Nektarios Tavernarakis

Nektarios Tavernarakis
Nektarios Tavernarakis at the Foundation for Research & Technology in Heraklion Crete, Greece (ca. 2015)
Native name	Νεκτάριος Νικολάου Ταβερναράκης
Born	May 2, 1967 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Residence	Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Citizenship	Greek
Fields	Biology, Cell Biology, Ageing, Neurodegeneration, Systems Biology, Metabolism
Institutions	Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) University of Crete, Medical School
Alma mater	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (BSc, 1989) University of Crete (PhD, 1995)
Known for	Ageing, Necrosis, Neurodegeneration
Notable awards	European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Investigator grant award (twice) European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept grant award EMBO Young Investigator award Academy of Athens BioMedical Research Award Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel research award Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) long-term postdoctoral fellowship Bodossaki Foundation Scientific Prize for Medicine and Biology Foundation for Research and Technology Research Excellence award Empeirikeion Foundation Academic Excellence Prize
Website www.elegans.gr
Notes
Member of EMBO, Academia Europaea & the ERC Scientific Council

Nektarios N. Tavernarakis (Greek: Νεκτάριος Ν. Ταβερναράκης) is a bioscientist, who studies Ageing, Cell death, and Neurodegeneration.^[1][2] He is currently Professor of Molecular Systems Biology at the Medical School of the University of Crete, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Foundation for Research and Technology, in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. He is also the founder and Director of the Graduate Program in Bioinformatics of the University of Crete Medical School, and has served as Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, where he is heading the Neurogenetics and Ageing laboratory.

Biographical information

He completed his undergraduate studies at the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University, in Thessaloniki, Greece, and obtained his PhD degree from the Department of Biology of the University of Crete, in Heraklion, Greece. He trained as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry of Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. He has made notable contributions relevant to cell death, neurodegeneration and ageing, documented in the scientific literature.^[3][4] He is a member of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC),^[5] the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)^[6] and Academia Europaea.^[7] His work has received several prominent awards and scientific prizes, including two European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Investigator grant awards (in 2008 and 2016),^[8][9] a European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept grant award,^[10] the EMBO Young Investigator award, the International Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) long-term postdoctoral fellowship, the BioMedical Research Award of the Academy of Athens, the Valergakis Post-Graduate Award of the Hellenic University Club of New York, the Bodossaki Foundation Scientific Prize for Medicine and Biology, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel research award, the Research Excellence award of the Foundation for Research and Technology, and the Empeirikeion Foundation Academic Excellence Prize, among others.

Selected awards and distinctions

• Member of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC) (2016)^[5]
• European Research Council (ERC), Advanced Investigator Grant award (2016)^[9]
• Research Support Award, Fondation Santé (2015)^[11]
• BioMedical Research Excellence Award, Academy of Athens, (2014)^[12]
• Member of Academia Europaea (2014)^[7]
• Empeirikeion Foundation, Academic Excellence Prize (2012)
• Excellence Professor, Medical School, University of Crete (2010)
• Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) (2009)^[6]
• European Research Council (ERC), Advanced Investigator Grant award (2008)^[8]
• Foundation for Research and Technology, Research Excellence award (2007)
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research award (2007)^[13]
• Member of the Faculty of 1000 in Biology/Medicine, section on Cellular Death & Stress Responses (2006)^[14]
• Bodossaki Foundation, Academic Prize in Medicine and Biology (2005)^[15]
• European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator (2002–2005)^[16]
• International Human Frontier in Science Program Organization (HFSPO) fellow (1996–2000)^[17]
• State of New Jersey, Commission on Cancer Research fellow (1996)
• Hellenic University Club of New York, Frederick Valergakis, Academic achievement award (1996)

