I grew up in Athens, Greece, where I also studied medicine. I graduated in 2019 and subsequently joined the Translational Neuroimmunology Research Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital as a postoctoral Research Fellow. 

Scientific interests

Clinical neurology, neuroimmunology, cognitive and behavioral neurology, neuropsychology, neuroimaging

Neuroscience, neuroanatomy, neuropsychopharmacology, neuroesthetics

Medical education, neuroscience education, evidence-based teaching methodology, peer teaching, problem-based learning, team-based learning, curricular reform

 

Education

2013-2019: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece, M.D. degree. Graduation with honors (GPA: 9.11/10)

February- March 2019: 

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Visiting medical student, Subintern in Neurology. Grade: honors

 

Research experience

2019-present: Research Fellow in Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Translational Neuroimmunology Research Center (PI: Tanuja Chitnis, M.D.). Postdoctoral clinical research fellowship in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology

2016-2019: Research Trainee, Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, NKUA (PI: Christina Dalla, PhD). Lab focus: behavioral and neurochemical sex differences in rodent stress and depression models, pharmacokinetics of synthetic neurotrophins

2014-2019: Medical Education Research group, Laboratory for Education and Research in Neuroscience (LERNs), Department of Anatomy, Medical School, NKUA (Head: Elizabeth Johnson, PhD). Planning of new teaching methods, questionnaire design and distribution, statistical analysis and literature review on innovative medical education, with emphasis on near peer-teaching

2016: Research Intern, Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore (Head: Shi Yan Ng, PhD). Sponsored by the Singapore International Pre-graduate Award for a 2-month research attachment. Project: Characterisation of 3D cerebral and spinal organoids for in vitro modeling of ALS and Parkinson’s Disease.

 

Clinical experience

2019 Subinternship in Neurology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD. Elective Advanced Clerkship in Neurology as a visiting medical student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Inpatient General Service and Stroke Service)-Grade: honors

2016-2019 Daily clinical experience in NKUA teaching hospitals and affiliated departments in Athens, Greece. Clerkships included: Internal Medicine, Surgery, Radiology, Dermatology, Clinical Therapeutics, Cardiology, Intensive Care, Pulmonology-Respiratory Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Urology, Orthopedics, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry. Additional voluntary duty in Emergency Departments: Internal Medicine, Neurology, Cardiology, Intensive Care Unit

2017 Observership at the Department of Neurology and the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

 

 

Teaching Experience

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, MD program

2015-2019: Neuroanatomy Laboratory Exercises Course Director: Elizabeth O. Johnson, PhD

Lab Coordinator: Supervision of Peer Teacher Leaders, scheduling and organization of laboratory exercises, curriculum and examinations, peer teacher mentoring and training.

Peer Teacher Leader: Organization of the laboratory exercises and practical examinations for more than 300 2nd year medical students. Supervision of a team of 55 peer teachers. Interactive, hands-on, team-based learning in groups of 4-5 students, using cadaveric specimens (brain hemispheres, brain stem, meninges), plastic models and atlas material.

Trainer and Evaluator, Neuroanatomy Peer Teaching Seminars: Hands-on training, lectures, teaching simulation in small groups, evaluation and selection of peer teachers for the following academic years.

Teaching Assistant (peer teacher): Interactive, hands-on, team-based learning in groups of 4-5 students, using cadaveric specimens (brain hemispheres, brain stem, meninges), plastic models and atlas material.

24th Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Athens, April 27-29, 2018: Neuroanatomy Workshop Coordinator and Demonstrator

 

 

2017-2018: Athens International Masters Programme in Neurosciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (MSc, part of the Network of European Neuroscience Schools-NENS):

Lecturer, “Antiepileptic Drugs”, part of the Neuropsychopharmacology lecture program (Coordinator: Associate Professor Christina Dalla): Lecture and interactive exercises for graduate students. Language: English.

Demonstrator, “Functional Neuroanatomy of the human brain” and “Rat brain dissection and anatomy”: Interactive, hands-on, team-based learning in small groups of graduate students, using cadaveric specimens (brain hemispheres), plastic models and atlas material. Language: English.

