We’re excited to share that Dr. Kyriaki Mikellidou has been awarded a grant from the Cyprus’s Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) to lead the research project: “Empathy Training for Regulation of Inflammation in the Human Body.” This is an innovative project that investigates empathy as a socially acquired capacity and the level it affects systemic health, laying the foundation for transformative advancements in neuroscience, psychology, and public health.
Why This Research Matters
Empathy is a multi-dimensional construct characterized by individual differences associated with distinct biological markers. Although empathy is often regarded as a positive human attribute, emerging evidence indicates that excessively high levels of empathy may have adverse consequences, being linked to mental health conditions, immune-related and other disorders. Nonetheless, findings suggesting that empathy is potentially modifiable through learning processes mediated by neuroplasticity offer an optimistic perspective, creating opportunities for interventions aimed at regulating excessive empathic responses.
Despite these advances, the current state-of-the-art reveals significant limitations. To address these gaps, Dr. Mikellidou’s research team will conduct an experimental study adopting a holistic approach that integrates biological and psychological data to elucidate the relationship between empathy regulation and indicators of mental and systemic health.
EmpaTRaIny aims to establish a framework to guide future intervention strategies that integrate psychoeducational components for mediating excessive emotional responses. This study represents a preparatory phase of an ERC Consolidator Grant project designed to foster innovation and excellence in scientific research.
Meet the Team
The project brings together the team:
- Dr. Kyriaki Mikellidou, Principal Investigator, University of Limassol
- Anastasia Maria Kesoglou MSc, Research Assistant, University of Limassol
What’s Next?
The findings from this project will be shared widely through:
📢 Presentations at academic conferences
📄 Newspaper articles, podcasts and other activities for the general public
📚 Peer-reviewed journal articles
🌍 A public report accessible to everyone
The research officially started on August 1, 2025.
Want to follow along? You can learn more about the project here:
The project is co-funded by the EU within the framework of the Cohesion Policy Programme “THALIA 2021-2027”. [Pr. no. VISION ERC -PATH 2/0524/0021]. The content reflects the views of the author(s) only. The European Commission and the Managing Authority of THALIA 2021–2027 cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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