EDITORIAL-DETAILS (JBB)
Vicky Sophianopoulou
Research Director
Institute of Biosciences and Applications (IBA)
National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos (NCSRD)
Greece
Biography
Dr. Vicky Sophianopoulou is a Research Director and Head of the Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory at the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos. She specializes in molecular genetics, fungal cell biology, membrane organization, and amino acid transport in fungi, with a particular focus on the plasma membrane organization and eisosome function in Aspergillus nidulans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Her research has significantly advanced the understanding of fungal membrane compartmentalization, nutrient transporter regulation, stress responses, and antifungal target discovery. Dr. Sophianopoulou earned her PhD in Molecular Biology from Universite Paris XI and has over three decades of research experience in fungal genetics and membrane biology. She has authored more than 40 peer reviewed scientific publications with over 1700 citations and an h index of 22. Her work also explores novel antifungal strategies, including nanoparticle based drug delivery systems and mechanisms of fungal detoxification of toxic plant derived compounds. In addition to her research achievements, she has coordinated and participated in numerous national and European competitive research programs, supervised PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, and contributed extensively to scientific education, peer review, and international collaborations in molecular microbiology and biotechnology.
Research Interest
Regulation trafficking specificity and evolution of amino acid transporter proteins in fungi, Organization and functional compartmentalization of the fungal plasma membrane, Eisosome biology and membrane domain dynamics in Aspergillus nidulans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Molecular mechanisms underlying fungal stress responses quiescence and long term survival, Development of targeted antifungal strategies and identification of novel pharmaceutical targets, Fungal detoxification and metabolism of toxic plant derived compounds such as L Azetidine 2 Carboxylic Acid AZC, Nanoparticle based antifungal drug delivery systems and functionalized dendritic nanoparticles