 

 

2018: Lycée Léonin de Nea Smyrni High School, Athens, Greece

Invited lecturer, “Consciousness, memory, happiness: the neuroscientist’s perspective” to a class of high school students preparing a research project

 

 

Scholarships, Honors & Awards

Scholarships:

1)  November 2018: Registration and accommodation grant by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology for the ECNP Workshop on Clinical Research Methods, Barcelona, Spain

 

2)  May 2018: Scholarship for the 7th Summer School of the World Hellenic Biomedical Association in Medical & Biosciences Research & Management, Athens and Mani Laconias, Greece

 

3)  July-August 2016: Singapore International Pre-graduate Award, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), for a 2-month research attachment

Travel and conference awards:

4)  April 2019: Travel Award by the American Association of Anatomists for an abstract presentation at the AAA Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2019, Orlando, Florida

 

5)  February 2019: Best oral presentation award, Neurology and Psychiatry Session, SaMED – Sarajevo International Medical Students Congress, Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

6)  May 2018: Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Performance in the 7th Summer School of the World Hellenic Biomedical Association in Medical & Biosciences Research & Management, Mani Laconias, Greece

Clinical performance:

7)  March 2019: Medical Student Excellence Award for best grade in the Cardiology clerkship exams, presented by the NKUA Medical School 1st Department of Cardiology, Cardio Athena 2019, Athens, Greece

8)  January 2019: Distinction and exam exemption for outstanding performance, Advanced Clerkship in Internal Medicine, Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, NKUA Medical School

Medical Knowledge:

9) May 2019: 23nd Medical Olympics: 1st prize in the Clinical Knowledge Olympics organised by the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students in Thessaloniki, Greece

10)  May 2019: 23nd Medical Olympics: 1st prize in the Preclinical Knowledge Olympics organised by the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students in Thessaloniki, Greece

11)  April 2018: 22nd Medical Olympics: 1st prize in the Clinical Knowledge Olympics organized by the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students in Athens, Greece

12)  April 2018: 22nd Medical Olympics: and 3rd prize in the Preclinical Knowledge Olympics organized by the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students in Athens, Greece

13)  May 2016: 20th Medical Knowledge Olympics: 3rd prize in the pre-clinical contest organised by the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students in Patras, Greece

Other:

14) May 2015: Honorary award for the contribution to the organization of the 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students in Athens, Greece

 

 

Oral presentations

Your brain on art: Introduction to Neuroesthetics. Invited talk, Northeastern Undergraduate Researchers of Neuroscience, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Scientifically speaking: how to ace it (preparing and delivering a successful scientific presentation in a biomedical congress)
Invited talk, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students, Department of Athens

Customizing Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Presentation of clinical cases. Hormone therapy in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency and Menopause: State of the art Lectures, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NKUA Medical School

The effectiveness of peer teaching in Neuroanatomy ... with actual proof. 2nd Neuroanatomy Peer Teaching Seminar “Training the trainers”, Laboratory for Education and Research in Neuroscience (LERNs), Department of Anatomy, NKUA Medical School

The arts’ brain, the brain’s art. Introduction to Neuroesthetics-Interaction with Medicine
Invited talk, Neuroesthetics Round Table, 2nd Interdisciplinary Congress on Pediatric and Adolescent Multiple Sclerosis “Dialogues of Hellenic Neuroscientists on Pediatric and Adolescent MS”, Athens

Biological Mechanisms of Neuroplasticity. “The Human Brain: Made for Change” Round Table, 22nd Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Patras

Early-life refugee experience and risk of mental disorder in adult life: the role of epigenetics. Oral Presentation, 22nd Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Patras

The human leukocyte antigen system and autoimmune neurological disorders. “Immunogenetics of Multiple Sclerosis” Symposium, 3rd Panhellenic Conference of the Hellenic Academy of NeuroImmunology on Multiple Sclerosis “Relapses”, HelANI, Eugenides Foundation and Metropolitan Hotel, Athens

The HLA system and autoimmune neurological disorders. “Immunogenetics of Multiple Sclerosis” Round Table, 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, Athens

Defecation and disorders: a psychoneuroendocrinological approach. Oral presentation, 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, Athens

Diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives of novel biology. “Single Cell Biology” Round Table, 20th Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Porto Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki

The warrior and the worrier: a brief analysis of the neural circuits activated in fear and stress disorders
Dedeilia A, Georgilaki V, Karagiannis S, Nikolakea M, Papadakis K, Sotiropoulos MG, Johnson EO, 4th SaMED – Sarajevo International Medical Students Congress, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Evidence-based innovation in medical education: The outstanding results of peer teaching
Karamaroudis S, Poulogianopoulou E, Sotiropoulos M, Johnson EO, Oral presentation, HIPON International Conference and ICT Workshop “Improving Pathology Teaching”, 1st Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, NKUA (supported by the European Commission), Athens

Evidence-based innovation in medical education: The outstanding results of peer teaching
Karamaroudis S, Poulogianopoulou E, Sotiropoulos M, Oral presentation, 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, Athens

 

 

Poster presentations

The Contribution Of Relapse Recovery To Long-term Outcomes In MS

M. G. Sotiropoulos, H. Lokhande, M. Rosso, B. C. Healy, H. Yano, P. Gaitan-Walsh, D. Kimbrough, B. I. Glanz, H. L. Weiner, T. Chitnis. ACTRIMS Forum 2020-Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, West Palm Beach, FL

Psychoactive properties of BNN27, a novel neurosteroid derivate, in male and female rats. 

M. G. Sotiropoulos, N. Kokras, C. Dioli, R. Paravatou, I. Charalampopoulos, A. G. Gravanis, C. Dalla. Neuroscience 2019, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL Poster session: Mechanisms Underlying Depression and Anxiety

Behavioral and neurochemical effects of olive oil total phenolic content and sideritis extract in female mice
E. Poulogiannopoulou, M. G. Sotiropoulos, R. Paravatou, M. Dimitriadou, D. Perrea, A. Tsarbopoulos, AL. Skaltsounis, N. Kokras, C. Dalla. FENS Regional Meeting 2019, Foundation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgrade, Serbia. Poster session: Behavioral and cognitive neuroscience

Implementation and evaluation of a near-peer teaching program in a Neuroanatomy course for medical students
M. G. Sotiropoulos, S. Karamaroudis, E. Poulogiannopoulou, E. O. Johnson American Association of Anatomists Annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2019, Orlando, FL (with a travel award). Poster session: Anatomy Education: Lab teaching strategies. April 2019

 

 

Society Membership

American Societies:

American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
American College of Physicians (ACP)
Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
American Association for Anatomy (AAA) Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) European Societies:

European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)
Greek Societies:

Athens Medical Association
Hellenic Society for Neuroscience (HSfN) Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students

2015-2016: Treasurer, Board of Directors, Department of Athens

Organisation of Scientific Meetings, Workshops and Conferences, Financial Management,

Bookkeeping, Member Registrations, Public Relations

Hellenic Medical Students International Committee

 

 

Public Awareness Activities

2019 Workshop for children aged 13-16, Day Conference: Exploring the Human Brain, a public awareness event organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, the Academy for Neurosciences and the Hellenic Society for Neuroscience

2018 Invited lecturer, “Consciousness, memory, happiness: the neuroscientist’s perspective” to a class of high school students preparing a research project

2018 Translation and editing of the Federation for European Neuroscience Societies Committee on Animals in Research-CARE brochure for the Greek public, on behalf of the Hellenic Society for Neuroscience

2018 Speaker and organiser in “Exploring the Brain”, a public awareness event organized by the Academy for Neurosciences and the Hellenic Society for Neuroscience for Brain Awareness Week 2018. Supported by the Dana Foundation-Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens, Greece

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organizing Experience

As an active member and treasurer (2015-2016) of the Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students-Department of Athens, organization of more than 20 scientific meetings, workshops and congresses, in collaboration with students, faculty and university departments.

