Katerina Moutou

Professor in Vertebrate Biology

Reseach interests:
Molecular mechanisms of environmental and hormonal regulation of the development of piscine muscular and skeletal systems.

Molecular physiology of fish nutrition and growth performance. Determination of sex differentiation mechanisms in fish.

University Education:
University of Aberdeen, U.K. Departments of Zoology and Pharmacology
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology

Contact:

kmoutou@bio.uth.gr

EDUCATION

Jan 1993 - May 1996:	Ph.D. project, University of Aberdeen, U.K. Departments of Zoology and Pharmacology “Feeding behaviour, growth performance and toxicological responses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)) fed on normal and medicated diets”
Sep 1987 - Oct 1991	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Participation in research projects
Apr 1997 - Aug 1998:	UCTRA, University of Algarve, Portugal. EU Research Fellow in FAIR961422: Endocrine control as a determinant of larval quality in fish aquaculture.
2001 - 2002:	Molecular cloning and sequence of the embryonic form of Sparus aurata skeletal myosin alkali light chain: developmental expression funded by Instituto de Cooperação Científica e Tecnológica Internacional (ICCTI) of Portugal.
Mar 2001 - Mar 2002:	Sex differentiation and stress: correlation of the levels of expression of P450 aromatase and the brain peptide pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) funded by the Research Committee of University of Thessaly, Greece.
Nov 2002 - Oct 2005:	Molecular cloning and characterization of the main serine proteases in the euryhaline teleost Sparus aurata: salinity and hormonal regulation of gene expression and enzyme activity levels funded by the Ministry of Education, Greece.
2004 - 2005:	The importance of the genetic polymorphism of Major Histocompatability Complex (MHC) in disease susceptibility in mammals: the case of European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) funded by the Ministry of Education, Greece.
Jan 2004 - Jan 2007:	Incorporation of legumes and carob seed germ meal in sea bream and sea bass feeds funded by the General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Greece.
2004 - 2008:	Member of Working Group 2 Genetic variation in prenatal events and its effect on postnatal growth and meat/fish quality of COST Action 925 «The importance of prenatal events for postnatal muscle growth in relation to the quality of muscle based foods» (www.agrsci.dk/costaction925).
2008 - Currently:	Member of Working Group 1 Basic knowledge on fish larvae biology of COST Action FA0801 «LARVANET: Critical success factors for fish larval production in European Aquaculture: a multidisciplinary network» (www.larvanet.org)
2010 - 2013:	Expression of skeletal myosin light chain 2 (MLC2)in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.): regulation and correlation with growth markers funded by the Ministry of Education, Greece.
Sep 2010:	Alternative polyadenylation and fish muscle growth: the case of myosin light chain 2 research visit funded by the Association of European Marine Biological Laboratories (ASSEMBLE)
Sep 2012:	Adipocyte-Myocyte cross-talk: systemic supervision research visit funded by the Association of European Marine Biological Laboratories (ASSEMBLE)
Sep-Nov 2012:	Structure of the trophic web in the lake Karla, Greece, funded by the Managing Body of Lake Karla
Feb-Aug 2015:	Identifying the threats against aquatic organisms of different trophic levels in the lake Karla, Greece, funded by the Managing Body of Lake Karla
Mar 2015-Feb 2018:	COLUMBUS- Monitoring, managing and transferring marine and maritime knowledge for sustainable Blue Growth (H2020-BG-2014-1), CSA, participating as Aquaculture Expert.
May 2017-Apr 2022:	PerformFISH - Consumer Driven Production: Integrating Innovative Approaches for Competitive and Sustainable Performance across the Mediterranean Aquaculture Value Chain, Grant Agreement 727610, Research and Innovation Action; H2020-SFS-23-2016, Coordinator.
2018-2021:	Development of novel methodology for the genetic selection of fish with high food conversion capacity, Grant number 5010669, Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Coordinator.
2018-2021:	Development and validation of a novel harvesting system towards the improvement of welfare of marine farmed fishes, Grant number 5010690, Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
2018-2021:	Study of size variation in juveniles of farmed great amberjack to improve farming and handling practices, Grant number 5010923, Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
2018-2021:	Study and application of novel methods at harvesting and processing to improve the quality and self-life span of fresh farmed fish, Grant number 5010939, Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
2018-2021:	Improvement of fertility in dairy cows through the identification and recruitment of individuals with genetically determined thermotolerance, RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE, General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Greece.
Nov 2018 - Oct 2021:	Legumes Translated – Translating knowledge for legume-based farming for feed and food systems, Grant Agreement 817634, CSA; H2020-RUR-2018-1.
2019-2023:	FishPhytoFeed- Development of an Advanced Integrated Toolbox for in vitro high-throughput screening of quality and phyto-estrogens in feed ingredients for Mediterranean finfish, Special Actions, General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Greece.
2020-2023:	Fish_Superfoods- Development of novel functional fish superfoods for sustainable fish farming, RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE, General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Greece.
2020-2023:	Development of an innovative evaluation system for ingredients and fishfeeds to promote competitive performance in the Mediterranean fish farming, RIS3 Implementation, Operational Program in the Region Sterea Ellada 2014-2020, Greece.

