Professor Dr Nektarios Tavernarakis

Research priorities: Ageing, Apoptosis, Autophagy, Cell death, Learning & memory, Mitochondria, Necrosis, Neurodegeneration, Protein homeostasis, Senescence, Stress
Nektarios Tavernarakis is a Greek biologist. His work aims to elucidate and understand the causes of diseases associated with aging. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of necrotic cell death and neurodegeneration, the interaction of cellular metabolism and aging, the mechanisms of sensory transduction and integration of the nervous system, and the development of novel genetic tools for biomedical research.
Tavernarakis examines the process of aging which is associated with a general reduction in neuronal functions and with susceptibility to neurodegenerative processes. In humans, this includes an increased risk of certain diseases, such as stroke, ataxias, i.e. disorders of movement coordination, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
One area of his research is aging and metabolism. Aging is accompanied by a significant change in cellular energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Tavernarakis' work aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the deterioration of cellular function. To clarify all these mechanisms, Tavernarakis uses the experimental strengths of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a nematode that is mainly used as a model organism in developmental biology and genetics. These experiments aim to promote the longevity of organisms.
In addition, Tavernarakis is also investigating neurodegeneration and necrotic cell death. This involves the delimitation of the cellular and molecular events which occur during cell death (necrotic cell death) as a consequence of the development of a disease (pathogenesis), but also as a consequence of the natural aging process. Tavernarakis is again using C. elegans in these studies. Using the nematode, the role of the targeted degradation of mitochondria (neuronal mitophagy) in neurodegeneration is being investigated in particular. Thereby, the "death program" of this model organism is genetically and molecularly decoded. Several new genes associated with necrotic cell death have been identified and are now being characterized.
And lastly, Tavernarakis is also researching the field of sensory transduction and integration. This involves clarifying the mechanisms by which organisms assess their environment and in response adapt their physiology and behavior to it. The basis for this process is the nervous system, which in all organisms receives information about the environment through specialized sensory organs, then processes and integrates it to achieve permanent changes in future behavior. These changes reflect past experiences and are the manifestation of memory. The molecular mechanisms underlying these changes remain unclear. The nematode C. elegans, with its simple nervous system, offers a unique platform to study these mechanisms. Tavernarakis' research focuses on the identification of relevant genes in this context.