Research Interests

Research in the fields of biotechnology and bioinformatics. Discovery of enzymes of industrial interest through the analysis of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics data.

Education and Work Experience

PhD Biotechnology,  2020 – present

Industrial Biotechnology & Biocatalysis Group
School of Chemical Engineering
National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Thesis: Discovery of biocatalysts with industrial interest from marine fungi with the use of -omics technologies

Diploma in Chemical Engineering                                                  2019

National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Publications List

9. Caputo F., Siaperas R., Dias C., Nikolaivits E., Olsson L. (2024). Elucidating Thermothielavioides terrestris secretome changes for improved saccharification of mild steam-pretreated spruce. Biotechnology for biofuels and bioproducts, 17, 127, doi: 10.1186/s13068-024-02569-3

8. Attallah O.A., Ferrero P., Ljesevic M., Loncarevic B., Aleksic I., Pantelic B., Gojgic G., Siaperas R., Topakas E., Beskoski V., Nikodinovic-Runic J. (2024). Micro-wave induced pyrolysis of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and biodegradation of resulting wax in soil and by defined microbial consortia is closing the loop towards LDPE upcycling. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 12, 114269; doi: 10.1016/j.jece.2024.114269.

7. Pantelic B., Siaperas R., Budin C., de Boer T., Topakas E., Nikodinovic-Runic J. (2024). Proteomic examination of polyester-polyurethane degradation by Streptomyces sp. PU10: Diverting polyurethane intermediates to secondary metabolite production. Microbial Biotechnology, 17:e14445, doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.14445.

6. Pantelic B., Araujo J. A., Jeremic S., Azeem M., Attallah O. A., Siaperas R., Mojicevic M., Chen Y., Fournet M. B., Topakas E., Nikodinovic-Runic J., A novel Bacillus subtilis BPM12 with high bis(2 hydroxyethyl)terephthalate hydrolytic activity efficiently interacts with virgin and mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate, Environmental Technology & Innovation, 32, 103316, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.eti.2023.103316

5. Taxeidis G., Nikolaivits E., Siaperas R., Gkountela C., Vouyiouka S., Pantelic B., Nikodinovic-Runic J., Topakas E., Triggering and identifying the polyurethane and polyethylene-degrading machinery of filamentous fungi secretomes, Environmental Pollution, 325, 121460, 2023, 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., Set of Small Molecule Polyurethane (PU) Model Substrates: Ecotoxicity Evaluation and Identification of PU Degrading Biocatalysts, Catalysts, 13, 278, 2023, doi: 0.3390/catal13020278

3. Zerva A., Siaperas R., Taxeidis G., Kyriakidi M., Vouyiouka S., Zervakis G., Topakas Ε., Investigation of Abortiporus biennis lignocellulolytic toolbox, and the role of laccases in polystyrene degradation, Chemosphere, 312, 137338; doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137338

2. Nikolaivits E., Siaperas R., Agrafiotis A., Ouazzani J., Gioti A., Topakas Ε., Functional and transcriptomic investigation of laccase activity in the presence of PCB29 identifies two novel enzymes and the multicopper oxidase repertoire of a marine-derived fungus, Science of the Total Environment, 775, 145818; doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145818

1. Gioti A, Siaperas R, Nikolaivits E, Le Goff G, Ouazzani J, Kotoulas G, Topakas E., Draft Genome Sequence of a Cladosporium Species Isolated from the Mesophotic Ascidian Didemnum maculosum, Microbiology Resource Announcements, 9, 14-15, 2020, doi:  10.1128/MRA.00311-20