PROJECTS
MUSCLE MECHANICS & BIOLOGY
Combining biophysical, biochemical and mechanical methodologies, our lab researches muscle functionality and the phenomenon of fatigue in skeletal muscles in health or in chronic pathology conditions, both in individual muscle fibers, as well as in vitro muscle. The combination of different research angles allows for direct correlations between observed basic mechanical interactions of sarcomeric proteins with indicators of pathophysiology.
EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS
Development and application of educational curricula for the students and educators targeting their attitudes and behaviours towards sport science and their own physical activity.
As well as teaching schools, students and teachers, of the importance and application of CPR and other first aid.
Recently the team, in collaboration with the Exercise is Medicine Organisation have created the opportunity for our students to practice their knowledge on clinical populations.
Development and application of educational curricula within the following thematics:
Physiology education
Safe Exercise and First Aid
Applied Exercise Physiology
Clinical Exercise Physiology
Internships
We partner with clinics, scientific associations, sports clubs and private companies in order to facilitate the creation of appropriate placement opportunities of students and trainee researchers.
CLINICAL RESEARCH
Working with populations outside the academic environment to improve quality of life through exercise. Our research aims to restore muscle functionality and thus help increase the quality of life. Specifically:
To understand the functionality of muscles and more specifically the parameters contributing to muscle fatigue and/or muscle weakness and how they affect the overall health condition and physical motivation of an individual, so that the patient can remain physically functional.
To analyse the parameters that are linked to disease, which in turn leads to muscle atrophy, enabling hypoactivity and increasing the risk of untimely death.
To contribute in the prevention and if that’s not possible, management of chronic diseases through specifically designed and accredited exercise programmes, so that the patient can remain as “productive members of society”.
To contribute to the understanding of the repairing mechanisms following muscle dysfunction in order to uncover effective interventions to regain muscle functionality. The ultimate goal of this objective is to increase the quality and length of life of both healthy and chronic disease patients, so that the patient’s psychological health and therefore their social life are maintained.
To improve the patient’s overall health and consequentially the duration of hospitalization.
LAB NEWS
January, 2023
Mitsiokapas, V., Siarampi, E., Smixioti, V. V., Mitsiokapa, E., Karatzaferi, C., Koulouvaris, P., Mavrogenis, A. F., Giannaki, C. D., Sakkas, G. K. (2023). Inadequate functional capacity and health-related outcomes in older adults living in nursing homes in Greece. Aging and Health Research, 3(100118).
December, 2022
Professors Sakkas and Karatzaferi, along with external collaborators Dr Dardiotis and Dr Viggiano, took part and organised the roundtable talks Cognitive Decline in Chronic Kidney Disease (CONNECT ACTION) at the Nephrological Symposium of 2022, taking place in Larisa from the 2nd to the 4th of December.
CONTACT US
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Trikala 421 00, Greece
+30 243107020