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

1. Martha Kaloyianni, Basile Michaelides and Katerina Moutou (1993). Effect of adenosine on glucose metabolism of Rana ridibunda erythrocytes. Journal of Experimental Biology, 177, 41-50.
2. Ian D. McCarthy, Dominic F. Houlihan, Chris G. Carter and Katerina Moutou (1993). Variation in individual food consumption rates in fish and its implications for the study of fish nutrition and physiology. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 52, 427-436.
3. Martha Kaloyianni and Katerina Moutou (1994). Substrate utilization by Rana ridibunda erythrocytes. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 108B, 357-366.
4. Katerina A. Moutou, Thomas Braunbeck and Dominic F. Houlihan (1997). Quantitative analysis of alterations in liver ultrastructure of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)) after administration of the aquaculture antibacterials oxolinic acid and flumequine. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 29, 21-34.
5. Katerina A. Moutou, Ian D. McCarthy and Dominc F, Houlihan (1998). The effect of feeding ration and social rank on the fin damage in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). Journal of Fish Biology, 52, 756-770.
6. Katerina A. Moutou, M. Danny Burke and Dominc F, Houlihan. (1998). Hepatic P450 Monooxygenase response in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)) administered aquaculture antibiotics. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 18, 97-106.
7. Zissis Mamuris, Costas Stamatis, Katerina A. Moutou, Apostolos Apostolidis and Costas Triantaphyllidis (2001). Application of RFLP analysis of PCR amplified mitochondrial DNA segments to evaluate genetic variation in striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus L.) and in red mullet (Mullus barbatus L.) populations. Marine Biotechnology, 3, 264-274.
8. Katerina A. Moutou, Silvia Socorro, Deborah M. Power, Zissis Mamuris, and AdelinoV.M. Canario (2001). Molecular cloning and sequence of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) α-skeletal actin: tissue and developmental expression. Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry B, 130, 13-21.
9. Katerina A. Moutou, Ian D. McCarthy and Dominic F, Houlihan (2001). The effect of dietary flumequine on food consumption and growth of rainbow trout. Aquaculture International, 9, 95-102.
10. Katerina A. Moutou, A.V.M. Canario, Z.Mamuris, and D.M. Power (2001). Molecular cloning and sequence of Sparus aurata skeletal myosin light chains expressed in white muscle: developmental expression and thyroid regulation. Journal of Experimental Biology, 204, 3009-3018.
11. Marco A. Campinho, Katerina A. Moutou, and Deborah M. Power (2004). Temperature sensitivity of skeletal ontogeny in Oreochromis mossambicus. Journal of Fish Biology, 65, 1003-1025.
12. Katerina A. Moutou, Panagiota Panagiotaki, and Zissis Mamuris (2004). Effects of salinity on digestive protease activity in the euryhaline sparid Sparus aurata L: a preliminary study. Aquaculture Research, 35, 1-3.
13. Costas Stamatis, Alexander Triantafyllidis, Katerina A. Moutou and Zissis Mamuris (2004). Mitochondrial DNA variation in Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. Molecular Ecology, 13, 1377-1390.
14. Zissis Mamuris, Maria Th. Stoumboudi, Costas Stamatis, Roberta Barbieri and Katerina A. Moutou (2005). Genetic variation in populations of the endangered fish Ladigesocypris ghigii and its implications for conservation. Freshwater Biology, 50, 1441-1453.
15. Elena Sarropoulou, Deborah M. Power, Zissis Mamuris and Katerina A. Moutou (2006). The two isoforms of myosin light chain 2 in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata); alternative polyadenylation site selection and tissue expression. Archives of Animal Breeding, 49 Special Issue, 92-96.
