Participants

Prof. Spyridon Ntougias studied chemistry (Univ. Athens, Greece) and received his Ph.D. in 1999 from the Department of Biological Sciences, Wye College, University of London, UK. He worked as scientific staff at the National Agricultural Research Foundation (NAGREF) and became academic staff in 2009 at the Department of Environmental Engineering, DUTH. He has 25-year research experience on applied microbiology, bioengineering, waste management, and biomass valorization. He has 92 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals (h index: 31, Citations: 3013), 4 chapter books, 1 patent, and more than 100 participations in international and national conferences. He has/had participated in several international and national research projects (many as Coordinator/Principal Investigator), including EU-(co)funded and IAEA projects as well as projects funded by regional authorities and the private sector. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Greek Microbiological Society “Mikrobiokosmos” (member of FEMS) for the years 2015-2019. He is Chief Editor of “Frontiers in Sustainability” – section “Nature-Based Solutions,” and Associate Editor of “Frontiers in Microbiology” – section “Systems Microbiology,” “Annals of Microbiology,” and “Water.” 

Ioannis Stavrakakis studied Environmental Science at the Department of Environment of the University of the Aegean, where he graduated in 2016 with a grade of 6.72. He completed his postgraduate studies in the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Democritus University of Thrace in the Master’s Program “Environment and Behavior” with a grade of 9.50. Since March 2024, he has been a member of the research team of the FERONIA research program.

Michalis Goliomytis is an Assistant Professor of Animal Husbandry at the Department of Animal Science of the Agricultural University of Athens. He teaches in graduate and post-graduate courses, and his research interests are related to growth models, animal products’ quality (eggs and poultry, rabbit and lamb meat), the use of natural antioxidants in animal nutrition, and sustainability in animal production systems. He has 40 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals (h index: 16) and has presented oral and poster presentations at international (11) and national (28) scientific conferences. He has participated in 11 research projects funded by the European Union, the Greek State, or non-governmental organizations.

Panagiotis E. Simitzis works as an Associate Professor in the Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Department of Animal Science of the Agricultural University of Athens. His research interests include Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Animal Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Quality Characteristics of Animal Products, and Functional Foods. He has 80 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and more than 90 participations in national and international conferences with oral or poster presentations. He has participated in 15 research projects funded by the European Union, the Greek State, or non-governmental organizations, and has provided scientific guidance in 8 of these projects. He has also participated in several training courses for sheep and poultry farmers.

Dr. Nektarios Kavroulakis holds a bachelor in Agricultural Biotechnology and a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens. He currently works as a Researcher at the Institute of Olive Tree Subtropical Crops and Viticulture (IOSV), Plant Pathology Laboratory. His scientific activity focuses on plant, microbe, and environment interactions and the potential exploitation of plant products and soil microbes in agriculture and environmental protection. His main research interests include plant pathology and plant-microbe interactions with an emphasis on beneficial microorganisms. Dr. Kavroulakis is focusing on experimental, theoretical, and applied aspects of several agricultural issues, including the following specific topics: (i) identification and management of plant pathogens, (ii) plant-microbe interactions with an emphasis on symbiotic organisms (rhizobia, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and endophytes as plant growth regulators), (iii) bioremediation and valorization of agro-industrial wastes, (v) soil microflora diversity in agricultural and natural ecosystems. He has more than 35 publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals in the field of plant sciences and has also contributed chapters to two books. He has been a member of editorial boards as well as a regular reviewer for peer-reviewed journals. He has participated in and coordinated a number of EU, National (e.g., GSRT-Greece, Ministry of Education), and agro-industry projects. He also holds a patent on a beneficial F. solani strain (FsK) used in the protection of plants against biotic (pests or microbes) and abiotic stress factors.