Research Director at the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), specializing in aquatic animal health, fish bacterial diseases, pathogen–host interactions, antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophages and sustainable disease control in aquaculture.
Biography
I am Research Director at the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC) of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), specializing in aquatic animal health, fish bacterial diseases, host–pathogen interactions, antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophages and sustainable disease control in aquaculture.
My research focuses on aquatic animal health, with particular emphasis on bacterial diseases affecting Mediterranean aquaculture. I combine classical microbiology with molecular and genomic approaches to investigate fish pathogens, host–pathogen interactions, antimicrobial resistance, pathogen evolution and adaptation, and bacteriophage–bacteria interactions.
A major focus of my work is the development of sustainable approaches to disease prevention and control, including bacteriophage-based strategies and autogenous vaccines for aquaculture.
Research interests
- Fish bacterial diseases and aquatic animal health
- Aquaculture microbiology and microbial ecology
- Host–pathogen interactions and virulence
- Pathogen evolution and adaptation
- Antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture
- Bacteriophages and phage–bacteria interactions
- Phage therapy and biological disease control
- Autogenous vaccines and disease prevention
- Genomics of aquatic bacterial pathogens
Academic profiles & identifiers
Beyond the laboratory
Research translation
Alongside my academic work, I have been involved in translating research in aquatic animal health into practical applications for aquaculture. I am a founder of Aquatic Biologicals, an HCMR spin-off established to develop science-based approaches for the prevention and control of bacterial diseases in aquaculture, with particular emphasis on autogenous vaccines.
Antarctic field research
My research experience also includes fieldwork in Antarctica, where I participated in an international scientific expedition investigating bacteria-phage interactions in Antarctic marine environments. The work formed part of a broader effort to understand how microbial communities and their viruses interact under extreme environmental conditions and how these relationships compare across contrasting marine ecosystems.
