Director of the “Institute for the Research and Marketing of Medicinal Aromatic Plants. University Research Center for Research and Innovation-AUA

Area of Research Activity: Field crops. Medicinal and Aromatic plants (MAPs). Evaluation of field crops genotypes in terms of their yields and qualitative characteristics and their resilience to abiotic stress. Integrated and sustainable crop and weed management.

Specific Research Experience: Conservation of cereal genetic material. Development and conservation of MAPs’ maternal plantations, with native and endemic Greek identified MAPs, in their areas of origin.      

General Scientific Activity: Member of 8 International and National Scientific Societies. National representative of Greece in European Weed Research Society (EWRS) (1999-2015).  Member of Scientific Committee of EWRS (2012 - 2021). Head of Weed Mapping Working Group in EWRS (2012- 2020). Invited speaker, session organizer and member of scientific committees in European & International Conferences and Workshops. Member of the Board of the Center for Lifelong Learning (KEDIVIM) of AUA (2022 -).

Awards: Award of Academy of Athens (2008). Award of Excellence in Higher Education (2010) for the Research Work and Monography “Drought Stress Assessment of 20 cereals Landraces”.  Award of “Agricultural excellence (2013)” from Hellenic Marketing Academy for the project “Evaluation of micro and macro barley trials of Athenian Brewery SA”. Awards in the competition “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture-InnovInAgri - AUA”,

1. 3^rd award (2018) for co mentoring the team “OH LIVE”. Development of herbal teas with Greek native herbs compatible in nespresso- capsules,
2. 2^nd award (2019) for co mentoring the team “ERONTAS”. Production of beer, by addition of Greek Cretan herbs,
3. 2^nd award (2021) for mentoring the team “NEFI Microbrewery – Rain Beer. Establishment of a Microbrewery for the production of Bio friendly beer with exploitation of rainwater.

Patent for the "Development of food supplement based on the combination of hydroxytyrosol and essential oils of oregano and sage". Industrial Property Organization (2022). Participation in the research team.

International co operations: i) University of J.J. Strossmayer in Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture, Croatia, ii) Nebraska Linkoln University USA, Dept of Plant protection, iii) Czech University of Life Science Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, iv) University of Düzce, and Canakkale Onsekiz Mt University, Turkey, v) Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Volcani Center, Israel.

Educational Activity: Pre graduate and Postgraduate courses in the subjects of Field Crops, Medicinal Aromatic Plants, Integrated Crop Management and Weed Science. Supervision of 8 PhD and 60 MSc Theses and member in consulting committee in over 70 PhD and MSc theses.

Funded research activity: 45 Projects supported by EU, Greek Ministry of Research and Technology, Greek Ministry of Agriculture, Greek Ministry of Education and Private Sector. Scientific responsible or Local Coordinator in 24 projects.  

Publication Record: 5 monographies, 4 books chapters, 77 refereed journal articles, more than 60 papers in international and national refereed conference proceedings, and more than 100 published abstracts in international and national conferences.