Students and Research

The ‘Students in Research Programme (SIRP)’ of the University of Nicosia Medical School is a framework implemented since 2020 under which students of the undergraduate ‘Doctor of Medicine (MD)’, ‘Graduate Entry Doctor of Medicine (GEMD)’ and ‘Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)’ programmes are offered opportunities to participate in Research Projects.  Participation in SIRP is voluntary as this is an extracurricular initiative which aims to provide undergraduate students with research experience.

The two Pathways of SIRP:

As of 2022-23 academic year, students will be able to follow one of two Pathways:

  • Pathway A (Internal) SIRP will include Research Projects offered and supervised by internal faculty of the Medical School
  • Pathway B (External) SIRP will be launched for the first time in the current academic year and will include Research Projects offered and supervised by external collaborators of the Medical School.

Student application and selection:

  1. Research Projects under SIRP are usually advertised twice every academic year
    • The Winter SIRP Programme takes place during the period of January to June
    • The Summer SIRP Programme takes place during the period of July to December.
  2. Eligible Students receive an invitation including a list of available Research Projects under Pathway A and B and instructions on how to submit an online application by a specific deadline.
  3. The submitted applications are communicated to the relevant Supervisor(s)/ Research Teams who select the student(s) based on their academic judgement

Selected Articles in Collaboration with Medical Faculty

  • Zervides C, Sassis L, Kefala-Karli P, Christou V, Derlagen A, Papapetrou P, Heraclides A. (2020). Assessing radiation protection knowledge in diagnostic radiography in the Republic of Cyprus. A questionnaire survey. Radiography (Lond). 26(2):88-93.

  • Zervides C., Kefala-Karli P. & Sassis L. (2020). Importance of Ultrasound Education in Undergraduate Medical Curriculum: A Survey Study Based on First-Year Medical Students’ Perception of the 6-Year Doctor of Medicine Program of the University of Nicosia Medical School in Cyprus. Ultrasound Quarterly, 36(4): 328–332

  • Toumazi D. & Constantinou C. (2020) A Fragile Balance: the important role of Intestinal Microbiota in the Prevention and Management of Colorectal Cancer. Oncology. 98: 593-602.

  • Raptopoulos Z. & Constantinou C. (2020) The Effect of Exercise on the Alleviation of Side Effects Induced by Aromatase Inhibitors in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer patients. Current Oncology Reports. 22: Art. Num. 110.

  • Michaelides A. & Constantinou C. (2020). Integration of Psychoeducation Programmes in the Survivorship Care of Breast Cancer Patients. Journal of Cancer Policy. 23: Art.Num. 100214.

  • Tanos V., Lingwood L. & Balami S. (2020) The importance of the junctional zone of the endometrium in human reproduction. Human Fertility (Article in Press)

  • Tanos V., Lingwood L. & Balami S. (2020) Junctional Zone Endometrium Morphological Characteristics and Functionality: Review of the Literature. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation, 85(2): 107-117

  • Nicolaou, P.A. & El Saifi, M. (2020). The impact of using virtual patients in preclinical pharmacology teaching. Advances in physiology education, 44(3):363-369

  • Mascara M., & Constantinou C. (2021) Global perceptions of women on breast cancer and barriers to screening. Current Oncology Reports, 23(7): Art. Num. 74 doi: 10.1007/s11912-021-01069-z.

  • Toumazi D., El Dacacche S., & Constantinou C. (2021). An Unexpected Link: the Role of Mammary and Gut Microbiota on Breast Cancer Development and Management. Accepted by Oncology Reports, 45(5): Art. Num. 80 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8031

  • Zervides C., Mahdi H., Staub R.A. & Jouni H. (Apr 2021). Prosthetic venous valves: Short history and advancements from 2012 to 2020. Phlebology, 36(3): 174 – 183

  • Constantinou C.S., Ng A.T., Becker C.B., Zadeh P.E. & Papageorgiou, A. (2021) The use of interpreters in medical education: A narrative literature review. Societies, 11(3): Art. Num. 70

  • Pinnawala N.U., Thrastardottir T.O. & Constantinou C. (2021). Keeping a balance during the pandemic: the important role of micronutrients in preventing infection and reducing the complications of COVID-19. Current Nutrition Reports, 10(3): 200 – 210

  • Kossenas K. & Constantinou C. (2021) Epidemiology, Molecular Mechanisms, and Clinical Trials: an Update on Research on the Association Between Red Meat Consumption and Colorectal Cancer. Current Nutrition Reports.

