Mrs. Papanicolaou holds a Diploma and a Ph.D. Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Patras. As of March 2003 and for a period of one year she held a contract as Post-Doctoral Fellow at the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment of the Joint Research Centre, Ispra. From 2004, she serves as a faculty member of the Civil Engineering Dept., University of Patras (Full Professor, since 2024), being part of the Structural Materials Lab staff.
She is author/co-author of: 1 special publication of the European Committee (EUR – Scientific and Technical Research Reports, 3 Book Chapters, 39 Papers in Refereed Scientific Journals, 50 Papers in International Conference Proceedings (refereed; 3 keynote): 18 Papers in National Conference Proceedings (refereed), 8 Technical Recommendations for the Society of Greek Civil Engineers and > 100 Scientific & Technical Reports.
She has been an invited speaker to 36 workshops/seminars (inside and outside Greece) and a reviewer for 31 International Scientific Journals [Best Reviewer2015 Award of Materials and Structures (RILEM)]. She has served as a Scientific Coordinator to 7 Research Projects and as a researcher to 14 others. She is a member of International and Greek Scientific Committees and Associations and the co-Chair of Rilem TC IMC “Durability of Inorganic Matrix Composites used for  Strengthening of Masonry Constructions”.
Her main research interests are focused on experimental mechanics of structural materials (e.g. high- or special-performance concrete and lightweight concrete) under normal environmental conditions but also under detrimental ones, such as fire, on the mechanical behavior of inorganic matrix composites and on the optimum design of advanced prefabrication systems.