intestinal cells and the protective effects of phenolic antioxidants. I also studied the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of different plant tissue extracts from Rhus tripartitum, an endemic Tunisian medicinal plant, on intestinal cells after exposure to ethanol stress. 
Following, from 2016 I was a research fellow at the University of Birmingham, working on Environmental Metabolomics withing the context of Molecular Ecotoxicology. I studied the physiology and growth of Daphnia magna using metbaolomic signatures upon exposure to mixtures of chemicals. For my research I developed a miniaturized approach for the acute toxicity and algae feeding and discovered the molecular fingerprints of metabolite coronas on nanomaterials.

In 2017 I joined the School of Biotechnology as an assistant professor and secured prestigious funding from Science Foundation Ireland by a Starting Research Investigator Grant on Environmental Metabolomics. Working in a reputable academic institute with a dynamic, inspiring, and interactive environment in Dublin City University gave me the opportunity to establish the first freshwater organism facility and set out an independent research career. I am actively involved in teaching and research within the School and across it borders participating in various visiting and host activities. 


Web of Science: h-Index: 12, 323 Citing Articles without self-citations, 14.33 average citations per item
ORCID: 0000-0002-6276-495X Scopus Author ID 23097934200

Teaching Interests

My teaching philosophy has been strongly influenced by my early experiences and my roles initially as a student and later as a teacher, which shaped my character and perspective in teaching so far. I will try to sketch my perspective and what motivates me by the following principles which provide fundamental structure for me as a teacher.  

1. Cognitive growth is a developmental process requiring time and patience. A teacher must have patience and will for the important task they are appointed to. This is fundamental, and I thank my teachers for having the time and putting the effort in me first, and now being on the other side, I try to keep this momentum to the maximum for my students.

2. Teachers should focus on strengths and use positive feedback to help learners grow academically, socially, and emotionally. Teachers should emphasize in development of their students on multiple levels. I often find myself organizing my students in groups especially in scientific related activities. I was given this opportunity several times in laboratory projects where simply one person could not physically perform the task. It was cumulative work that awarded everyone with success and the best outcome. An example of teamwork have been the numerous publications from student projects, although the greatest reward was seeing students collaborate and helping each other in the lab. 

3. Critical thinking helps students internalize learning. People should not be treated as empty vessels into which knowledge is simply just poured into. Rather, they should be helped to understand the world from their own phenomenological vantage point and in this way develop a critical way of thinking to consolidate information and transform it to new knowledge. 

4. Teaching is not static, and teachers must seek continuous renewal and growth. Innovation in teaching is something I dedicate myself to explore novel ways for enriching the teaching material and my methods of approach and lectures. I am constantly revising my lectures and teaching materials as I try to improve myself. By performing self-assessment via questionnaires for teaching evaluation, I take into consideration comments from students and colleagues. So far, I have revised lab manuals and lectures slides and seen the improvement in performance both from my side but from the students’ side, in terms of improvement of exam scores and understanding the curriculum.