16. Costas Stamatis, Alexander Triantafyllidis, Katerina A. Moutou and Zissis Mamuris (2006). Allozymic variation in Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 63, 875-882
17. Eleni Psochiou, Zissis Mamuris, Panagiota Panagiotaki, Dimitrios Kouretas, Katerina A. Moutou. (2007) The response of digestive proteases to abrupt salinity decrease in the euryhaline sparid Sparus aurata L. Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology B, 147, 156-163.
18. Eleni Psochiou, Elena Sarropoulou, Zissis Mamuris, Katerina A. Moutou (2007). Sequence analysis and tissue expression pattern of Sparus aurata chymotrypsinogens and trypsinogen. Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology B, 147, 367-377.
19. Costas Stamatis, Franz Suchentrunk, Katerina A. Moutou, .............. , Zissis Mamuris (2009). Phylogeography of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Europe: a legacy of south-eastern Mediterranean refugia? Journal of Biogeography, 36, 515-528.
20. Apostolos P. Apostolidis, Katerina A. Moutou, Costas Stamatis, Zissis Mamuris (2009). Genetic structure of three marine fishes from the Gulf of Pagasitikos (Greece) based on allozymes, RAPD and mtDNA RFLP markers. Biologia, 64, 1005-1010.
21. E.A. Koutsogiannouli, K.A. Moutou, Th. Sarafidou, C. Stamatis, V. Spyrou, Z. Mamuris (2009). Major histocompatibility complex variation at class II DQA locus in the brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Molecular Ecology, 18, 4631-4649.
22. Evagelia A. Koutsogiannouli, Katerina A. Moutou, Theologia Sarafidou, Costas Stamatis, Zissis Mamuris (2010). Detections of hybrids between wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa) and domestic pigs (Sus scrofa F. domestica) in Greece, using the PCR-RFLP method on melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) mutations. Mammalian Biology, 75, 69-73.
23. Zissis Mamuris, Katerina A. Moutou, Costas Stamatis, Theologia Sarafidou, Franz Suchentrunk. (2010) Y DNA and Mitochondrial lineages in European and Asian populations of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus). Mammalian Biology, 75, 233-242.
24. Nikolopoulou, D., Moutou, K.A., Fountoulaki, E., Venou, B., Adamidou, S., Alexis, M.N. (2011) Patterns of gastric evacuation, digesta characteristics and pH changes along the gastrointestinal tract of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.): a comparative approach. Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology, 158Α,406-414.
25. Katerina A. Moutou, Zissis Mamuris, Tania Firme, Maria Kontou, Theologia Sarafidou, Maria Th. Stoumboudi. (2011) Patterns of variability at the major histocompatability class I and class II loci in populations of the endangered cyprinid Ladigesocypris ghigii. Conservation Genetics, 12, 1159-1171.
26. Moutou, K.A., Tsikogias, S., Papadimitriou, T., Kagalou, I. (2012) Oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio to analyze microcystin impact in eutrophic shallow lakes: A preliminary study. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 14, 2195-2203.
27. Koutsogiannouli, E.A., Moutou, K.A., Stamatis, C., Mamuris, Z. (2012) Analysis of MC1R genetic variation in Lepus species in Mediterranean refugia. Mammalian Biology, 77, 428-433.
28. Moutou, K.A., Koutsogiannouli, E.A., Stamatis, C., Billinis, C., Kalbe, C., Scandura, M., Mamuris, Z. (2013) Domestication does not narrow MHC diversity in Sus scrofa. Immunogenetics, 65, 195-209.
29. Valente, L.M.P., Moutou, K.A., Conceição, L.E.C., Engrola, S., Fernandes, J.M.O., Johnston, I.A. (2013) What determines growth potential and juvenile quality of farmed fish species? Reviews in Aquaculture, 5, S168-S193.