Selected publications

• Palikaras K, Lionaki E, Tavernarakis N (2015). "Coordination of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis during ageing in C. elegans". Nature. 521 (7553): 525–8. Bibcode:2015Natur.521..525P. doi:10.1038/nature14300. PMID 25896323.
• Nikoletopoulou V, Papandreou ME, Tavernarakis N (2015). "Autophagy in the physiology and pathology of the central nervous system". Cell Death and Differentiation. 22 (3): 398–407. doi:10.1038/cdd.2014.204. PMC 4326580. PMID 25526091.
• Palikaras K, Lionaki E, Tavernarakis N (2015). "Balancing mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy to maintain energy metabolism homeostasis". Cell Death and Differentiation. 22 (9): 1399–401. doi:10.1038/cdd.2015.86. PMC 4532782. PMID 26256515.
• Nikoletopoulou V, Kyriakakis E, Tavernarakis N (2014). "Cellular and molecular longevity pathways: the old and the new". Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 25 (4): 212–23. doi:10.1016/j.tem.2013.12.003. PMID 24388148.
• Kourtis N, Nikoletopoulou V, Tavernarakis N (2012). "Small heat-shock proteins protect from heat-stroke-associated neurodegeneration". Nature. 490 (7419): 213–8. Bibcode:2012Natur.490..213K. doi:10.1038/nature11417. PMID 22972192.
• Troulinaki K, Tavernarakis N (2012). "Endocytosis and intracellular trafficking contribute to necrotic neurodegeneration in C. elegans". The EMBO Journal. 31 (3): 654–66. doi:10.1038/emboj.2011.447. PMC 3273398. PMID 22157748.
• Kourtis N, Tavernarakis N (2011). "Cellular stress response pathways and ageing: intricate molecular relationships". The EMBO Journal. 30 (13): 2520–31. doi:10.1038/emboj.2011.162. PMC 3155297. PMID 21587205.
• Madeo F, Tavernarakis N, Kroemer G (2010). "Can autophagy promote longevity?". Nature Cell Biology. 12 (9): 842–6. doi:10.1038/ncb0910-842. PMID 20811357.
• Artal-Sanz M, Tavernarakis N (2009). "Prohibitin couples diapause signalling to mitochondrial metabolism during ageing in C. elegans". Nature. 461 (7265): 793–7. Bibcode:2009Natur.461..793A. doi:10.1038/nature08466. PMID 19812672.
• Artal-Sanz M, Tavernarakis N (2009). "Prohibitin and mitochondrial biology". Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 20 (8): 394–401. doi:10.1016/j.tem.2009.04.004. PMID 19733482.
• Kourtis N, Tavernarakis N (2009). "Autophagy and cell death in model organisms". Cell Death and Differentiation. 16 (1): 21–30. doi:10.1038/cdd.2008.120. PMID 19079286.
• Voglis G, Tavernarakis N (2008). "A synaptic DEG/ENaC ion channel mediates learning in C. elegans by facilitating dopamine signalling". The EMBO Journal. 27 (24): 3288–99. doi:10.1038/emboj.2008.252. PMC 2609744. PMID 19037257.
• Tavernarakis N (2008). "Ageing and the regulation of protein synthesis: a balancing act?". Trends in Cell Biology. 18 (5): 228–35. doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2008.02.004. PMID 18346894.
• Samara C, Syntichaki P, Tavernarakis N (2008). "Autophagy is required for necrotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans". Cell Death and Differentiation. 15 (1): 105–12. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4402231. PMID 17901876.
• Syntichaki P, Troulinaki K, Tavernarakis N (2007). "eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans". Nature. 445 (7130): 922–6. Bibcode:2007Natur.445..922S. doi:10.1038/nature05603. PMID 17277769.
• Artal-Sanz M, Samara C, Syntichaki P, Tavernarakis N (2006). "Lysosomal biogenesis and function is critical for necrotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans". The Journal of Cell Biology. 173 (2): 231–9. doi:10.1083/jcb.200511103. PMC 2063814. PMID 16636145.
• Voglis G, Tavernarakis N (2006). "The role of synaptic ion channels in synaptic plasticity". EMBO Reports. 7 (11): 1104–10. doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400830. PMC 1679792. PMID 17077866.
• Syntichaki P, Samara C, Tavernarakis N (2005). "The vacuolar H+ -ATPase mediates intracellular acidification required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans". Current Biology. 15 (13): 1249–54. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2005.05.057. PMID 16005300.
• Syntichaki P, Tavernarakis N (2004). "Genetic models of mechanotransduction: the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans". Physiological Reviews. 84 (4): 1097–153. doi:10.1152/physrev.00043.2003. PMID 15383649.
• Syntichaki P, Tavernarakis N (2003). "The biochemistry of neuronal necrosis: rogue biology?". Nature Reviews. Neuroscience. 4 (8): 672–84. doi:10.1038/nrn1174. PMID 12894242.
• Syntichaki P, Xu K, Driscoll M, Tavernarakis N (2002). "Specific aspartyl and calpain proteases are required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans". Nature. 419 (6910): 939–44. Bibcode:2002Natur.419..939S. doi:10.1038/nature01108. PMID 12410314.
• Syntichaki P, Tavernarakis N (2002). "Death by necrosis. Uncontrollable catastrophe, or is there order behind the chaos?". EMBO Reports. 3 (7): 604–9. doi:10.1093/embo-reports/kvf138. PMC 1084192. PMID 12101090.
• Xu K, Tavernarakis N, Driscoll M (2001). "Necrotic cell death in C. elegans requires the function of calreticulin and regulators of Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum". Neuron. 31 (6): 957–71. doi:10.1016/S0896-6273(01)00432-9. PMID 11580896.
• Tavernarakis N, Everett JK, Kyrpides NC, Driscoll M (2001). "Structural and functional features of the intracellular amino terminus of DEG/ENaC ion channels". Current Biology. 11 (6): R205–8. doi:10.1016/S0960-9822(01)00106-3. PMID 11301263.
• Driscoll M, Tavernarakis N (2000). "Closing in on a mammalian touch receptor". Nature Neuroscience. 3 (12): 1232–4. doi:10.1038/81746. PMID 11100138.
• Tavernarakis N, Wang SL, Dorovkov M, Ryazanov A, Driscoll M (2000). "Heritable and inducible genetic interference by double-stranded RNA encoded by transgenes". Nature Genetics. 24 (2): 180–3. doi:10.1038/72850. PMID 10655066.
• Tavernarakis N, Driscoll M, Kyrpides NC (1999). "The SPFH domain: implicated in regulating targeted protein turnover in stomatins and other membrane-associated proteins". Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 24 (11): 425–7. doi:10.1016/S0968-0004(99)01467-X. PMID 10542406.
• Tavernarakis N, Driscoll M (1997). "Molecular modeling of mechanotransduction in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans". Annual Review of Physiology. 59: 659–89. doi:10.1146/annurev.physiol.59.1.659. PMID 9074782.
• Tavernarakis N, Shreffler W, Wang S, Driscoll M (1997). "unc-8, a DEG/ENaC family member, encodes a subunit of a candidate mechanically gated channel that modulates C. elegans locomotion". Neuron. 18 (1): 107–19. doi:10.1016/S0896-6273(01)80050-7. PMID 9010209.

References

1. Search Results for author Tavernarakis N on PubMed.
2. "Nektarios Tavernarakis - Google Scholar". Scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
3. "Nektarios Tavernarakis B-9684-2013". ResearcherID.com. 2014-01-02. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
4. "Nektarios Tavernarakis (0000-0002-5253-1466) - ORCID | Connecting Research and Researchers". ORCID. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
5. "ERC Scientific council". erc.europa.eu.
6. "EMBO members". Embo.org. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
7. "Academy of Europe: Tavernarakis Nektarios". Ae-info.org. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
8. "European Commission : CORDIS : Projects & Results Service : Molecular Basis of Neuronal Ageing". Cordis.europa.eu. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
9. "ERC Advanced Grants: €647 million from the EU to 277 senior research leaders" (PDF). erc.europa.eu. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
10. "ERC Proof of Concept Grants: 45 ERC grantees receive top-up innovation funding" (PDF). erc.europa.eu. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
11. "Fondation Santé". Fondationsante.org. 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
12. "Ακαδημια Αθηνων". Academyofathens.gr. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
13. "Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation - Researching the Network". Humboldt-foundation.de. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
14. "Nektarios Tavernarakis: Faculty Member in Cellular Death & Stress Responses - F1000Prime". F1000.com. 2006-07-18. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
15. "Scientific Awards | Bodossaki Foundation" (in Greek). Bodossaki.gr. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
16. "Search the YIP database". 194.94.44.233. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
17. "Awards Archive | Human Frontier Science Program". Hfsp.org. Retrieved 2015-11-23.

External links

• Tavernarakis Lab
• Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
• Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas
• University of Crete Medical School
• Graduate Program in Bioinformatics