Christina Neofytou

Christina Neofytou

Affiliated to Research
Visiting address: Solnavägen 9 - kvarter D7, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C4 Neurovetenskap, C4 Forskning Hermanson, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • I am an experienced researcher with a demonstrated history of working in the
    academia and the pharmaceutical industry. I have obtained a Bachelor's
    degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Biology, with a
    specialisation in Genetics, Developmental and Molecular Biology, a Master
    of Medical Science degree with a Major in Biomedicine from Karolinska
    Institutet and a PhD in Neuroscience from Karolinska Institute.


    I performed my PhD in Molecular Neurodevelopment in the Ola
    Hermanson laboratory, at the department of Neuroscience in Karolinska
    Institutet. I also act as a Collaborating Research Specialist in Celluminova,
    a company which specialises in the development of new tools for stem cell
    research, including cancer stem cells.

    Additionally, I have a strong interest for Science Communications and, in my
    free time, I organise events and participate in activities related to raising
    public interest in science and to connecting researchers and building
    collaborations. I am a passionate scientific communicator, event coordinator,
    mentor and public speaker.

    Examples of events organised / Other positions of trust:
    * TEDxKI, Speaker coach
    * KICC organisation - Karolinska Institutet Clinicum Connection, Vice
    President
    * KICC organisation - Karolinska Institutet Clinicum Connection, Head Of
    Marketing and Communications
    * Annual Biomedicum Young Researchers Symposium (BYRS), Vice President
    * Stockholms Akademiska Forum, Guest Editor
    * PhD Careers Beyond Academia Club at Karolinska Institutet, Event
    Coordinator
    * Doctoral Students' Association at KI (DSA), Student Safety representative
    (safety ombudsperson) for the Department of Neuroscience
    * Digital Ambassador and programme representative for the MSc in
    Biomedicine
    * Stockholm Science City, Guest editor and event hostess
    * BUS (Biomedicinska utbildningssektionen - Biomedical Students
    Association), Head of alumni Committee

    Degrees/Qualifications:
    PhD in Medical Science, Karolinska institutet, Department of Neuroscience, Ola Hermanson group, 2019-2023
    Master of Medical Science (MMedSc) with a Major in Biomedicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2016-2018
    Bachelor’s in Science (BSc), Degree in Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Specialisation Track: Genetics, Developmental and Molecular Biology, 2011-2015
    Epigenetics, Chromatin and Gene Expression Course - Scholarship holder, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Summer 2019 (intensive program)
    Erasmus Placement Internship, University of Kent, Apr-Jun 2016

Research

  • The Hermanson lab focuses on the development of the brain and maturation of
    neural stem and progenitor cells, with implications for psychiatric and
    neurological disease as well as tumors in the nervous system. More
    specifically, the main focus of the lab is to understand transcriptional and
    epigenetic regulation of differentiation of neural progenitors, especially of
    the cortex and in CNS tumors such as glioblastoma, paediatric
    high-grade glioma, and medulloblastoma, while also developing new methods
    and technologies for improved studies of epigenetics and stem cell biology,
    and applications in precision medicine.

    My aim is to understand the key molecular mechanisms in play during normal
    brain development, with a focus on epigenetics, and to describe how these
    processes are dysregulated in tumor formation, in recovery after radiation
    therapy and in developmental disorders.

Teaching

  • Supervision of students in the lab for their Master's thesis/Bachelor's thesis/Erasmus projects

    Teaching Assistant positions:
    Cellular Neurobiology course for medical students (oral exams)
    Neurohistology workshop for medical students
    Molecular Biology demonstration in FoLäk for medical students
    (Forskningsintroducerande kurs för studenter på läkarprogrammet)

Articles

All other publications

Employments

  • Affiliated to Research, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2024
  • Research Assistant, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2024

Degrees and Education

  • Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2024
  • Degree Of Master Of Medical Science 120 Credits, Karolinska Institutet, 2018

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