Faculty Staff / Section of Genetics, Cell & Developmental Biology
Professor

Office location: 2nd Floor
Email: imargiola@upatras.gr
Telephone: +30 2610 997408 (office), +302610996773 (Lab.) & +302610997200 (Lab.)
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/margiolaki-biology-upat/home

Education

  • 2004 DPhil, School of Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science, University of Sussex,
  • Brighton, UK, Supervisor: Prof. Kosmas Prassides
  • 1999 BSc, Department of Physics, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
  • 2006–2010 Instrument Scientist, ID31 Beamline, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF),
  • Grenoble, France.
  • 2003–2006 Post Doctoral Fellow, ID31 Beamline, European ESRF, Grenoble, France.
  • 2010 UNESCO- L’OREAL Co-sponsored International Fellowship for Young Women in Life Sciences

Educational activities

  • Undergraduate courses: Biochemistry Ι, Biochemistry ΙΙ, Methods of Instrumental analysis of biomacromolecules, Practical training of Cell Biology I (photometry).
  • Postgraduate Course: Structural Biology.

Research and other activities

Research activities

  • Biochemistry: Structure and Function of Proteins.
  • Protein Polymorphism and macromolecular interactions.
  • Protein production and crystallization.
  • Studies of proteins associated with pharmaceutical importance and virus proteins important for drug development.
  • X-ray Crystallographic methods and structural determination of materials focusing on biomacromolecules.
  • Method development for structural biology.
  • Synchrotron radiation, data collection – analytical methods and instrumentation for the structural characterization of biomacromolecules (X-ray single crystal/ powder diffraction).

Participation in Committees

  • 2009 – present: Elected member of the European Powder Diffraction (EPDIC) Committee;
  • 2013 – 2018: Elected member of the Hellenic Crystallographic Association Committee (HECRA).
  • 2015 – present: Appointed member of the Board of Directors: Patras Science Park (PSP).
  • 2020-present: Appointed, by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) executive committee, Co-editor of Acta Crystallographica section A: Foundations and Advances.
  • 2022-present: Member as representative of the University of Patras in the Greek Synchrotron Users Network (GrSUN) for the national participation of Greece in the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Actions of the network are presented here, www.esrf.gr
  • 2022-present: Member of the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (HSBMB).