30. Iacovakis, C., Mamuris, Z., Moutou, K.A., Touloudi, A., Hammer, A.S., Valiakos, G., Giannoulis, T., Stamatis, C., Spyrou, V., Athanasiou, L.V., Kantere, M., Asferg, T., Giannakopoulos, A., Salomonsen, C.M., Bogdanos, D., Birtsas, P., Petrovska, L., Hannant, D., Billinis, C. (2013) Polarisation of Major Histocompatibility Complex II Host Genotype with Pathogenesis of European Brown Hare Syndrome Virus. PLoS ONE, 8 (9), art. no. e74360.
31. Koutsogiannouli, E.A., Moutou, K.A., Stamatis, C., Walter, L., Mamuris, Z. (2014) Genetic variation in the major histocompatibility complex of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) across distinct phylogeographic areas. Immunogenetics, 66, 379-392.
32. Georgiou, S., Makridis, P., Dimopoulos, D., Power, D.M., Mamuris, Z., Moutou, K.A. (2014) Myosin light chain 2 isoforms in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.): Molecular growth markers at early stages. Aquaculture, 432, 434-442.
33. Stamatis, C., Sarri, C.A., Moutou, K.A., Argyrakoulis, N., Galara, I., Godosopoulos, V., Kolovos, M., Liakou, C., Stasinou, V., Mamuris, Z. (2015) What do we think we eat? Single tracing method across foodstuff of animal origin found in Greek market. Food Research International, 69, 151-155.
34. Georgiou, S., Alami-Durante, H., Power, D.M., Sarropoulou, E., Mamuris, Z., Moutou, K.A. (2015) Transient up- and down- regulation of myosin light chain 2 and myostatin mRNA mark the changes from stratified hyperplasia to muscle fiber hypertrophy in larvae of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). Cell and Tissue Research, DOI 10.1007/s00441-015-2254-0.
35. Villasante, A., Powell, M. S., Moutou, K., Murdoch, G.K., Overturf, K., Wacyk, J. and Hardy, R.W. (2016). Effects of anthocyanidins on myogenic differentiation and antioxidant defense in primary myogenic cells isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Aquaculture, 454, 81-89.
36. Amoutzias, G.D., Giannoulis, T., Moutou, K.A., Psarra, A.-M.G., Stamatis, C., Tsipourlianos, A., Mamuris, Z. (2016) SNP identification through transcriptome analysis fo the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus): cellular energetics and mother’s curse. PLoS ONE, 11, e0159939.
37. Koutsogiannouli, E.A., Moutou, K.A., Stamatis, C., Mamuris, Z. (2016). MHC class II DRB1 and DQA2 gene polymorphisms in four indigenous breeds of sheep (Ovis aries). Mammalian Biology, 81, 628-636.
38. Stamperna, Κ., Giannoulis, Τ., Nanas, Ι., Kalemkeridou, Μ., Dadouli, Κ., Moutou, Κ., Amiridis, G.S., Dovolou E. (2020). Short term temperature elevation during IVM affects embryo yield and alters gene expression pattern in oocytes, cumulus cells and blastocysts in cattle. Theriogenology 156, 36-45.
39. Ntzimani A., Angelakopoulos R., Semenoglou I., Dermesonlouoglou E., Tsironi T., Moutou K., Taoukis P. (2021). Slurry ice as an alternative cooling medium for fish harvesting and transportation: Study of the effect on seabass flesh quality and shelf life. Aquaculture and Fisheries.
40. Stamperna K, Giannoulis T, Dovolou E, Kalemkeridou M, Nanas I, Dadouli K, Moutou K., Mamuris Z, Amiridis GS. Heat Shock Protein 70 Improves In Vitro Embryo Yield and Quality from Heat Stressed Bovine Oocytes. Animals. 2021; 11(6):1794. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061794
41. Stamperna, K., Dovolou, E., Giannoulis, T., Kalemkeridou, M., Nanas, I., Dadouli, K., Moutou, K., Mamuris, Z., & Amiridis, G. S. (2021). Developmental competence of heat stressed oocytes from Holstein and Limousine cows matured in vitro. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 56, 1302– 1314. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13993
42. Sarri C., A., Giannoulis T., Moutou K., A., Mamuris Z. (2021). HLA class II peptide-binding-region analysis reveals funneling of polymorphism in action, Immunology Letters, 238, 75-95
