Education

06/2020 – present

Elaboration of a doctoral thesis on “Biotechnological Degradation of Plastics“, National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology Laboratory

9/2014 – 9/2019

Diploma in Chemical Engineering (8.54/10), National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering

Diploma Thesis: “Optimization of the production of docosahexaenoic fatty acid by the heterotrophic microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii utilizing a dark fermentation effluent”

Languages

Greek (Native speaker)

English (C2 Level)

German (C1 Level)

Russian (A2 Level)

Work Experience

08/2018 – 09/2018

Internship in JOTIS S.A., Food Industry

R&D and Production Department

Publications

9. Makryniotis K., Nikolaivits E., Taxeidis G., Nikodinovic-Runic J., Topakas* E. (2024). Exploring the substrate spectrum of phylogenetically distinct bacterial polyesterases. Biotechnology Journal, in press

8. Taxeidis G., Djapovic M., Nikolaivits E., Maslak V., Nikodinovic-Runic J., Topakas* E. (2024). New labelled PET analogues enable the functional screening and characterization of PET-degrading enzymes. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, in Press.

7. Araujo J.A., Taxeidis G., Pereira E.H., Azeem M., Pantelic B., Jeremic S., Ponjavic M., Chen Y., Mojicevic M., Nikodinovic-Runic J., Topakas E., Brennan Fournet M. (2024). Biotechnological model for ubiquitous mixed petroleum- and bio-based plastics degradation and upcycling into bacterial nanocellulose. Journal of Cleaner Production, 443, 141025; doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141025.

6. Attallah O.A., Taxeidis G., Chee B., Topakas E., Fournet M.B. (2023). Mechanochemical and mechanobiological recycling of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics under microwave irradiation: a comparative study. Journal of Polymer Research, 30:354; doi: 10.1007/s10965-023-03740-4.

5.  Taxeidis G., Nikolaivits E., Siaperas R., Gkountela C., Vouyiouka S., Pantelic B., Nikodinovic-Runic J., Topakas* E. (2023). Triggering and identifying the polyurethane and polyethylene-degrading machinery of filamentous fungi secretomes. Environmental Pollution, 325, 121460; doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121460.

4. Pantelic, B., Skaro Bogojevic, S., Milivojevic, D., Ilic-Tomic, T., Lončarević, B., Beskoski, V., Maslak, V., Guzik, M., Makryniotis, K., Taxeidis, G., Siaperas, R., Topakas, E., & Nikodinovic-Runic, J. (2023). Set of Small Molecule Polyurethane (PU) Model Substrates: Ecotoxicity Evaluation and Identification of PU Degrading Biocatalysts. Catalysts, 13(2).  https://doi.org/10.3390/CATAL13020278

3. Nikolaivits, E., Taxeidis, G., Gkountela, C., Vouyiouka, S., Maslak, V., Nikodinovic-Runic, J., & Topakas, E. (2022). A polyesterase from the Antarctic bacterium Moraxella sp. degrades highly crystalline synthetic polymers. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 434, 128900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128900

2. Nikolaivits, E., Pantelic, B., Azeem, M., Taxeidis, G., Babu, R., Topakas, E., Brennan Fournet, M., & Nikodinovic-Runic, J. (2021). Progressing Plastics Circularity: A Review of Mechano-Biocatalytic Approaches for Waste Plastic (Re)valorization. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9, 535. http://10.3389/fbioe.2021.696040

1. Chalima A.; Taxeidis G.; Topakas E. Optimization of the production of docosahexaenoic fatty acid by the heterotrophic microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii utilizing a dark fermentation effluent, Renew. Energy. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.01.041

Conferences

2. 7th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, (26-29/06/2019, Herakleion, Creta Island, Greece) “Optimization of DHA production by the heterotrophic microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii utilizing a dark fermentation effluent”

1. 12ο Πανελλήνιο Επιστημονικό Συνέδριο Χημικής Μηχανικής (29-31/05/2019, Αθήνα) «Αξιοποίηση βιοαποβλήτων για την παραγωγή εικοσιδιεξανοϊκου οξέος από το μικροφύκος Crypthecodinium cohnii μέσω μιας διεργασίας καλλιέργειας ημιδιαλείποντος έργου»

Other Skills

Analytical laboratory techniques, management of laboratory equipment (HPLC analysis, GC analysis, Cell growth and cultivation methods, Bioreactor operation)

Computer Skills: Microsoft Office, PyMOL, Copasi