Organization of Conferences and Workshops 

Representative publications

  1. Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction study of Turkey egg-white Lysozyme”, Acta Cryst. D61, 423-432 (2005) & ESRF Scientific Highlights, p. 30-31 (2004), I. Margiolaki*, J. P. Wright*, A. N. Fitch, G. C. Fox & R. B. Von Dreele (article available online). Cover of the British Crystallographic Association News(2004).
  2. High Throughput Phase Diagram Mapping via Powder Diffraction: A case-study of HEWL versus pH.”, Acta Cryst. D 61, 1612-1625 (2005), S. Basso, A. N. Fitch, G. C. Fox, I. Margiolaki* & J. P. Wright* (article available online).
  3. Successful protein cryocooling for powder diffraction.”, J. Appl. Cryst. 40, 121 (2007), M. Jenner, J. P. Wright*, I. Margiolaki and A. N. Fitch (article available online)
  4. “Powder diffraction studies for proteins: An overview of data collection approaches”, Invited Review Article associated with the EPDIC Young Scientist Award 2006, (Related ESRF article)Z. Kristallogr. Suppl. 26, 1-13 (2007), I. Margiolaki*, J. P. Wright, A. N. Fitch, G. C. Fox, A. Labrador, R. B. Von Dreele, K. Miura, F. Gozzo, M. Schiltz, C. Besnard, F. Camus, P. Pattison, D. Beckers, T. Degen (article available online).
  5. SecondSH3 domain of ponsin solved from powder diffraction.”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 11865 (2007) & ESRF Press release. I. Margiolaki*, J. P. Wright, M. Wilmanns, A. N. Fitch & N. Pinotsis* (article available online).
  6. Molecular envelopes derived from X-ray diffraction on polycrystalline protein powders.”, J. Appl. Cryst. 41, 329-339 (2008) & ESRF Scientific Highlights, p. 61-62 (2006), J. P. Wright, C. Besnard, I. Margiolaki, S. Basso, F. Camus, A. N. Fitch, G. Fox, P. Pattison, M. Schiltz (article available online).
  7. “Powder Crystallography on Macromolecules”, Acta Cryst. A64, 169-180 (2008). I. Margiolaki* & J. P. Wright*, Invited Review Article for Special Issue of International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)[3]
  8. Polymorphism of microcrystalline Urate Oxidase from Aspergillus flavus”, Acta Cryst. D 66, 539-548 (2010), I. Collings, Y. Watier, M. Giffard, S. Dagogo, R. Kahn, F. Bonnete, J. P. Wright, A. N. Fitch, I. Margiolaki*[4](article available online). ESRF press release.
  9. Features of the Secondary Structure of the Protein Molecule from Powder Diffraction data”, Acta Cryst. D 66, 756-761 (2010)- Cover article, S. Basso, C. Besnard, J. P. Wright, I. Margiolaki, A. N. Fitch, P. Pattison, M. Sciltz (article available online).
  10. “Structural studies of human insulin co-crystallized with phenol or resorcinol via powder diffraction.”, Acta Cryst. D68, 1632-1641 (2012), F. Karavassili, A. E. Giannopoulou, E. Kotsiliti, L. Knight, M. Norrman, G. Schluckebier, L. Drube, A. N. Fitch, J. P. Wright & I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  11. X-ray resonant powder diffraction”, Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 208, 275–289 (2012) – Invited Review article, H. Palancher, S. Bos, J.F. Berar, I. Margiolaki & J. L. Hodeau.
  12. “High-resolution powder X-ray data reveal the T6 hexameric form of bovine insulin.”, Acta Cryst. D69, 978-990 (2013), I. Margiolaki*, A. E. Giannopoulou, J. P. Wright, L. Knight, M. Norrman, G. Schluckebier, A. N. Fitch & R. B. Von Dreele (article available online).
  13. “NMR study of non-structural proteins—part I: 1H, 13C, 15N backbone and side-chain resonance assignment of macro domainfrom Mayaro virus (MAYV)” Biomolecular NMR Assignments 9, 1, 191–195 (2015), E. Melekis, A. C. Tsika, J. Lichière, C. T. Chasapis, I. Margiolaki, N. Papageorgiou, B. Coutard, D. Bentrop, G. A. Spyroulias (article available online).
  14. Novel crystalline phase and first-order phase transitions of human insulin complexed with two distinct phenol derivatives”, Acta Cryst. D71, 819-828 (2015), A. Valmas, K. Magiouf, S. Fili, M. Norrman, G. Schluckebier, D. Beckers, T. Degen, J. P. Wright, A. Fitch, F. Gozzo, A. E. Giannopoulou, F. Karavassili & I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  15. Human insulin polymorphism upon ligand binding and pH variation: the case of 4-ethylresorcinol”, IUCrJ. 4, 2:534-44 (2015) – open access, S. Fili, A. Valmas, M. Norrman, G. Schluckebier, D. Beckers, T. Degen, J. P. Wright, A. Fitch, F. Gozzo, A. E. Giannopoulou, F. Karavassili & I. Margiolaki*.
  16. Macromolecular Powder Diffraction: Ready for Genuine Biological Problems”, Protein & Peptide Letters, 23 (3):232-41 (2016) – Invited review article, F. Karavassili & I. Margiolaki*.
  17. Coxsackievirus B3 protease 3C: expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary structural insights”, Acta Cryst. F72, 877-884 (2016), S. Fili, A. Valmas, M. Christopoulou, M. Spiliopoulou, N. Nikolopoulos, J. Lichiere, S. Logotheti, F. Karavassili, E. Rosmaraki, A. Fitch, J. Wright, D. Beckers, T. Degen, G. Nenert, R. Hilgenfeld, N. Papageorgiou, B. Canard, B. Coutard & I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  18. In Quest for Improved Drugs against Diabetes: The Added Value of X-ray Powder Diffraction Methods” (Invited review article for Biomolecules: Special Issue “Protein Crystallography”), Biomolecules2017, (3), 63 (OPEN ACCESS), F. Karavassili, A. Valmas, S. Fili, C. Georgiou & I. Margiolaki*.
