Education and Work Experience

PhD Candidate
Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis Group, Laboratory of Biotechnology
School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens
2024 – present

Thesis title: Functional analysis of proteomic data from saprophytic fungi with potential for plastic waste conversion

Research focus: Enzyme discovery, characterization, and application in plastic biodegradation and upcycling, with emphasis on polyester-degrading enzymes, heterologous protein expression, and sustainable biocatalytic processes.

MSc in Biotechnology
Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
2022 – 2024

Master Thesis: Study of fungal ferulic acid esterase FoFaeC and engineered variants, heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris, and evaluation of their activity on natural and synthetic substrates.

Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens

BSc in Biology
Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
2018 – 2022

Bachelor Thesis: Construction of novel Pseudomonas putida strains carrying gene cassettes involved in the biodesulfurization pathway of petroleum fractions.

Laboratory of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Additional Training

CIVIS Erasmus Blended Intensive Program: Molecular Scale Biophysics
Aix-Marseille University
January – June 2024

Training Course: Primer on Microbiome Analysis
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly
April 2023

CIVIS Erasmus Blended Intensive Program: Experimental Models in Molecular Biomedicine
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
January – July 2023

Previous Research Experience

Trainee Student
Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis Group, Laboratory of Biotechnology
School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens
September – November 2021

Research work focused on the heterologous production of xylanases in Pichia pastoris, aiming at the in vitro degradation of highly decorated plant polymers.

Trainee Student
Laboratory of Dairy Research
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens
September – November 2020

Research work focused on the use of different starter cultures for the production and optimization of Kopanisti cheese.

Research Interests

Industrial biotechnology; Biocatalysis; Enzyme discovery and characterization; Plastic biodegradation and upcycling; Heterologous protein expression; Microbial biotechnology;