Maria Ioannou

Maria Ioannou is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology, University of Alberta. Her research focuses on lipid transport and metabolism in the brain, combining biochemical approaches with advanced quantitative microscopy techniques.

• Research Areas: Neuronal lipid trafficking, pathological lipid droplet formation, neuron-astrocyte metabolic coupling
• Techniques: Live cell imaging, super-resolution microscopy, high-sensitivity confocal microscopy
• Model Systems: Primary neuron/glia cultures, mouse models of neurodegeneration/stroke, biochemical assays

Her lab investigates critical questions about brain lipid homeostasis regulation, including:

• How neurons transport excess lipids to glia to avoid lipotoxicity after oxidative stress
• Mechanisms and consequences of lipid droplet formation in neurodegenerative diseases
• Role of astrocyte fatty acid metabolism in neuron-astrocyte coupling