Faculty research projects drive innovation forward

UNIC Health faculty participates in a number of internally and externally funded projects, that help advance research and innovation:

ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS

‘Enhancing Multiple Long-Term Conditions (MLTC) management for HIV populations through Implementation research, evidence-based interventions, and integration of NCD care in LMIC contexts with a focus on Viability and Equity’ (HIVE)

HIVE adopts an Implementation Research Framework to support integrated care and management of HIV and concomitant NCDs leveraging an mHealth application tailored for the (self-)management of multiple long-term conditions for PLWH. This initiative also incorporates interpersonal counselling (IPC) for vital psychosocial support and integration of NCDs care into HIV clinics. This is a project funded under Horizon Europe. (Dr Eleni Tolma)

‘The Impact of Virtual Patients in Pre-Clinical Pharmacology Learning in Diverse Learners (PharmaViP)

The project aims to improve pharmacology education, potentially contributing to reduction of medication errors and enhancing patient safety in the long term. Using a quasi-experimental design, the project will compare the effect of virtual patients integrated within different educational contexts across different medical programmes. The programme is funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation. (Dr Soulla Nicolaou, Dr Stella Nicolaou, Dr Nicoletta Nicolaou, Ms Katherine Annabel Alexander)

Multimodal control of chronic pain and comorbidities with atypical analgesics – “two birds with one stone”

The project investigates whether chronic pain and its frequent comorbidities – such as depression-like behaviour, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular deterioration – can be simultaneously improved using ‘atypical’ analgesic strategies rather than traditional single-target treatments. Using a translational osteoarthritis animal model, the researchers test the antidepressant vortioxetine (and compare it to duloxetine) for its ability to reduce pain-like behaviours and comorbid features, while also examining whether adjuvant treatments can enhance these effects. This is a programme funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia. (Prof Aleksandar Jovanovic)

Health Empowerment and Lifestyle Themes for Healthy Youth Research Project (HEALTHY TEENS)

The HEALTHY TEENS Research Project is an innovative initiative designed to enhance the well-being of adolescents through comprehensive research and intervention strategies. This project is structured into two main components: Narrative Reviews on Adolescent Health Interventions and Development of a Psychoeducational Intervention in Schools. (Dr Elena Philippou, Prof Eleni Andreou)

Shriners Hospitals for Children Genomics and Precision Medicine Project (SHC Gemomics and Precision Medicine Project)

The project aims to enhance the understanding of the genetic bases of the rare paediatric conditions treated at Shriners Hospitals for Children (SHC), which are categorized into five areas of specialty care including cleft lip and/or palate, orthopaedics, spinal cord injury, metabolic bone disease and burn care. The study aims to perform a molecular analysis of the paediatric disorders identified in SHC patients. (Prof Constantina Constantinou, Prof Peter Karayiannis, Dr Christiana Charalambous)

Investigating the role of genetic variants in patients with Systemic LuPus ErythEmatosus (SLE) and Depression

The project aims to evaluate and validate the association between the presence of specific nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and depression in Cypriot SLE patients. The research focuses on neuropsychiatric lupus, a common manifestation of SLE that significantly impacts patients’ quality of life. This is a programme funded by the University of Cyprus. (Dr Konstantinos Voskarides)

Breath IN: Improving Indoor Air Quality in Higher Education Institutions

The Breath IN project addresses the critical issue of indoor air quality within higher education institutions (HEIs), recognising that a significant portion of individuals’ lives is spent in such environments. The project aims to measure indoor air pollutants, assess their impact on health, and promote eco-friendly interventions like natural ventilation and the use of potted plants to improve air quality. This is an Erasmus+ funded programme. (Dr Christiana Demetriou, Dr Souzana Achilleos, Prof Photos Hadjigeorgiou)

Effect of Probiotics on Cognitive Functioning of Patients with Early Alzheimer’s Disease

This project explores the potential of probiotics to enhance cognitive functioning in patients with early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). With AD being a major cause of cognitive decline among older adults, the study seeks to determine whether modifying the gut microbiome through probiotics can reduce inflammation and improve brain function. This is a programme funded by the Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant New to the Field – AARG-NTF. (Dr Nicoletta Nicolaou, Prof Aleksandar Jovanovic, Prof Stelios Georgiades)

Medical Education/The Impact of Virtual Patients in Pre-Clinical Pharmacology Learning in Diverse Learners

Medication errors are a global healthcare issue partially attributed to inadequate pharmacology knowledge. Even though active learning methodologies, including virtual patients (VPs), flipped classroom (FC) and problem-based learning (PBL) have been implemented in medical education to address the limitations of passive learning, they are poorly characterized as teaching modalities in pre-clinical pharmacology learning. The proposed project aims to investigate the potential benefits of integrating VPs in pharmacology education within discipline-based and in PBL medical curricula in diverse learners. This is a programme funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation of Cyprus. (Dr Persoulla Nicolaou, Prof Costas Constantinou, Dr Nicoletta Nicolaou, Prof Peter McCrorie)

ViR-MEd: Transforming Clinical Communication Skills through AI and VR Technologies

The ViR-MEd project leverages Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionise clinical communication training in medical education. Using affordable VR goggles paired with smartphones, ViR-MEd aims to make high-quality, scalable medical training accessible to a broader audience, ensuring future healthcare professionals are equipped with essential communication skills. This is an Erasmus+ funded programme. (Dr Achilleas Pavlou, Prof Alexia Papageorgiou, Dr Panayiota Andreou, Prof Stelios Georgiades)

