Nicholas Andrikopoulos

Nicholas Andrikopoulos is a Research Fellow in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Monash University, specializing in nanomaterial-biological interactions with significant contributions to understanding nanoplastics-induced neurodegeneration. His work bridges materials science, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience through interdisciplinary collaborations.

His research centers on amyloid diseases, particularly Alzheimer's and Parkinson's pathologies, investigating how nanoparticles and nanoplastics disrupt cellular barriers and promote protein aggregation. Key focus areas include protein corona formation, endothelial leakiness, gut-brain axis modulation, and nanotoxicity remediation strategies using functional amyloids and nanocomposites. This research directly addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a dominant trend in polystyrene nanoplastic research, demonstrating their role in exacerbating amyloid pathologies through mechanisms like obstructed microglial clearance and stimulated oligomerization. His work increasingly explores therapeutic interventions, including β-endorphin coronas and zinc-EGCG nanocomposites, while maintaining strong emphasis on biophysical characterization of amyloid-nanomaterial interactions.

Dr. Andrikopoulos operates within Monash University's collaborative research ecosystem, working closely with Prof. Pu Chun Ke's group and international partners across neuroscience and materials science disciplines. His projects integrate advanced nanofabrication techniques with cellular and in vivo models to dissect nanotoxicity pathways, contributing to safer nanomaterial design principles for biomedical applications.