Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos

Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos has studied a remarkable range of pathologies including: cancer, male fertility diseases, aging-related disorders and endocrine pathologies … In all these fields he and his research teams have achieved significant therapeutic breakthroughs, while also improving our understanding of the basic mechanisms of the diseases.

The basis of Dr. Papadopoulos’s wide ranged research is his world-renowned expertise in the pathophysiology of steroid hormone synthesis. These vital and ubiquitous messengers, all derived from cholesterol, regulate an impressive range of mechanisms in the body, from homeostasis to sexual behavior and stress-related adaptations. Any state of unbalance can thus yield to a wide range of diseases. By using the most recent biochemical, pharmacological, and molecular methods, his research has led to a better understanding of both the metabolic pathways leading to steroid hormone synthesis, and the diseases caused by altered steroid levels or cellular compartmentalization. Also, by using specific Dr.ug design methods, Dr. Papadopoulos’s teams have been able to create new molecules to target key elements in diseases where steroids play a determining role.

Dr. Papadopoulos was born in Greece; he initiated his career at the University of Athens where he graduated with a Diploma of Pharmacy in 1982. He then moved to Paris (France) to complete his PhD in Health and Life Science at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (1986), before continuing as a post-doctoral researcher, in France and in Australia. In 1988 he was appointed to Georgetown University (Washington DC, USA) as an assistant professor. In 2006 his posts there were: Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Associate Vice President for research, Associate Vice President of Georgetown University Medical Center, and Director of Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO).

Dr. Papadopoulos is now the Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC and Associate Executive Director for Research at the MUHC, as well as professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. Moreover, he was recently awarded a Canada Research Chair in Biochemical Pharmacology.

Throughout his career, Dr. Papadopoulos has published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed publications, and served as a reviewer for over 50 different scientific journals. The quality of his research has been recognized by many awards, including: the Sandoz Award from the Endocrine Society of Australia (1988), the James Shannon Director’s Award (1991-1993), the Research Career Development Award (1993-1998), and the Biotechnology Leadership Award from the Georgetown University (2004). In 2001 he was elected in the National Academy of Pharmacy in France. Because of the significant pharmaceutical potential of his research, Dr. Papadopoulos holds numerous scientific patents, and is a consultant for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Apart from his scientific achievements, he also contributed to the life of the universities he worked for by taking part in many managerial and organizational issues. He has also contributed to the education of numerous undergraduate and postgraduate students.

For further information, please contact Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos by phone at 514 934-1934