Dr Vavourakis' scientific expertise is in continuum solid mechanics and biomechanics, and in mathematical and computational modelling in engineering and bioengineering. His research interests span from scientific computing and modelling to nonlinear solids, systems biology and medicine. His long-term research vision is to amalgamate modelling with imaging technologies towards personalized pre-operative planning and intraoperative decision making, as well as investigate the pathophysiology of cancer and other diseases.

In summary, Dr Vavourakis' fields of scientific interest include:

• Continuum mechanics; Non-linear Solid Mechanics & Structural Analysis
• In-silico modelling in Multiphysics and Multiscale problems
• Boundary Elements, Finite Element Method, Isogeometric Analysis, Mesh-free methods
• Mathematical Biology; Mathematical Modelling
• Development and application of fluid-solid and solid-solid interaction numerical methods in Aeronautics, Engineering and Bioengineering
• High-performance computing: parallel programming through CPU-/GPU-based procedures; object-oriented programming

N. Cogno, C. Axenie, R. Bauer, V. Vavourakis 2024. “Agent-based modelling in cancer biomedicine: applications and tools for calibration and validation,” Cancer Biology & Therapy https://doi.org/10.1080/15384047.2024.2344600  

F. Galarce, K. Tabelow, J. Polzehl, C.P. Papanikas, V. Vavourakis, L. Lilaj, I. Sack, A. Caiazzo 2023. “Displacement and pressure reconstruction from magnetic resonance elastography images: application to an in silico brain model,” SIAM Journal on Imaging Sciences https://doi.org/10.1137/22M149363X

M. Hadjicharalambous, E. Ioannou, N. Aristokleous, K. Gazeli, C. Anastassiou, V. Vavourakis 2022. “Combined anti-angiogenic and cytotoxic treatment of a solid tumour: in silico investigation of a xenograft animal model’s digital twin,” Journal of Theoretical Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111246

K. Gazeli, M. Hadjicharalambous, E. Ioannou, O. Gazeli, C. Lazarou, C. Anastassiou, P. Svarnas, V. Vavourakis*, G.E. Georghiou* 2022. “Interrogating an in-silico model for melanoma cancer cell response outcome quantification to cold helium plasma jet and chemotherapy,” Applied Physics Letters, https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0077694 (*shared senior authorship)

L. Breitwieser, A. Hesam, J. de Montigny, A. Iosif, V. Vavourakis, M. Kaiser, M. Manca, A. Di Meglio, F. Rademakers, O. Mutlu, R. Bauer 2021. “BioDynaMo: a modular platform for high-performance agentbased simulation,” Bioinformatics, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btab649 

M. Hadjicharalambous, C.T. Stoeck, M. Weisskopf, N. Cesarovic, E. Ioannou, V. Vavourakis*, D.A. Nordsletten* 2021. “Understanding the influence of the myocardial reference configuration using 3D personalized biomechanical cardiac FE models,” Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-021-01464-2 (*shared senior authorship)

J. de Montigny, A. Iosif, L. Breitwieser, M. Manca, R. Bauer, V. Vavourakis 2020. "An in silico hybrid continuum-/agent-based procedure to modelling cancer development: Interrogating the interplay amongst glioma invasion, vascularity and necrosis," Methods, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.01.006 

P.A. Wijeratne, V. Vavourakis 2019. "A quantitative in silico platform for simulating cytotoxic and nanoparticle drug delivery to solid tumours," Royal Society Interface Focus, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2018.0063 

V. Vavourakis, T. Stylianopoulos, P.A. Wijeratne 2018. "In-silico dynamic analysis of cytotoxic drug administration to solid tumours: Effect of binding affinity and vessel permeability," PLoS Computational Biology, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006460 

P. Wijeratne, J.H. Hipwell, D.J. Hawkes, T. Stylianopoulos, V. Vavourakis 2017. "Multiscale biphasic tumour mechanics: the effect of collagen microstructure on peritumoural fluid flow," PLOS ONE, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184511 

V. Vavourakis, P. Wijeratne, R. Shipley, M. Loizidou, T. Stylianopoulos, D.J. Hawkes 2017. "A validated multiscale in-silico model for mechano-sensitive tumour angiogenesis and growth," PLoS Computational Biology, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005259 

V. Vavourakis, B. Eiben, J. Hipwell, N.R. Williams, M. Keshtgar, D.J. Hawkes 2016. "Multiscale Mechano-Biological Finite Element Modelling of Oncoplastic Breast Surgery—Numerical Study towards Surgical Planning and Cosmetic Outcome Prediction," PLOS ONE, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0159766 

J. Hipwell, V. Vavourakis, L. Han, T. Mentzanidou, B. Eiben, D.J. Hawkes 2016. “A review of biomechanically informed breast image registration,” Physics in Medicine and Biology, (Review) https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/61/2/R1

B. Eiben, V. Vavourakis, J.H. Hipwell, S. Kabus, T. Buelow, C. Lorenz, T. Mertzanidou, S. Reis, N.R. Williams, M. Keshtgar, D.J. Hawkes 2015. "Symmetric biomechanically guided prone-to-supine breast image registration," Annals of Biomedical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1496-z 

V. Vavourakis, J. Hipwell, D.J. Hawkes 2015. "An inverse u/p-finite element formulation to predict the unloaded state of in vivo biological soft tissues," Annals of Biomedical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-015-1405-5 

E. Metaxa, N. Kontopodis, V. Vavourakis, K. Tzirakis, C.V. Ioannou, Y. Papaharilaou 2014. “The Influence of Intraluminal Thrombus on Noninvasive Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Wall Distensibility Measurement,” Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-014-1235-x

V. Vavourakis, D. Loukidis, D. Charmpis, P. Papanastasiou 2013. “Assessment of remeshing and remapping strategies for large deformation elastoplastic Finite Element analysis,” Computers and Structures, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2012.09.010

V. Vavourakis, A. Kazakidi, D.P. Tsakiris, J.A. Ekaterinaris 2012. “A non-linear dynamic finite element analysis of skeletal muscles and muscular hydrostats,” Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2012.723702

V. Vavourakis, Y. Papaharilaou, J.A. Ekaterinaris 2011. “Coupled fluid-structure interaction hemodynamics in a zero-pressure state corrected arterial geometry,” Journal of Biomechanics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2011.06.024

V. Vavourakis 2009. “A meshless Local Boundary Integral Equation method for two-dimensional steady elliptic problems,” Computational Mechanics, 44: 777-790. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-009-0409-0