Department of Anatomy
Medical School - University of Crete

Research

1. Investigation of the effect of specific protocols of systematic treatment on the telomerase activity and the micronuclei frequency in various categories of patients with metastatic disease of the liver by primary colon cancer and in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Association of the possible alterations of telomerase activity and micronuclei frequency in blood with the localization of the tumor in the large intestine (right colon, left colon, and rectum) and with the demographic and somatometric features of the patients (gender, age, weight, ΒΜΙ). Additionally, the possible association of the alteration of the telomerase activity and micronuclei frequency with the treatment response (comparison with existent, established in clinical practice, prognostic biomarkers along with the imaging study of the response which is part of the “common” monitoring of these patients). Period of implementation: 2017 – 2021.
2. Comparative study of the intestinal microbiota, the circulating bacterial DNA in the peripheral blood and the oropharyngeal microbiota in various patient groups with metastatic colorectal cancer using 16S rRNA method. Period of implementation: 2019 – today.
3. Study of the ultrasound features (position, size, number of bundles) and the frequency of the anatomical variations in the position of the vagus nerve in the neck by using high-resolution ultrasound and the investigation of the association of the position and size with the presence or absence of thyroid disease. Period of implementation: 2020 – 2021.
4. Study of the frequency and features of the anatomical variations of thyroid gland in the Greek population by using high-resolution ultrasound in adults with or without thyroid disease and their associations with the epidemiological and clinico-laboratory features. Period of implementation: 2020 – today.
5. Evaluation and comparative study between various educational tools regarding the teaching of Anatomy in undergraduate students.

1. Study of the micronuclei frequency in metastatic disease of the liver 2016-2017, Special Account of University of Crete (small size I), R.C.: 4658, Scientific Director: J. Tsiaoussis. Development: complete.
2. Study of the telomeres in peripheral blood samples of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer subjected to systematic treatment. 2018-2019, Special Account of University of Crete (small size I), R.C.: 1345, Scientific Director: J. Tsiaoussis. Development: final phase.