Research Areas in Life & Health Sciences

The Department of Life and Health Sciences aims in the generation of new understanding and knowledge of the principles of Life and Health.

On the basis of this knowledge, the Department will attempt to address the various current and future challenges in the field.

Living organisms are complex entities both at their molecular and macroscopic levels. The complex networks embedded in living organisms regulate diverse functions with significant impact on health and disease. The research goal of the Department is to bridge a variety of diverse disciplines ranging from molecular biology to health care provision and to generate new knowledge in both basic and applied science. The Faculty aims at developing an interaction with local and international research institutions to address everyday challenges in the area of Human Health.

KEY RESEARCH AREAS IN LIFE & HEALTH SCIENCES

  • Nutritional Sciences
    The thematic research area of Nutritional Sciences examines the effect of diet on the organism’s health. It includes focus areas such as Health Education and Nutrition, Behavior Modification for Weight Management with special interest in the influence of early nutrition and weaning practices in childhood obesity, Aging and Nutrition, Analysis of Cypriot Nutrition and Health database, Sports and Nutrition, and Health Education and Dietetics. The department carries out research projects aiming in the role of diet in the development and progression of human diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  • Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
    The thematic area in Pharmacy seeks to the discovery, synthesis and characterization of new biological products for targeting human diseases. Specific projects center on the peptide synthesis and especially on the development of Radiolabelled Peptides for the in vivo detection of neuroendocrinic tumors overexpressing peptide receptors and on the development of peptide-anticancer agents conjugates as pro-drugs for targeted chemotherapy. The Drug Discovery discipline focus on the synthesis of anti-cancer compounds, design and synthesis of complex dendrimers, design and synthesis of novel small molecules as RNA ligands (Antibiotic Drugs) and design, synthesis and biological evaluation of inhibitors for Mycobacterial Tuberculosis via the fragment-based approach (Tuberculosis Drugs).
  • Physiotherapy
    Research in the Physiotherapy program focuses on the areas of musculoskeletal and neurological Physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Specifically, research interests involve spinal biomechanics in relation to pathology of low back and neck pain, rehabilitation of peripheral nervous system injuries, effectiveness of neural mobilization techniques in patients with spinal radiculopathies and effectiveness of manual therapy techniques in patients with cervicogenic dizziness. In addition, faculty members explore the Central Nervous Systems adaptations following exercise and fatigue in regards the motor control systems and in the development of new techniques for neurophysiological assessment (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) and neurological rehabilitation.
  • Sports Science
    The thematic area of Sports Science covers a multidisciplinary spectrum of research related to exercise. These include:  effects of exercise training in the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and Multiple Sclerosis, sleep physiology/exercise, cardiovascular exercise physiology in health and disease, chronic hydration levels of adults and adolescents, athletes, and potential effects on exercise performance and overall health, training adaptations, hematological, hormonal, and immune responses to young and elite soccer players, nutritional intervention and exercise, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), sport pedagogy and sport psychology and others.
  • Biomedical and Biological Sciences 
    Research in this fast-growing field encompasses a diverse spectrum of themes ranging from Molecular Biology to Environmental Biology. More specifically, faculty research interests include but not limited to: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation, signal transduction mechanisms responsible for the abnormal cell proliferation and/or cell apoptosis in cardiovascular and aging related diseases, the role of lipids in cell aging, the role of microRNAs in various physiologic and pathologic biological processes, molecular nutrition, isolation and identification of biologically active compounds occurring in natural products, effects of antioxidants on human health, understanding nutrient transport in the Gastrointestinal Track and its relevance to disease states, the role of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), the development and plasticity of the nervous system and effects of injury and drugs in the developing brain, aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Nursing
    Research in the Nursing program covers all different Nursing disciplines. Specifically, faculty are working on General Surgery and Surgical Nursing as well as surgery in specialties, development of curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate nursing with special interest in clinical specialist courses development,  cultural/spiritual aspects of health, issues related to refugees and emigrants health needs, hospital infections, diabetic patient care, chronic disease management and patient’s empowerment, Community Nursing, Nursing Care Education, cancer prevention and rehabilitation, fertility and family planning.