Scientific Board
Prof. Apostolos Vantarakis
Professor of Public Health
Laboratory of Public Health, Epidemiology and Quality of Life
Medical Department, University of Patras, Greece
Prof. Apostolos Vantarakis is a Full Professor of Public Health at the University of Patras and Director of the Laboratory of Public Health, Epidemiology and Quality of Life. His research spans environmental microbiology, epidemiology of infectious diseases, health promotion, and risk assessment. He has coordinated and participated in numerous national and European research projects in the fields of public health and One Health. Prof. Vantarakis has authored over 140 peer-reviewed publications and actively contributes to shaping public health policy and education in Greece and across Europe.
Dr. Uli Klümper
Senior Researcher, Department of Hydrobiology
Technical University of Dresden (TUD), Germany
Dr. Uli Klümper is a senior researcher at the Technical University of Dresden, specializing in environmental microbiology and antimicrobial resistance. His research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of antibiotic resistance gene dissemination in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. He integrates molecular biology, microbial ecology, and mathematical modeling to investigate the mobility of resistance genes and plasmids in complex microbial communities. Dr. Klümper has been awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship and has led several EU- and nationally funded research projects. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and actively contributes to advancing One Health approaches in environmental contexts.
Dr. Sara Soto
Head of the Viral and Bacterial Infections Programme
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Spain
Dr. Sara Soto is the Head of the Viral and Bacterial Infections Programme at ISGlobal, where she leads research on antimicrobial resistance, biofilm dynamics, and the development of novel antibacterial strategies. With a PhD in Biology and an “Extraordinary Doctorate Award,” she has coordinated and participated in numerous international research projects and holds several patents. Dr. Soto has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications and is actively involved in mentoring early-career researchers. Her work focuses on advancing translational research to combat drug-resistant infections and promote global health.
Dr. Yannick Rossez
Research Scientist, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
University of Lille, France
Dr. Yannick Rossez is a CNRS researcher at the University of Lille specializing in host–bacteria interactions, bacterial adhesion, and environmental microbiology. His research focuses on the biological and pathological roles of mucins in the gastrointestinal tract and their interactions with pathogenic bacteria. Dr. Rossez has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and actively participates in European research networks and COST actions. His work contributes significantly to understanding microbial behavior in diverse ecosystems and its relevance to public health and One Health strategies.
Dr. Yann Guérardel
Research Director, Structural & Functional Glycobiology Unit
Université de Lille, CNRS, France
Dr. Yann Guérardel is Research Director at the CNRS within the Structural and Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF) at the University of Lille, which he currently leads. His work bridges biology and chemistry, focusing on the structure–function relationships of complex glycoconjugates and their roles in host–pathogen interactions and glycan diversity. Holding a PhD in biochemistry, he completed postdoctoral research in Taiwan and Japan, specializing in advanced NMR and mass spectrometry for glycan analysis. His group integrates biophysical, enzymatic, genomic, and chemical approaches to uncover novel glycan biosynthesis pathways and their biological functions. Author of over 230 publications, Dr. Guérardel is internationally recognized for his contributions to glycobiology and its applications in infection biology and molecular medicine.
Dr. Catherine Robbe-Masselot
Research Scientist, Structural & Functional Glycobiology Unit
Université de Lille & CNRS, France
Dr. Catherine Robbe-Masselot is a senior researcher at the Structural & Functional Glycobiology Unit (UGSF), CNRS UMR 8576, University of Lille. She is an expert in mucin glycosylation, mucin–bacteria interactions, and glycan-related biomarkers, with a focus on inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer. Her work includes the development of fecal mucin O-glycan profiles as noninvasive biomarkers for gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohn’s disease. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Université Lille and earned accreditation to supervise doctoral candidates (HDR) in 2012. With over 70 publications, she is recognized internationally for her contributions to glycobiology and the understanding of mucin biology in health and disease.
Prof. Nikolaos Thomaidis
Prof. Nikolaos Thomaidis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, and since 2018 he has served as Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, NKUA. He is an elected Adjunct Professor at Yale University – School of Public Health, and a Visiting Professor at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), Shanghai. He is Director of the MSc Program Analytical Chemistry – Quality Assurance of the Department of Chemistry, as well as Director of the international MSc Program Environmental Sciences and Public Health. He has authored more than 320 publications in international and national scientific journals and has delivered lectures at over 60 training seminars in Greece and Cyprus. He has coordinated more than 90 national and international research projects (32 currently active). He leads the research group Trace Analysis and Mass Spectrometry (TrAMS), which includes 10 postdoctoral researchers, 14 PhD candidates, 20 MSc students, 6 analytical chemists in the service laboratory, and 4 staff members in administrative support. He is a member of the seven-member Special Body of the Research Committee of ELKE–NKUA, and Vice President of the Regional Council for Research and Innovation of Attica (RCRI). From 2018 to 2022, he served his first term as President of the Asset Management Company of NKUA S.A., and since autumn 2023 he has been serving his second term. In 2023, he was elected Internal Member of the Governing Council of NKUA and, by unanimous decision, was appointed Vice President. In 2022, he served as Dean of the School of Agricultural Development, Nutrition and Sustainability of NKUA. By decision of the University Senate, he is also Coordinator of the horizontal research infrastructures (core facilities) of NKUA.
Prof. Panagiotis Kalatzis
Professor Panagiotis Kalantzis holds a BSc and MSc from the University of Crete and a PhD from the University of Copenhagen in Biology, with a specialization in microbiology and bacteriophages. His professional experience spans both academia and the corporate world, and his vision has consistently been to bring applied research close to real-world problems, delivering tangible solutions. Over the years, he has participated in scientific consortia and collaborations with partners from Chile, Georgia, the USA, Denmark, China, Norway, Finland, and Greece, developing an extensive international network. His research focuses on bacteria–phage interactions and on the potential of bacteriophages as a sustainable weapon against pathogenic bacteria, with results disseminated through contributions to international peer-reviewed journals and numerous international conferences. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen, where his primary work targets necrotizing soft-tissue infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes using phage-based strategies, in joint efforts with Danish hospitals and the Becky Mayer Center for Phage Research in Leicester, UK.
