Oct’ 1995 – Sep’ 1999

BSc in Food Science & Technology - Technological Educational Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece

A four year BSc degree in Food Science & Technology including a six month industrial placement and a six month final year research project.

Oct’ 1999 – Sep’ 2002 - Chr-Hansen A/S

Business Development / Technical Support & Sales  

Main duties:

• Business development and promotion of Dairy starter cultures and rennet for the Dairy Industry providing expert Technical Support on (feta) cheese and greek-yoghurt production and food safety.

• Key account management for the dairy sector for the whole of mid and north Greece.

Oct’ 2003 – Sep’ 2007  

PhD in Food and Human Gut Microbiology - University of Reading

I worked in the area of gut microbiology and probiotics under the supervision of Prof. Glenn Gibson in the Food Biosciences Department at the University of Reading.

My research involved the investigation of the antimicrobial activity of selected potential probiotic strains against the human gut pathogen Clostridium difficile, the causative agent of pseudomembranous colitis and linked with antibiotic associated diarrhoea in nosocomial outbreaks.

Apr’ 2012 – Sep’ 2014 - Syngenta Ltd.- International Research Centre, Jealott’s Hill, Bracknell, RG42 6EY, UK.

Research Fellow

Main duties:

• Development of novel Regulatory lab test systems for the evaluation of dissipation of pesticides (CPPs). Namely, with the integration of viable crop-root systems (ryegrass, red clover, hot peppers) into an OECD307 test system.

May 2015 – today:  APHA Scientific (the commercial arm of the Animal & Plant Health Agency, APHA-UK)

Business Development Manager

Main duties:

• Liaison with customers in primarily within the Veterinary Diagnostic and Pharmaceutical Industries, Academia and the Commercial Research & Development sector in order to identify potential services that the APHA can offer to these customers.

• Provide advice to APHA Scientists and Defra on Intellectual Property issues and involved with the APHA patent and licencing portfolio (currently 25 licences, 10 patents, two trademarks and a considerable body of know-how and physical Intellectual property).

• Explore new licencing opportunities or other exploitation of APHA Intellectual Property. Overlooking the work with international diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies to move some very exciting opportunities arising from APHA research into field use over the next few years.

• Intellectual and practical input into the development of new commercial products and services.

• Assist with the implementation and development of the APHA commercial strategy.