Virtual Health Lab in Higher Education – VHEalthLab

The main objective of the VHEalthLAb project is the creation of Virtual Labs (VL) in Biology. Laboratory experiments are a vital educational tool. They help students develop 21st century skills such as complex problem solving, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration. The closure of schools during the pandemic brought to light numerous problems in the teaching of STEM laboratory courses, both in tertiary and secondary education. Face-to-face labs have, until recently, been the norm, but the use of VL is gaining momentum, both in STEM fields and at all educational levels. This is an Erasmus+ funded programme. (Dr Soulla Nicolaou)

Inclusion diversity and inclusion in clinical trials (READI IHI)

This pioneering project is a public-private partnership formed by a multi-stakeholder consortium of 73 organizations; supported from the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) and contributing industry partners from 18 countries. The aim of READI is to foster a more holistic, integrated system around clinical studies that will support the inclusion of patients usually underserved and underrepresented, and ultimately transform the way clinical studies are carried out in Europe. This project is supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU) under grant agreement No 101166227. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme and COCIR, EFPIA, EuropaBio, MedTech Europe, Vaccines Europe, and Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Breakthrough T1D. This project is also supported by UKRI (UK Research and Innovation). (Prof Zoi Dorothea Pana)

Comprehensive Surveillance of High-risk Individuals and Health Integration for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer Utilising Innovative Multiplex Immunoassays (SHIELD)

The SHIELD project seeks to revolutionise early detection of pancreatic cancer, focusing on individuals with high heritable genetic risk. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%, primarily due to late-stage diagnosis. Consequently, 85% of PDAC cases are identified too late for curative treatment. However, early detection can significantly improve outcomes, increasing the survival rate to 42% with surgical intervention. This is a Horizon Europe funded programme. (Prof Dimitris Drikakis)

One Health approach to investigate the role of the GUT microBIOME in the gastrointestinal diseases’ transmission in Cyprus (1HEALTH-GUTBIOME)

The gut microbiome has various roles in health and disease with those relevant to the function of the host immune system featuring prominently. Recent studies have brought forth hypotheses linking microbiome and infectious diseases. Using a combination of fieldwork, epidemiological data collection, molecular biology and bioinformatic analyses, this research project will investigate the gut microbiome and identify specific eukaryotic pathogens as well as the interplay of the latter two in dairy cattle and humans living in Cyprus. This is a programme funded by the Research Seed Fund of the University of Nicosia Medical School. (Dr Eleni Gentekaki, Dr Danny Allon-Ellenbogen, Dr Daphne Mavrides, Dr Annalisa Quattrocchi)

Relationship of air pollution with cow’s microbiome and heavy metals in milk for human consumption. A pilot study of dairy farms in Cyprus (AIRCOMM)

AIRCOMM is the first pilot study in Cyprus that will use a multidisciplinary One Health approach to characterize cattle microbiome and cow’s milk quality, and to investigate their relationship of air pollution. We will utilize the availability of cow’s faecal and milk samples collected from 18 dairy farms across Cyprus in collaboration with the Cyprus Government’s Department of Veterinary Service to characterize the microbiome composition and diversity, and heavy metal concentrations will be measured in cow’s milk samples from four farms. This is a programme funded by the Research Seed Fund of the University of Nicosia Medical School. (Dr Despo Ierodiakonou, Dr Daphne Mavrides, Dr Souzana Achilleos, Dr Eleni Gentekaki)

RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

EXELU- The Experimental Electrophysiology Unit (EXELU)

The Experimental Electrophysiology Unit (EEU) with state-of-the-art equipment will facilitate the use of innovative techniques to study basic mechanisms of nervous system function and the full range of functional evaluation in pre-clinical studies of new therapeutic approaches to treat neurological disorders. Functional assessment of neuronal mechanisms and treatment outcomes supported by the EEU will complement existing molecular and morphological research infrastructure, facilitating more translatable research projects and the exploitation of results for clinical applications in collaboration with industry. This is a programme funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation of Cyprus. (Dr Nikolas Perentos, Prof Avgis Hadjipapas)

Zebrafish Research and Educational Facility

The Zebrafish Research and Educational Facility at UNIC Health is a significant addition to the university’s biomedical research and education infrastructure. Zebrafish, due to their genetic similarity to humans and their transparent embryos, provide an excellent model for studying various aspects of human biology and disease. The facility will support research in developmental biology, neurobiology, cancer, genetics, and pharmacology. Additionally, it will serve as an educational resource, offering students hands-on experience with complex biological processes. The facility aims to foster interdisciplinary research and enhance the educational experience at UNIC Health, contributing to its goal of becoming a leader in biomedical research. (Dr Constantinos Voskarides, Dr Annita Achilleos)

For more information about the projects mentioned above, please contact [email protected]

A selection of studies/publications

First nationwide investigation of Cryptosporidium species and gp60 subtypes in dairy cattle in Cyprus (Dr Daphne Mavrides and Dr Eleni Gentekaki,) – Link to article here.
Veterinary pilot study on focused ultrasound treatment of spontaneous canine and feline tumours: technical and feasibility assessment (Dr Kyriakos Spanoudes) – Link to article here.
Predicting hypotension, syncope, and fracture risk in patients indicated for antihypertensive treatment: the STRATIFY models (Dr Constantinos Koshiaris) – Link to article here.
Impact Of Atrial Fibrillation On All-Cause Mortality In Patients Undergoing TAVI-A Meta-Analysis (Dr George Bazoukis and MD students Leigh Cohen and Swogyan Gurung) – Link to article here.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Dementia (Dr George Mikellides, Dr Marios Kyriazis, Amir Arshia Emam Jomeh, Eleanor Arati Roy) – Link to article here.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and systemic lupus erythematosus: insights from a systematic review (Dr Konstantinos Voskarides) – Link to article here.