  • Sudhir R., Jaafar N., Du Q., […], Kreouzi M. & Jovanović A. (2021).Increase in cardioprotective SUR2A does not alter heart rate and heart rate regulation by physical activity and diurnal rhythm. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology.

  • Kefala-Karli P., Sassis L., Sassi M., Zervides C. (2021). Introduction of ultrasound-based living anatomy into the medical curriculum: a survey on medical students’ perceptions. Ultrasound Journal, 13(1): Art. Num. 47

  • Tanos V., Neofytou M., Soliman A.S.A., Tanos P., Pattichis C.S. (2021). Is computer-assisted tissue image analysis the future in minimally invasive surgery? A review on the current status of its applications. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(24): Art. Num. 5770

  • Zervides C., Sassi M., Kefala-Karli P. & Sassis L. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on radiographers in the Republic of Cyprus. A questionnaire survey. Radiography, 27(2): 419–424

  • Zervides C., Nohra O., Hunduma G., Thomas N.W. & Samia R. (Dec 2021). 2006 to 2019 Story; percutaneously implantable aortic valve prototypes. Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 16(1): Art. Num. 223

  • Zervides C., Verran S., Yoganantharajah P. & Sifeldeen K.K. (Aug 2021). Don’t go breaking my heart valve: Historical review of mitral valve replacement. Future Cardiology, 17(5): 899–915

  • Thrastardottir T.O., Copeland V.J. & Constantinou C. (2022). The Association Between the Gut Microbiome, Nutritional Habits, Antibiotics, and Gastric Cancer: a Scoping Revie. Current Nutrition Reports, 11(1): 19-38

  • Bogdanova A., Andrawos C. & Constantinou C. (Apr 2022). Cervical cancer, geographical inequalities, prevention and barriers in resource depleted countries (Review). Oncology Letters, 23(4): Art. Num. 113.

  • Mahdi H. & Jovanović A. (2022). SUR2A as a base for cardioprotective therapeutic strategies. Molecular Biology Reports, 49 (7): 6717 – 6723

  • Ionescu C. & Jovanovic A. (2021). Rates, variability and associated factors in polypharmacy in nursing homes in Cyprus. Aging Medicine and Healthcare, 12(4): 125-130

  • Hoque S., Mavrides D.E., Pinto P., […] Malas S., Gentekaki E. & Tsaousis A.D. (2022). High Occurrence of Zoonotic Subtypes of Cryptosporidium parvum in Cypriot Dairy Farms. Microorganisms, 10(3): Art. Num. 531

  • Schou C., Hasapis K. & Karanis P. (2022). Molecular identification of Cryptosporidium species from domestic ruminants and wild reptiles in Cyprus. Parasitology Research, 121(7): 2193–2198

  • Moyoh W., Gondwe K.W., Andreou P., Philippou E. & Papageorgiou A. (2022). Allied health workers’ role in patient education in the United States: a narrative review. Journal of Health Sciences, 12(1): 1–9

Selected Articles by Medical Students

  • Michaelides A., Hadden R.D.M., Sarrigiannis P.G., Hadjivassiliou M., Zis P. (2019). Pain in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain and Therapy, 8(2): 177-185

  • Pydisetty G., Ghani M., Michaelides A. (2020) Optimizing the time of a general practitioner by investigating the daily tasks of the on-call doctor. British Journal of Medical Practitioners, 13(2): Art. Num. a010

  • Aborode A.T., Ogunsola S.O. & Adeyemo A.O. (2021) Perspective piece: A crisis within a crisis: Covid-19 and hunger in African children. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 104(1): 30 – 31

  • Hashemi H., Rezvan F., Pakzad R., Ansaripour A. […], Pakbin M., Khabazkhoob M. (2021) Global and Regional Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy; A. Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Seminars in Ophthalmology (Article in Press)

  • Massarvva T. (2021). Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 amongst HIV patients: a systematic literature review. Epidemiology and health, 43: Art. Num. e2021036

  • Daykan Y., Battino S., Arbib N., Tamir Yaniv R., Schonman R., Klein Z., Pomeranz J., Pomeranz M. (2021). Verbal analgesia is as good as oral tramadol prior to intrauterine device (IUD) insertion, among nulliparous women: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 258: 443-446

  • Khauli M., Heidar N., Degheili J., Hakam N., Al-Moussawy M., Shahait M., El-Asmar J., Bustros G., Merhe A., Nasr R., Bulbul M., Wazzan W., El-Hajj A., Shamseddine A., Kfoury H., Mukherji D., Khauli R. (2021). Comparative analysis of histopathological subtypes of renal cell carcinoma in the Middle East compared to other world regions. Urology Annals, 13(2): 130-133

