The University of Crete (UoC) and the UoC Medical School congratulate Emeritus Professor Domna Karagogeos, who has been awarded the Academy of Athens Prize for her lifetime scientific contribution to the field of myelin pathophysiology and its relevance to multiple sclerosis. The distinction is the First-Class Award in the Positive Sciences, titled “Elisavet F. Foteinelli – Ioannou D. Kritikos”, under the thematic area “Multiple Sclerosis.” The award will be presented during the Academy’s formal ceremonial session on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the Ceremony Hall of the Academy of Athens (28 Panepistimiou Street).

Prof. Karagogeos served as Professor of Molecular Biology–Developmental Neurobiology in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of Crete Medical School, and as an affiliated faculty member of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-FORTH). She leads the Neuroscience Laboratory. Over the past 25 years, a substantial part of her research has focused on the molecular architecture of myelinated fibers, and particularly on the interactions between axons and glial cells that shape functional domains of myelinated axons. These domains are disrupted in demyelinating disorders such as multiple sclerosis.

Her work has examined mechanisms of remyelination and demyelination, and more recently highlighted the key role of myelin autophagy in maintaining homeostasis in adulthood and during aging. Her team has contributed to the development of innovative experimental tools and genetic animal models for investigating nervous system development and myelin biology.

Prof. Karagogeos’s research has been supported by both international and national funding bodies. She has published approximately 100 original scientific papers, with more than 6,600 citations, and has trained a significant number of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers—many of whom have pursued distinguished careers. She has played an essential role across all levels of medical education, served on international committees, and contributed to shaping best-practice training standards for neuroscience students across Europe.