Current Position

Education

• PhD, Neural and Behavioural Sciences, 2008, University of Tübingen, Germany
• MSc, Neural and Behavioural Sciences, 2003, University of Tübingen, Germany
• BSc, Physics, 2000, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
   

Research Interests

Current Interests
•    using the power of AI to identify and classify network abnormalities in neurological disorders
•    ability of the brain to switch gears and function in different modes depending on the context and goal at a particular moment
•    relationship between functional neural changes and single cell transcriptomics
•    curious on how the brain achieves the quick alternation between brain states
•    working hypothesis is that neuromodulation circuits play an imperative role in (de)stabilizing circuits
•    neuromodulation can potentially be the way to tackle disturbances of the system experienced in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease if specific components of neuromodulation circuits are targeted and tuned with external cell-type specific interventions in space and time 
•    interested in neural perturbation techniques that would be able to modulate the activity of neuromodulatory systems
•    using a multimodal and multidisciplinary approach to tackle research aims

General Research Interests
•    Novel Computational approaches to data analysis (AI, Machine learning, modelling)
•    Computational Neuroimaging
•    Medical Imaging
•    Neural Networks
•    Brain Networks at different spatial scales (whole brain, inter and intra areal connectivity) 
•    Higher cognitive functions such as attention, learning, memory, language
•    Neurological disorders and specifically Alzheimer’s disease, Epilepsy, Autism
•    Neuromodulation and its potential use in rehabilitation and novel therapies
•    Neural correlates of consciousness and perception
•    Capacity of the brain for plasticity and reorganization
•    Critical period plasticity mechanisms
•    Relationship of brain responses to behavior
 

Biography

Georgios A. Keliris finished his basic studies in Physics at the University of Cyprus (B.Sc., rank #1), and then moved to Tübingen, Germany with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to obtain a master’s degree (hons) in Neuroscience. This was a turning point in his career as he became intimately interested in major neuroscientific questions like the problem of perception and subjective experience. This has driven him to continue his studies for a Ph.D. in one of the world’s leading neuroscience laboratories (Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics; Dept. Physiology of Cognitive Processes; director: Prof. Nikos Logothetis) where he studied visual perception and plasticity in human and non-human primates using a battery of state-of-the-art techniques such as fMRI and multielectrode recordings. In 2007 he was the first to employ high-field (7Tesla) fMRI in awake non-human primates (NHP) that were trained using specifically designed paradigms and monitoring equipment to achieve imaging without movement artifacts. After his PhD in the “Neural Correlates of Visual Perception”, he continued at the same institute first as post-doctoral fellow and later as a project leader and became very interested in the capacity of the nervous system for plasticity and reorganization after diseases afflicting the visual system. To this end, he has developed novel computational neuroimaging methods for estimating population based receptive field changes using fMRI in human and validated them with electrophysiology. In 2015-2021, he was appointed assistant professor at University of Antwerp, Belgium and developed a research line that investigates the effects of neuromodulation based on genetically encoded tools (optogenetics, chemogenetics), designed sensory input, and behavioral manipulations. From 2022-2024 he was a Research Associate at the Foundation of Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH) and a Visiting Professor at the Harvard Medical School working in projects related to Alzheimer’s Disease, Implicit learning, MeCP2 duplication syndrome, and epilepsy using mesoscale recordings from a large number (thousands) of neurons using Calcium two-photon imaging. Currently he is a Senior Research Associate / Group Head at the Cyprus Institute for Neurology and Genetics, director of the Cognitive Neuromodulation Group. He also holds appointments as a Visiting Professor at the Center for Neurosciences, VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium and a Guest Scientist at the Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany.

Selected publications (last 10 years):
(a full list can be obtained here)

1.    van den Berg, M., Heymans, L., Toen, D., Adhikari, M.A., Van Audekerke, J., Verschuuren, M., Pintelon, I., De Vos, W., Van der Linden, A., Verhoye, M., Keliris, G.A. (2025) Partial normalization of hippocampal oscillatory activity during sleep in TgF344-AD rats coincides with increased cholinergic synapses at early-plaque stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 13, 96(2025) 
2.    Washington, S., Shuttuck, K., Steckel, J., Peremans, H., Jonckers, E., Hinz, R., Venneman, T.,  Van den Berg, M., Van Ruijssevelt, L., Verellen, T., Pritchett, D.L., Scholliers, J., Liang, S., Wang, P., Verhoye, M., Esser, K.H., Van der Linden, A., & Keliris, G.A. (2024) Auditory cortical regions show resting-state functional connectivity with the default mode-like network in echolocating bats. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(27).
3.    Moradi, F., van den Berg, M., Mirjebreili, M., Kosten, L., Verhoye, M., Amiri, M. & Keliris, G.A. (2023) Early classification of Alzheimer’s Disease Phenotype based on Hippocampal Electrophysiology in the TgF344-AD rat model. iScience 107454 (2023).
4.    Ben-Nejma, I.R.H.*, Keliris, A.J.*, Vanreusel, V., Ponsaerts, P., Van der Linden, A., & Keliris, G.A. (2023). Altered dynamics of glymphatic flow in a mature-onset Tet-off APP mouse model of amyloidosis. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, 15(1), 23. (*equal contribution)
5.    Rezakhani, S., Amiri, M., Weckhuysen, S., and Keliris, G.A., Therapeutic efficacy of seizure onset zone-targeting high-definition cathodal tDCS in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Clin Neurophysiol, 2022. 136: p. 219-227.
6.    Peeters, L.M., Missault, S., Keliris, A.J., and Keliris, G.A., Combining designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs and neuroimaging in experimental models: A powerful approach towards neurotheranostic applications. Br J Pharmacol, 2020. 177(5): p. 992-1002.
7.    Belloy, M.E., Billings, J., Abbas, A., Kashyap, A., Pan, W.J., Hinz, R., Vanreusel, V., Van Audekerke, J., Van der Linden, A., Keilholz, S.D., Verhoye, M., and Keliris, G.A., Resting Brain Fluctuations Are Intrinsically Coupled to Visual Response Dynamics. Cereb Cortex, 2020. 31(3): p. 1511-1522.
8.    Peeters, L.M., van den Berg, M., Hinz, R., Majumdar, G., Pintelon, I., and Keliris, G.A., Cholinergic Modulation of the Default Mode Like Network in Rats. iScience, 2020. 23(9): p. 101455.
9.    Keliris, G.A., Li, Q., Papanikolaou, A., Logothetis, N.K., and Smirnakis, S.M., Estimating average single-neuron visual receptive field sizes by fMRI. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2019. 116(13): p. 6425-6434.
10.    Ben-Nejma, I.R.H., Keliris, A.J., Daans, J., Ponsaerts, P., Verhoye, M., Van der Linden, A., and Keliris, G.A., Increased soluble amyloid-beta causes early aberrant brain network hypersynchronisation in a mature-onset mouse model of amyloidosis. Acta Neuropathol Commun, 2019. 7(1): p. 180.
 

Awards

Dr. Keliris received many prestigious National and International Awards for his academic achievements including: an “Early Academic Performance Award” for the best performance in the core subjects of the Degree in Physics at the University of Cyprus, a “First Award” for finishing first in the ranking of the Faculty of Physics, University of Cyprus, a Scholarship for Master’s studies by the International Max-Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for further academic study and training, a PhD scholarship for doctoral studies by the Max-Planck Society, and Fellowships for post-doctoral studies by the Max-Planck Society and the European Research Council (FP7). He serves as invited reviewer for several research funding organizations as well as peer-reviewed journals. His research team and students received over the years numerous prizes such as best thesis award, best poster and best presentation awards.