  • Kosmas C.E., Estrella A.M., Sourlas A. & Pantou D. (2021) Inclisiran in dyslipidemia. Drugs of Today, 57(5): 311 – 319

  • Andreou A.Y., Christou T.& Koskina L.E. (2021) Electrocardiographic presentation of acute left main coronary artery occlusion misinterpreted as ventricular tachycardia. Journal of Electrocardiology, 68: 7-10

  • Alam S., Claxton J.S., Mortillo M., Sassis L., Kefala-Karli P., Siberbach M., Kochilas L. & Wechsler S.B. (2021) Thirty-Year Survival after Cardiac Surgery for Patients with Turner Syndrome. Journal of Pediatrics.

  • Bergwerk M., Gonen T., Lustig Y., Amit S., Lipsitch M., Cohen C., Mandelboim M., Levin E.G., Rubin C., Indenbaum V., Tal I., Zavitan M., Zuckerman N., Bar-Chaim A., Kreiss Y., Regev-Yochay G. (2021). COVID-19 breakthrough infections in vaccinated health care workers. New England Journal of Medicine, 385(16): 1474-1484

  • Aristodimou A., Rubinsohn C., Kizi A., Chimonidou V., Grigoriou A. (2021). Ankylosing spondylitis manifested as unexplained leukocytosis. Archives of Hellenic Medicine, 38(5): 664-666

  • Becker J., Becker C., Oprescu F., […] Shimwela M. & Gray M. (2022). Silent voices of the midwives: factors that influence midwives’ achievement of successful neonatal resuscitation in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative inquiry. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1): Art. Num. 39

  • Li Z., Chen X., Tao J., Shi Ao., Zhang J., Yu P. (2022). Exosomes Regulate NLRP3 Inflammasome in Diseases. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9: Art. Num. 802509

  • Matar R.H., Than C.A., Nakanishi H., […] Beran A. & Danoun O.A. (2022). Outcomes of patients with thromboembolic events following coronavirus disease 2019 AstraZeneca vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis : an international journal in haemostasis and thrombosis, 33(2): 90-112

  • Borgstein A., Zhang B., Lam C., […] Taylor T. & Seydel K. (Dec 2022). Delayed presentation to hospital care is associated with sequelae but not mortality in children with cerebral malaria in Malawi. Malaria journal, 21(1): Art. Num. 60

  • Nakanishi H., Miangul S., Oluwaremi T.T., […], Hong S.S. & Than C.A. (2022). Open versus laparoscopic surgery in the management of patients with gallbladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.American Journal of Surgery.

  • Hasan M.K., Moriom M., Shuprio S.I.M., Younos T.B. & Chowdhury M.A. (2022). Exploring disaster preparedness of students at university in Bangladesh. Natural Hazards, 111(1): 817-849

The University of Nicosia Medical School organizes the annual University of Nicosia Medical School Student Research Conference (UNMS-SRC) in collaboration with the Medical School Student Society (MSSS), the Medical Student Research Society (MSRS) as well as the Medical faculty and administrative staff.

All active students of the undergraduates programmes of Graduate Entry Doctor of Medicine (GEMD), Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) as well as students of the postgraduate programmes of Master in Public Health (MPH), Master in Health Services Administration (MHSA), Masters in Family Medicine (MSc in FM) Programmes and the PhD Programme in Medical Sciences, are invited to participate in the conference as attendees or presenters. A call for submission of abstracts is communicated to all relevant cohorts, and the research projects that fulfil the eligibility criteria are selected by the Conference Evaluation Committee for oral or poster presentations. Examples of selected work include recently completed or published or ongoing research work with preliminary results.

Specific guidelines and more information regarding the application process are communicated to all eligible students by the Research Office closer to the day of the event.  For further information regarding the UNMS-SRC, please contact the Medical School Research Office at [email protected].

The University of Nicosia Medical School developed the ‘Student Conference Award Programme’ to motivate all undergraduate and postgraduate of the School to engage in Research by participating in national and international Conferences. By attending these Conferences, students can showcase their research findings to the academic community, while also networking and connecting with experienced researchers and scholars in their respective fields of interest. This hands-on experience allows students to develop valuable transferable skills that enhance their overall professional development.

Interested students can contact the Medical School Research Office at [email protected] to obtain more information regarding the Programme and the relevant eligibility criteria and conditions.