Education

2017-present:

Ph.D. candidate in Biotechnology

National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)

School of Chemical Engineering

Biotechnology Laboratory

Ph.D. Thesis: Biotechnological utilization of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of lactic acid and energy.

2012-2014:

Master Diploma in “Agriculture, Plant Breeding and Agricultural Experimentation”

Agricultural University of Athens, A.U.A.

Master Thesis: “Genetic transformation in Nicotiana benthamiana sp. with genes of phytopathogenic bacteria”

2007-2012:

Diploma in Agriculture of Agricultural University of Athens, A.U.A.

Department: Plant Production Science

Specialty: Agriculture and Plant Breeding

Diploma Thesis: “Evaluation of methods of genetic transformation in tomato and soybean plants”

Graduate of «Moraitis School» in Palaio Psychiko, Athens

Languages

Greek: Native language

English: First Certificate in English, Lower, Cambridge

Certificate of Proficiency in English, University of Michigan

German: Goethe-Zertifikat B1, B2 &C1

Italian: Celi 2-B1, Celi 3-B2

Awards

2018 – present: Scholarship for postgraduate studies by the State Scholarship’s Foundation (ΙΚΥ), through the program “Development of human resources, education and lifelong learning”, Greece

2012: 1st place of graduation of the Department of Plant Production in the total of 152 students

Work Experience

5/2012 and 11/7/2011-31/8/2011:

Practical training: Plant Breeding and Agricultural Experimentation Laboratory, A.U.A.

5/7/2010-31/7/2010 and 8/8/2010-20/8/2010:

Practical training: Benaki Phytopathological Institute, B.P.I. Department: “Laboratory of Chemical control of pesticides”

2015-2016: Voluntary work in programs at the Laboratory for Plant Breeding and Agricultural Experimentation, A.U.A.

Publications

5. Asimakopoulou, G., Karnaouri, A., Staikos, S., Stefanidis, S.D., Kalogiannis, K.G., Lappas, A.A. and Topakas, E., (2021). Production of Omega-3 Fatty Acids from the Microalga Crypthecodinium cohnii by Utilizing Both Pentose and Hexose Sugars from Agricultural Residues. Fermentation, 7(4), p.219; doi.org/10.3390/fermentation7040219

4. Karnaouri A., Asimakopoulou G., Kalogiannis K.G., Lappas A.A., Topakas* E. (2021). Efficient production of nutraceuticals and lactic acid from lignocellulosic biomass by combining organosolv fractionation with enzymatic/fermentative routes. Bioresource Technology, 341, 125846; doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125846.

3. Karnaouri A., Asimakopoulou G., Kalogiannis K.G., Lappas A., Topakas* E. (2020). Efficient D-lactic acid production by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus through conversion of organosolv pretreated lignocellulosic biomass. Biomass and Bioenergy, 140, 105672; doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105672

2. Kalogiannis K.G., Karnaouri A., Michailof C., Tzika A.M., Asimakopoulou G., Topakas E., Lappas A.A. (2020). OxiOrganosolv: a novel acid free oxidative organosolv fractionation for lignocellulose fine sugar streams. Bioresource Technology, 313, 123599; doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123599

1. Tani E., Sarri E., Goufa M., Asimakopoulou G., Psychogiou M., Bingham E., Skaracis G. and Abraham E. (2018). Seedling Growth and Transcriptional Responses to Salt Shock and Stress in Medicago sativa L., Medicago arborea L., and Their Hybrid (Alborea), Agronomy

National Conferences

8th Conference of the Hellenic Science Society of MicroBioKosmos (MBK) 2019, 18-20 April 2019, Patras, Greece
7th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, 26-29 June 2019, Crete Island, Greece
8th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, 2-5 September 2020, Thessaloniki, Greece
16th Panhellenic Conference on Genetic Breeding of Plants in Florina (28-30 / 10/2016), titled: “THE EFFECT OF THE SALINITY IN Medicago species AND THE SUBMISSION OF PLANTS IN STAGE INCINERATION”, E. Sarri1, G. Asimakopoulou1, M. Goufa1, M. Psychoyou2, E. Abraham3, E. Bingham4, E.Tanil, G.Scarakis1\
1-4/9/2013: European Plant Science Organisation, 7th EPSO Conference, ‘Plants for a Greening Economy’, Porto Heli, Greece

Practical Skills

1. Isolation of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) / Gene expression assay

2. Electrophoresis of nucleic acids

3. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

4. Tissue Culture Techniques / Transient Plant Transformation

5. Techniques for producing transgenic plants (A. tumefaciens / A. rhizogenes)

6. Use of UPOV standards to identify and validate varieties

7. Field work estimates

8. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

9. Thermo Scientific Dionex ion chromatography (IC) system