43. Najafpour, B.; Pinto, P.I.S.; Moutou, K.A.; Canario, A.V.M.; Power, D.M. Factors Driving Bacterial Microbiota of Eggs from Commercial Hatcheries of European Seabass and Gilthead Seabream. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 2275. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9112275
44. Stamperna, K.; Giannoulis, T.; Dovolou, E.; Kalemkeridou, M.; Nanas, I.; Dadouli, K.; Moutou, K.; Mamuris, Z.; Amiridis, G.S. The Effects of Heat Shock Protein 70 Addition in the Culture Medium on the Development and Quality of In Vitro Produced Heat Shocked Bovine Embryos. Animals 2021, 11, 3347. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123347
45. Ntzimani, A.; Angelakopoulos, R.; Stavropoulou, N.; Semenoglou, I.; Dermesonlouoglou, E.; Tsironi, T.; Moutou, K.; Taoukis, P. Seasonal Pattern of the Effect of Slurry Ice during Catching and Transportation on Quality and Shelf Life of Gilthead Sea Bream. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10, 443. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030443
46. A Chatziparasidou, T Sarafidou, K Moutou, M Markantoni, T Giannoulis, A Papatheodorou, C Oraiopoulou, G Samolada, N Christoforidis, Z Mamuris, P-007 Unraveling the genetic basis of Idiopathic Azoospermia: Α transcriptome profiling analyses in a Greek Population, Human Reproduction, Volume 37, Issue Supplement_1, July 2022, deac107.006, https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deac107.006
47. Stamperna, K.; Giannoulis, T.; Cañon-Beltrán, K.; Dovolou, E.; Kalemkeridou, M.; Nanas, I.; Rizos, D.; Moutou, K.A.; Mamuris, Z.; Amiridis, G.S. Oviductal Epithelial Cells Transcriptome and Extracellular Vesicles Characterization during Thermoneutral and Heat Stress Conditions in Dairy Cows. Theriogenology 2022, 187, 152–163, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.04.011.
48. Kalemkeridou, M., Nanas, I., Moutou, K., Amiridis, G. S., Tsipourlianos, A., Dovolou, E., Mamuris, Z., & Giannoulis, T. (2022). Genetic diversity and thermotolerance in Holstein cows: Pathway analysis and marker development using whole-genome sequencing. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 00, 1– 12. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.14274

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

1. Reviewer of the international scientific journals Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology, Journal of Fish Biology, Journal of Experimental Biology, Fish Physiology & Biochemistry, Aquaculture, Aquaculture Research and research proposal reviewer of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBRSC), UK, and Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), European Commission.
2. Invited speaker in the undergraduate and postgraduate courses of Faculdade de Engenharia dos Recursos Naturais, University of Algarve, Portugal in the frame of Socrates Exchange Programme.
3. Invited speaker in the MSc course “Aquaculture”, organized by Universitat de Barcelona in collaboration with Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and Universitat Politechnica de Catalunya.
4. Director of the MSc Course “Biotechnology-Quality Assessment in Nutrition and the Environment”, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly
5. Supervisor of four PhD and ten MSc projects, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly.
6. Member of the scientific committee for the “Ex-Post Evaluation and Impact Assessment of FP7 funded projects in the area of Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology (FAFB)”, European Commission, Feb-Nov 2014.
7. Developer and supplier of the OptiFeed Services for optimizing feed design in aquaculture.

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