  19. Dengue Virus 3 NS5 methyltransferase domain: expression, purification, crystallization and first structural data from microcrystalline specimens.”, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials 2017, 233 (5), 309-316 (Available online), A. Valmas , S. Fili, N. Nikolopoulos, M. Spiliopoulou, M. Christopoulou, F. Karavassili, C. Kosinas, K. Bastalias, E. Rosmaraki, J. Lichiére, A. Fitch, D. Beckers, T. Degen, N. Papageorgiou , B. Canard, B. Coutard & I. Margiolaki*.
  20. In situ detection of a novel lysozyme monoclinic crystal form upon controlled relative humidity variation.” Journal of Applied Crystallography 2018, 51, 1-13 (article available online), S. Trampari, A. Valmas, S. Logotheti, S. Saslis, S. Fili, M. Spiliopoulou, D. Beckers, T. Degen, G. Nenert, A. Fitch, M. Calamiotou, F. Karavassili and I. Margiolaki*.
  21. Revisiting the structure of a synthetic Somatostatin analogue for peptide drug design.” Acta Cryst. B75, 611-620 (2019): Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials (article available online) S. Fili, A. Valmas, M. Spiliopoulou, P. Kontou, A. Fitch, D. Beckers, T. Degen, Kl. Barlos*, K. Barlos, F. Karavassili and I. Margiolaki*.
  22. Unit Cell Response of Tetragonal Hen-Egg White Lysozyme upon Controlled Relative Humidity Variation.” Journal of Applied Crystallography 52, 816-822 (2019) (article available online), S. Logotheti, A. Valmas, S. Trampari, S. Fili, S. Saslis, M. Spiliopoulou, D. Beckers, T. Degen, G. Nenert , A. Fitch, F. Karavassili and I. Margiolaki*.
  23. Applications of X-ray Powder Diffraction in Protein Crystallography and Drug Screening.” Crystals 10, 54 (2020) (Invited review article for Crystals Special Issue “Crystallization under special and physical environments”), M. Spiliopoulou, A. Valmas, D. P. Triandafillidis, C. Kosinas, A. Fitch, F. Karavassili and I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  24. Exploring the complex map of insulin polymorphism: A novel crystalline form in the presence of m-Cresol..” Acta Cryst. D76, 4, 375-384 (2020), F. Karavassili, A. Valmas, M. Dimarogona, A. E. Giannopoulou, S. Fili, M. Norrman, G. Schluckebier, D. Beckers, A. N. Fitch and I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  25. Rapid screening of in cellulo grown protein crystals via a small-angle X-ray scattering/X-ray powder diffraction synergistic approach.” Journal of Applied Crystallography 53, 1169-1180 (2020) & Cover article, J. M. Lahey-Rudolph, R. Schonherr, C. Michael Jeffries, C. E. Blanchet, J. Boger, A. S. Ferreira Ramos, W. M. Riekehr, D. P. Triandafillidis, A. Valmas, I. Margiolaki, D. Svergun and L. Redecke* (article available online) & Scientific Commentary by T. Bergfors & S. Mayumdar.
  26. “Brothers in Arms: Structure, Assembly and Function of Arenaviridae Nucleoprotein.” Viruses 12, 772 (2020), N. Papageorgiou, M. Spiliopoulou, T. Van Nguyen, A. Vaitsopoulou, E. Yekwa Laban, K. Alvarez, I. Margiolaki, B. Canard and F. Ferron* (article available onlne).
  27. “Insulin polymorphism induced by two polyphenols: New crystal forms and advances in macromolecular powder diffraction.” Acta Cryst. D76, 1065-1079 (2020), D. Triandafillidis, N. Parthenios, M. Spiliopoulou, A. Valmas, F. Gozzo, M. Reinle-Schmitt, D. Beckers, T. Degens, M. Pop, A. N. Fitch, J. Wollenhaupt, M. S. Weiss, F. Karavassili and I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  28. “Rietveld refinement for macromolecular powder diffraction.” Crystal Growth and Design 20, 12, 8101–8123 (2020), Invited review article for the Virtual Special Issue entitled “The Rietveld Refinement Method – Half of a Century Anniversary.” M. Spiliopoulou, D. Triandafillidis, A. Valmas, C. Kosinas, A. N. Fitch, R. B. Von Dreele and I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  29. “New perspectives in macromolecular powder diffraction using single photon counting strip detectors: High resolution structure of the pharmaceutical peptide, Octreotide.” Acta Cryst. A77, 186-195 (2021) & Cover article, M. Spiliopoulou, F. Karavassili, D. Triandafillidis, A. Valmas, C. Kosinas, K. Barlos, K. K. Barlos, M. Morin , M. L. Reinle-Schmitt, F. Gozzo* and I. Margiolaki* (article available online) & Scientific Highlights of the Paul Scherrer Institute(PSI- Switzerland).
  30. “High throughput macromolecular polymorph screening via NMR and X-ray powder diffraction synergistic approach: The case of human insulin co-crystallized with resorcinol derivatives.” J. Appl. Cryst. 54, 963-975 (2021)., M. Spiliopoulou, A. Valmas, D. Triandafillidis, S. Fili, M. Christopoulou, A. J. Filopoulou, A. Piskopou, P. Papadea, A. N. Fitch, D. Beckers, T. Degen, F. Gozzo, M. Morin, M. L. Reinle-Schmitt, F. Karavassili, E. Rosmaraki, C. T. Chasapis and I. Margiolaki* (article available online).
  31. “A Chromium Terephthalate–Based Solid with Unusually Large Pore Volumes and Surface Area.”Science, 309, 2040-2042 (2005) [In Reports], G. Ferey, C. Merlot-Draznieks, C. Serre, F. Millange, J. Dutour, S. Surble & I. Margiolaki [5]ESRF Press releaseMaterials Word Press release.
  32. “Evidence for photochemical production of reactive oxygen species in desert soils.” Nature Communications 6, 7100, (2015), C. D. Georgiou, H. J. Sun, C. P. McKay, K. Grintzalis, I. Papapostolou, D. Zisimopoulos, K. Panagiotidis, G. Zhang, E. Koutsopoulou, G. E. Christidis & I. Margiolaki (article available online).