Hellenic Pasteur Institute

Little Scientists in a Room of Experiments

“In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind,” said Louis Pasteur, a pioneer chemist and “father” of microbiology … When we are babies we observe everything around us and we always want to learn how everything works. For that reason, we are inviting our little friends to observe fascinating colors to mix and change, bubbles to push water through oil, fruits to swim or sink (!), objects to disappear; and much more to prepare our minds to understand principles of chemistry, physics and biology. 

By playing we will eventually discover the little scientist which is hiding in our minds… 

For young minds 4 – 8 years’ old 

Dimitra K. Toubanaki, Antonia Efstathiou and Evdokia Karagouni 

“EXPERIMENTING WITH DRAMA”!!

Science is a lot more than just studying. A scientist in his daily life faces many questions, such as what causes the flu, or how many years does an elephant live? Some of these questions are still unanswered, such as “how do we eradicate deadly diseases”?, or “how many planets are there beyond our solar system”? Therefore, he has to do his research in order to answer these questions. 

Through interactive games and drama exercises we gain new knowledge and come closer to each other having a pleasant and creative time. The microcosm and biology are here to enter the lives of young and old through drama, with a lot of fun and energy.

G. Papadopoulou – E.I. Koufogeorgou 


Dr Dimitra Toubanaki is research associate at HPIs’ Microbiology Department. Her research is focused on the development of molecular diagnostics utilizing biomarker discovery by -omics approaches.

She is actively involved in science education activities for the past 10 years. She has been a mentor in the ARRAYS project, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) in Boston, MA, USA. The primary objective of the ARRAYS project was to inspire interest in science by creating opportunities for young scientists to participate in real world research.

She is performing science experiments in Primary schools and has participated in 2019 Researcher’s Night, as well as Athens and Patras Science Festivals.

Dr Evdokia Karagouni is Research Director at HPIs’ Microbiology Department. She has a degree in Biology (1982) holds a PhD (1989) from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Her research is focused on the analysis of immunopathogenic mechanisms that dictate disease development in order to determine target biomolecules for immunotherapies, as well as on the detection of pathogenic macromolecules or antigenic determinants with potential use in vaccines or diagnostics development.

She is actively involved in educational activities by teaching in 4 Masters programs and supervising 5 PhD theses, 29 master and undergraduate theses. She is an elected member of the HPI scientific board. She has participated in several Athens and Patras Science Festivals.

Georgia Papadopoulou is a PhD student in HPI’s Molecular Virology department.

She has graduated from Biochemistry and Biotechnology department, University of Thessaly (2015), and holds a Master’s degree in “Applications of Biology in Medicine” from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2018). Furthermore, she interned for three months at the Childrens Hospital “P.&A. Kyriakou” in 2011.

Her research focuses on the study of the interactions between Hepatitis C virus and the host and the role of key biomarkers in virus-dependent hepatic steatosis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. She has offered laboratory training and result analysis to a postgraduate and five undergraduate students during her PhD. She is a skilled communicator, as she has attended communication and event promotion seminars and worked as a hostess in congresses and special events.

Christina V. Oikonomopoulou, is the Head of Administration Department at Hellenic Pasteur Institute.

She was born and grew up in Arcadia Greece. She studied, Health Services Management and Public Administration and got her doctoral degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Health Sciences.

She had trained in France on Hospital Management (Strasbourg, Hospices Civils du Strasbourg, and Health Informatics (Paris, Ministry of Health).

Over the last 30 years she has worked as staff member in the Public Health Sector (Athens Children Hospital P and A. Kyriakou), and as PDG in Children's Mental Hospital of Attica, Network of Services of Mental Health for Children and Adolescents.

She also has a long academic and educational activity teaching Management and Human Resource’s Management, as Lecturer at the Demokriteion University of Thrace, the University of Peloponnese and in post-graduate programs at Nursing Faculty of Athens University and Medical Faculty of University of Crete.

She also has a big experience in the Open and Distance Learning Education, since 2002, as a member of academic staff of Greek Open University and Cyprus Open University.

Her main research interests are focused on the Development of Human Resources, Improvement of Quality of Care, and more recently on the Crisis Management.

Among her activities should be mentioned her participations as member of board of Directors at the Institute of Child Health and the Foundation Angelos and Leto Katakouzenos.

Dr Antonia Efstathiou is a research associate at HPIs’ Microbiology Department. Her research activities include targeted drug discovery against infectious diseases and vaccine development based on exosomes analysis by –omics technologies. She is actively involved in activities for bringing science closer to the public since 2015. She was in the organizing committee of the first 2 researcher’s night pre-event forum at HPI.

She has participated in 2019 Researcher’s Night and Athens Science Festival, performing science experiments. Also, she was member of the Science Reactors group, who present different scientific topics to the public through theatrical sketches and stand-up comedy (stand-up science).Accordion Sample Description


Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI) www.pasteur.gr is an International Institute of Biomedical Research with a social missionand was founded in 1919.

HPI is a public research body that assists the State in Public Health issues.  HPI has embraced the modern concept of Science, believing that an important mission of Research is the Science – Society continuous interconnection, enabling a continuous open dialogue between them. An important aspect of this connection is science education.

In that frame, HPI actively organizes Open Information Days on Science and Technology in the fields of Microbiology (pathogenic microorganisms, infectious diseases, vaccines, antimicrobial resistance, etc.), Immunology (natural and adaptive immunity, antibodies, autoimmune diseases) and Neurobiology (neurodegenerative diseases, stem cells therapies), as well as in Public Health and Hygiene fields (importance of vaccination, nutrition, exercise, smoking, alcohol and substances abuse, personal hygiene, etc). Overall, HPI offers to student and the general public a suitable environment for the acquaintance and understanding of Life Sciences and Biomedical Research.

A significant part of these activities is aimed at schools to inform students on scientific / research issues that will contribute to their subsequent University education and their professional development. HPI has many years of experience in hosting schools for educational programs, addressed to Primary and Secondary Schools students. Some of the programs that are running the last few years are: 

  • Educational Programs (including school visits to HPI).
  • Scientific Events for the general public and students
  • Educational and Social Actions (Educational Program for children Refugees of school age, educational training programs for adolescents (12-18 years old) as well as young adults (18-25 years old) living in child protection institutions, focused on key issues of everyday life (related to personal hygiene, etc).
  • Special Seminars. Seminars for Kindergarten Teachers and Secondary Education Teachers (Necessity of Vaccination, etc.), Seminars in collaboration with School Counselors (Biologists, Geologists, Physicists, Chemists), addressed to teachers of 2ndary Education entitled “Today’s sciences “.

Contact persons

Αggeliki Lymperopoulou, Promotion & Net Working Office, Administration Department, Tel.: 210-6478894, Εmail: a.lym@pasteur.gr

Dimitra  Toubanaki , PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Immunology of Infectious Diseases Laboratory/ Science Commuinication, Department of Microbiology, Tel.: 210-6478825