CING

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics

Nicosia, Cyprus

Posted on May 20, 2025  •  4 minutes  • 753 words

Contribution to the project:

The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING) contributes to the BEHIND-MS consortium by applying network-based integrative bioinformatics to explore how EBV-host imbalances drive MS onset and progression. This includes using single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze immune cell interactions in blood and CSF, constructing protein-protein interaction networks between viral, host, and MS-related proteins, and incorporating key redox signaling pathways. The project also applies network-based pathway analysis and computational drug repurposing to identify potential treatments, and will deliver an interactive computational atlas combining multi-level data and expert knowledge on the immune system, EBV, and MS.

Meet the team at CING

The CING Bioinformatics Group (C-BIG) is a highly inter-disciplinary team founded in 2016 to host the Bioinformatics European Research Area Chair in Cyprus under the support of the EU H2020 ERA Chair grant, for the period 2015-2020 and since then it has been transformed to a permanent Department within CING. We have strong interest in network analytics that capture the systemic behavior of the biomolecules, to integrate multi-omics / multisource data, to generate comprehensive disease/patient profiles that will act as the stepping stone for AI-fueled computer aided diagnostics, to face complexities and to recognize criticalities in biomedical problems, trying to develop new mathematical/computational methods to offer a solution if possible.  This way we try to contribute to the vision of personalized and precision medicine.

Team Members:

Professor George M. Spyrou – Project lead

Prof. George M. Spyrou leads the partnership between CING and the BEHIND-MS project. Prof. Spyrou is the Bioinformatics ERA Chair and Head of the Bioinformatics Department at CING, where he also serves as Research Coordinator. With a background in Physics, Medical Physics, and Bioinformatics, and a PhD in computational modeling for breast imaging, Prof. Spyrou has over 20 years of experience in biomedical research. Prior to joining CING, he led the Department of Informatics and New Technologies at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens and conducted research in medical informatics and bioinformatics. A Senior IEEE Member and Steering Committee Member of ELIXIR-Cyprus, he also contributes to several editorial boards in the field. His research centers on systems bioinformatics, network-based analysis, biomarker discovery, and computational drug repurposing.

Dr. Marilena Bourdakou, PhD

Dr. Marilena Bourdakou is currently a post-doctoral fellow in the Bioinformatics Department at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING). She received her BSc in Informatics from the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications (DIT), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Greece, in 2011. She received her MSc and PhD in Bioinformatics in 2013 and 2016, respectively, from DIT of NKUA. For the years 2017-2024 she was a Visiting Scientist at the Bioinformatics Department at CING. From 2016 - 2017 she worked as Lecturer at the Postgraduate Program «Information Technologies in Medicine and Biology» of NKUA. From 2020 - 2021 she was a post-doctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Pharmacology at the Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace and her postdoctoral research has been awarded from by the State Scholarships Foundation (ΙΚΥ). In 2022 and 2023 her research was also awarded from the World Olive Centre for Health. Over the past year, she has expanded her research into the space exposome, investigating the biological effects of spaceflight and environmental exposures in space. Her work focuses on computational methods for molecular and systems biology, with an emphasis on multi-omics data analysis and integration for biomarker discovery, molecular mechanisms understanding and drug repurposing. With her expertise, she will contribute to the BEHIND-MS program by investigating the complex molecular interactions linking Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), systematically identifying dysregulated signalling pathways and key molecular targets and proposing promising repurposed drug candidates for therapeutic intervention.

Maria-Arsenia (Marsia) Maniori, MSc

Maria-Arsenia Maniori, MSc, is a biologist specializing in cancer biology and molecular genetics. Currently a Laboratory Scientific Officer at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, she brings experience in both experimental and bioinformatics research, with a particular focus on immunology. Her academic background includes an MSc in Cancer Biology and a BSc in Human Biology, complemented by active involvement in international research collaborations, scientific outreach, and science communication. Maria-Arsenia is committed to advancing biomedical research and fostering the next generation of scientists, particularly through her advocacy for women in STEM. Her expertise in molecular techniques, RNA analysis, and bioinformatic profiling makes her a valuable contributor to the BEHIND-MS project investigating the complex molecular interactions linking Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), identifying interplay pathways and their key targets, and proposing possible therapeutic interventions.