Certain appointments include:

Head of Finance, Primary Health Care Elective Placements “Apovasis” 2016, summer voluntary programme for medical students in Greek islands

Head of the organizing committee, Me and my patient: a dynamic relationship, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students-Dep. of Athens, “Agia Sofia” Childrens’ Hospital Auditorium, Athens

Press and Social Media Secretary, 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students and 9th International Forum of Medical Students and Junior Doctors, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre

Head of the Organizing Committee, Experimental and Clinical Research meeting, Department of Experimental Surgery, NKUA Medical School

Member of the organizing committee in numerous meetings and workshops, including:

27th Meeting of the Hellenic Society for Neuroscience, Athens 22nd Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Patras

Neuroanatomy Peer Teaching Seminar: Training the trainers, Laboratory for Education and Research in Neuroscience (LERNs), Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Athens (Head: Professor Elizabeth Johnson)

The medical journey: education, careers and leadership, Experimental- Research Centre ELPEN & Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students, Divani Caravel Hotel

Primary Health Care Elective Placements “Apovasis” 2015, voluntary programme

Current position and perspectives of molecular medicine, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens

Biomedical Engineering: when medicine meets engineering, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students & IEEE EMB, Athens

Career Day: Residency and Academic Research in Europe and the USA, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students, Dep. of Athens, Health Sciences Library, Athens

 

 

Participation in scientific meetings

ACTRIMS Forum 2020-Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, West Palm Beach, FL, February 27-29, 2020

Neuroscience 2019, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 19-23, 2019

25th Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students and 13th International Forum of MedicalStudents and Junior Doctors, Thessaloniki, May 8-10, 2019

Experimental Biology 2019, (sponsored by an American Association of Anatomists Travel Award),Orlando, Florida, April 6-9, 2019

European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Workshop on Clinical Research Methods (sponsored by an ECNP grant), Barcelona, Spain, November 7-9 2018

5th Cochrane Workshop: “Writing a protocol for a Cochrane systematic review”, The CochraneCollaboration, Athens, September 28-29, 2018

7th Summer School of the World Hellenic Biomedical Association in Medical & Biosciences Research & Management (sponsored by a WHBA scholarship), May 16-25, 2018, Athens and Mani Lakonia, Greece.

43rd Panhellenic Medical Congress, Athens Medical Society, May 9-12, 2018

24th Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students and 12th International Forum of Medical Students and Junior Doctors, Athens, April 27-29, 2018

43rd Panhellenic Medical Congress, Athens Medical Society, May 10-13, 2017

2nd Interdisciplinary Congress on Pediatric and Adolescent Multiple Sclerosis “Dialogues of Hellenic Neuroscientists on Pediatric and Adolescent MS”, Athens, November 25-27, 2016 12.22nd Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Patras, May 13-15, 2016

The history of Neurology: from antiquity till today, Institut de l’ Histoire de la médecine, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France & Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, February 26-27, 2016

3rd Panhellenic Conference of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology on Multiple Sclerosis “Relapses”, HelANI, Eugenides Foundation and Metropolitan Hotel, Athens, November 19-22, 2015

HIPON International Conference and ICT Workshop on “Improving Pathology Teaching”, 1st Department of Pathology, NKUA Medical School (supported by the European Commission), Athens, October 22-23, 2015

FENS Featured Regional Meeting 2015, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, “I.Vellidis Conference Centre”, Thessaloniki, October 7-10,2015

21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students and 9th International Forum of Medical Students and Junior Doctors, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, May 15-17, 2015 (18 European CME Credits)

Neuroanatomy & Neuroradiology Workshop, Laboratory of Education and Research in Neurosciences, 21st Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre, May 17, 2015

Publications and Scientific Research for Medical Students, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students, Dep. of Athens, Library of Health Sciences, April 1, 2015

Trauma management in the emergency room & suturing workshop, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students, Dep. of Athens, NKUA Medical School, July 11, 2014

20th Scientific Congress of Hellenic Medical Students and 8th International Forum of Medical Students and Junior Doctors, Porto Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki, May 9-11, 2014 (15 CME)

Stem Cells Days, Scientific Society of Hellenic Medical Students & Department of Biology, NKUA Medical School & Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, December 11-13, 2013

 

 

Other interests

Publisher and co-founder of The New Black, a website about culture, quality and city life (www.thenewblack.gr)

Vinyl Records Collector, studying jazz music and its history Antique Telephones Collector

Member, Lycées Léonins Alumni Association

Member (Contributor level), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA