10+
Researchers and students
Medical Physics · Biophysics
The physics of living systems, from molecules to medicine
We build quantitative methods -spectroscopy, imaging, modeling, and measurement- to understand biology and improve clinical care.
About the group
We are an interdisciplinary research group connecting physics, biology, and medicine
At the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, we work at the intersection of physical sciences and the life sciences developing experimental workflows, models, and computational tools that turn measurements into mechanistic understanding and clinical impact.
150+
Peer-reviewed publications
Research areas
Five interconnected research themes
From single molecules to whole-organ imaging, our themes share a quantitative, physics-first approach.
Raman spectroscopy
Non-invasive, label-free imaging for cellular and tissue-level investigation.
Quantitative Medical Imaging
OCT for non-invasive characterization of tissue structure and function.
Computational Molecular Biophysics
Models of protein dynamics and membrane biophysics.
Software development
Software for Raman spectroscopy, X-ray and neutron powder diffraction.
Body composition
IAEA supported program: Applying Nuclear Techniques to Design and Evaluate Interventions to prevent and control Obesity in Adolescents in South-Eastern Europe (Ended)
Software
Research software developed by the group for spectroscopy and powder diffraction, data analysis, visualization, and biomedical signal processing. Group's GitHub page.
PowDLL
PowDLL started as a .NET dynamic link library used for the interconversion among variable formats of powder X-Ray and neutron diffraction files. Now it is widely acceptable as the best converter available.
PyFasma
PyFasma is a free and open source Python package for preprocessing and analyzing Raman spectra.
(Analyst PDF)
WinPSSP
WinPSSP uses direct-space methods to solve crystal structures from X-ray powder diffraction data. (J. Appl. Cryst. PDF).
GSAS Data Watcher
Software to monitor convergence parameters and backup the output of GSAS-I after each cycle run (open source).
Continuum determination in spectroscopic data
A novel implementation of a convex hull minimization algorithm for the determination of the continuum in x-ray and γ-ray spectroscopic data (open source).
Team
The people behind the work
A collaborative group of physicists, chemists, biologists, and clinicians.
NK
Nikos Kourkoumelis
Principal Investigator
Prof. of Medical Physics & Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Greece
Editor-in-Chief: SoftwareX
Editor-in-Chief: Orthopedics and Tissue Engineering
Honorary Consultant of Guandong Society of Biomedical Engineering, Guangzuo, China.
EP
Eleftherios Pavlou, PhD
External Collaborator; Senior Researcher
Biooptics, Raman and FTIR Spectroscopy, Computational Pipelines
EA
Elli Akrivi, MSc
PhD Student
Non-invasive optical analysis of biomarkers in biofluids
EA
Evangelia Aivatoglou
MSc Student
Bioimpedance analysis, Raman Spectroscopy
VK
Valeria Katsoti
MSc Student
Blood-brain barrier penetrating molecules (in silico)
GK
Glykeria Kokouva
Student
Raman Spectroscopy
DI
Dimos Iliadis
Student
Origin of Life
GN
Geristiana Nazerai
Student
Simulation of tumor cells dynamics
We welcome inquiries from prospective students (all levels) and postdocs.
Alumni
Former students and collaborators
Name
Martha Vardaki, PhD (Postdoc)
Thesis
Info
Spatially Offset Raman spectroscopy
Name
Chrysoula Petrokilidou, PhD
Thesis
Evaluation of nails pathology using Raman spectroscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography (PhD)
The biophysical metabolic profile of Malassezia species studied with Raman spectroscopy (MSc)
Name
Eleftherios Pavlou, PhD
Thesis
Bone quality assessment in normal and diseased tissues using vibrational spectroscopy, neutron diffraction and multivariate analysis
Info
Name
George Rossos, PhD
Thesis
Biophysical interactions of drugs and the cell membrane
Info
Name
Maria Varaka, MSc
Thesis
Assessmenet of skin optical properties using Optical Coherence Tomography (MSc)
The effect of UV radiation on biological systems: from nano- to macro-dimensions (Undergraduate thesis)
Name
Dimitris Samaras, MSc
Thesis
Diffusion Modeling of Transdermal Systems with the Finite Element Method (MSc)
Finite element model of the esophagus function and mechanics (Undergraduate thesis)
Name
Zoi Spanou, MSc
Thesis
The effect of chemical fixation and short-term freezing on bone quality assessed by Raman Spectroscopy (MSc)
Info
Undergraduate theses
Senior undergraduate thesis archive
(partial data)
Click to collapse
Senior undergraduate thesis archive
(partial data)Maria Karaiskou
Semi-automated detection of the dermoepidermal junction in optical coherence tomography images
PDFEvangelia Aivatoglou
Induced Errors in the Measurement of Human Body Composition with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
PDFEvangelia Nassiou
Molecular docking studies of potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease
PDFGeorgia Vardali
On the reproducibility of deuterium oxide dilution measurements assessed by FTIR spectroscopy
PDFMaria Giannopoulou
Raman measurements of saliva
PDFTheodora Giannaki
Optical properties of skin phantoms assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography
PDFMagda Satrazani
Thermal distribution of laser irradiation upon skin
PDFMaria Karageorgiou
Finite Element Analysis of cryosurgury
PDFAnastasios Nikolopoulos
Deconvolution of the D2O bands in ATR-FTIR spectra
PDFNikoleta Zoupanou
Nail Raman spectroscopy
PDFSelected publications
Recent work from the group
- 2026 SPEC 2024: International Conference on Clinical Spectroscopy (PDF) Analyst
- 2026 Pearl-Like Bioinspired Coating Enables Regulation of Mg Degradation for Osteoporotic Bone Repair (PDF) Advanced Science
- 2025 PyFasma: an open-source, modular Python package for preprocessing and multivariate analysis of Raman spectroscopy data (PDF) Analyst
- 2024 BCC and Immunocryosurgery scar differentiation through computational resolution‐enhanced OCT images and skin optical attenuation: A proof-of-concept study (PDF) Experimental Dermatology
Contact
Get in touch
For collaborations, prospective student inquiries, and press.
Lab
Medical Physics Lab
University of Ioannina, Medical School, University Campus: Building 14, Ioannina, Greece