ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (which consists of 12 Faculties, 42 Schools and 289 Laboratories) conducts research projects, participates in European research programmes and projects, cooperates with international institutions and organizations, and attracts outstanding researchers from within Greece and abroad. The Aristotle University supports research projects in a wide variety of disciplines related to the environment (natural and built), computing, new technologies and nanotechnology, telecommunications, industrial technologies, transport, biotechnology, biomedicine and health, agriculture, forestry and fishery, education and language, history and archaeology, social studies and economics. The research policy of the Aristotle University focuses on promoting quality and encouraging excellence. The principal objective of the quality policy implemented by the Research Committee of the Aristotle University is to ensure that optimal control procedures are applied, and specific accreditation systems are used that guarantee high-quality research outputs. An excellence policy is also implemented with the aim to encourage the research personnel of the Aristotle University to conduct high-quality research projects in all fields of study. Recognizing the importance of the research carried out at the Aristotle University and rewarding the personnel for their hard work, setting up new research teams, as well as fostering a supportive environment for innovation are the fundamental principles behind the excellence policy of the Aristotle University.

Laboratory tests on vehicle exhaust gas particulate matter emissions will be performed in the Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics (LAT), which carries a 30+ year long tradition in the field of characterization & control of automotive exhaust emissions. Valuable experience has been gained through close collaborations with the automotive and fuel industry as well as suppliers of exhaust aftertreatment systems. Today, LAT carries out high-level applied and basic research, facilitated by both experimental and modelling techniques used in a complimentary way. The experimental equipment is regularly updated, in order to support high quality measurements regarding real time gaseous and particulate emissions from engines and vehicles. These measurements are routinely carried out on the basis of legislated protocols (driving cycles), whereas R&D services are supported by flexibly customized testing protocols. State-of-the-art equipment is also available for the characterization of the physical and chemical properties of particulate emissions. Clients of LAT research activity include: the European Commission, Fuel & fuel additive suppliers and automotive OEMs (Engine suppliers, Exhaust system manufacturers, Substrate manufacturers, Catalyst coaters, Automotive engineering service suppliers).

AUTH School of Biology group has long-standing expertise in cellular and molecular biology studies employing a variety of cellular models (primary cardiomyocytes, epithelial cells, macrophages, neuronal cells) to investigate the effect of various extracellular factors or stress stimuli on intracellular signaling pathways and gene expression relevant to various forms of cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis), DNA damage, cell growth or inflammation. In this respect, analytical assays include determination of cell viability, markers of oxidative stress and programmed cell death, cytokine release, and others.