Athanasios Metaxas

Athanasios Metaxas is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at the School of Sciences, European University Cyprus. He holds a Ph.D. in Biosciences and Medicine (University of Surrey, U.K.), an M.Sc. in Biosciences and Medicine (University of Surrey, U.K.), and a B.Sc. in Pharmacy (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece). His research focuses on neuroinflammation, synaptic pathology, and molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease, particularly using transgenic mouse models and advanced imaging techniques like PET. Metaxas has received travel awards from the Lundbeck Foundation and the University of Southern Denmark, and his work emphasizes serotonin signaling, tau protein alterations, and the development of diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative conditions.

Educations:

• Ph.D., Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, U.K. (2010)
• M.Sc., Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, U.K. (2005)
• B.Sc., Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (2004)

Research Interests: His studies investigate the interplay between neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. Metaxas employs transgenic mouse models to study amyloidosis, tau pathologies, and the role of serotonin transporters (SERT) in disease progression. He is also dedicated to developing PET imaging ligands targeting NMDA receptors and exploring antioxidant therapies that modulate the NRF2 pathway. Recent work highlights the protective roles of cytokines like TNF in cognitive processes under physiological conditions, while his studies on 5-HT2B receptors in microglia cells reveal behavioral impacts of conditional receptor inactivation. Metaxas’ research bridges molecular proteomics with translational neuroscience, aiming to identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

Publications Trends: His articles emphasize Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis, focusing on synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, and age-related biomarkers. He frequently publishes in journals like Cells, Scientific Reports, and Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, with contributions to both basic science and clinical neuroimaging. Recent work extends to canine models of early Alzheimer’s, suggesting cross-species relevance of microglial activation patterns and perivascular macrophage infiltration.

Awards & Recognition:

• 2018: IMM Travel Award (University of Southern Denmark)
• 2017: Lundbeckfonden Travel Award (Lundbeck Foundation)
• 2016: IMM Travel Award (University of Southern Denmark)
• 2006-2010: Ph.D. Studentship (European Commission)

Advising & Grants: Metaxas has served as Principal Investigator for projects on neurofibrillary tangles (2016), SSRIs and amyloid pathology (2015), and Co-Investigator in studies on serotonergic signaling in microglia (2018-2020). He collaborated on LeARN (2010-2014) for Alzheimer’s diagnosis tools and CoPING AD (2015-2018) exploring neuron-glia interactions. As a supervisor, he guided undergraduate and postgraduate theses in multiple institutions (SDU, VUmc, University of Surrey). His leadership roles include Erasmus+ Coordinator at SDU (2016-2017) and Professional Training Year Coordinator at VUmc (2012-2013), emphasizing international collaboration and training program development.

Labs & Teams: While specific lab names are not provided, his research is embedded within collaborative projects such as LeARN (Center for Translational Molecular Medicine) and CoPING AD (University of Southern Denmark). These projects involve multidisciplinary teams focusing on neuropharmacology, imaging, and molecular biology, with contributions to preclinical drug evaluation and diagnostic tool development.