The 4th Greek International Women Awards (GIWA) was held at the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre in Athens on Monday 24 November. The GIWA awards aim to recognise, celebrate and empower the achievements of Greek women worldwide who have excelled in various professional fields, showcasing their success as inspirational examples. The Young Star Award honours women aged 18–29 who show emerging talent and promise early in their careers.
Maria received the award in recognition of her academic achievements and her research in the field of ageing and human health, along with her contributions in mentoring, outreach, volunteering, and education.
Maria Kyriazi (centre), Maria Nefeli Chatziioannidou (right), member of the European Parliament, and Aliki Rangou (left), co-founder of Pop2See Smart Class.
She joined the Alsaleh Group at NDORMS as a summer intern in 2022 after completing her undergraduate studies at Newcastle University. She continued her work with Associate Professor Ghada Alsaleh, during her master’s degree, focusing on the role of autophagy, the cellular recycling process, in osteoarthritis, specifically exploring the age-related changes that contribute to the development of the disease.
Since then, Maria has been pursuing her DPhil studies under the supervision of Associate Professor Ghada Alsaleh and second supervisor Professor Lynne Cox. Her research focuses on uncovering the molecular and mechanistic age-related changes that lead to joint deterioration and osteoarthritis. She is also a member of the First UK Space Innovation Lab, founded by Associate Professor Ghada Alsaleh, which is sending samples to space to study the effects of microgravity on human ageing.
On receiving the Young Star Award, Maria said “I am deeply grateful to receive this award at this stage of my journey. It has truly been a team effort and it would not have been possible without the many people who have supported, mentored, and encouraged me along the way. I arrived at NDORMS straight from my undergraduate studies, full of enthusiasm and drive for science and research. I am sincerely thankful for my group, my supervisors, and for everyone at NDORMS who has helped me from the very beginning. I am especially thankful to my supervisor, Ghada Alsaleh, who recognised my enthusiasm from the start and taught me how to channel it; guiding me in my first steps in research and helping shape me into the scientist I aspire to be. I am also thankful to my co-supervisor, Lynne Cox, a pioneer in the field of ageing, for the confidence she has shown in me and the support throughout my DPhil. This award reinforces the purpose behind my work and motivates me even more to contribute to research with a meaningful impact.”