+30 24410 64785, +30 6977 455 433
Students’ reception hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday 15:00 – 17:00
Ιoannis Giavasis
Associate professor
Microbiology of Food and Microbial Fermentations for the Production of Biopolymers
Research interests
Food Microbiology and Biotechnlogy, Microbial Fermentations, Bioprocess monitoring and optimization, Microbial Biopolymers, Bioactive and Bioprotective Microorganisms, Probiotics and Prebiotics, Food Spoilage and Safety/Hygiene, Natural Antimicrobials/Antioxidants, Biopreservation, Ηigh Pressure Processing, Electrostimulation
Brief CV
Dr. Ioannis Giavasis is a Food Scientist specializing in Food Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Microbial Fermentations. He obtained his degree (with an integrated Master’s qualification) from the Department of Agriculture, Division of Food Science and Technology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (1992), and his PhD from the Department of Bioscience at the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom (2001).
He has worked as a Research Assistant at the Alpine Dairy Institute (Rotholz, Austria) and at the University of Strathclyde, and as a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher for Masterfoods (UK) and Pelecan (Greece), focusing on the optimization of microbial fermentations and the development of ready-to-eat packaged foods with mild thermal processing, respectively. From 2004 to 2008, he served as a contract lecturer at several Higher Education Institutions, and in 2008 he was appointed Lecturer of Applications at the former Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Thessaly.
He is currently an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Thessaly in Karditsa, Greece.
He has collaborated with numerous research institutions in Greece and abroad, as well as with many food industry companies, participating in 20 competitive research projects (3 European and 17 national projects with or without European co-funding), serving as scientific coordinator in five of them. In addition, he has participated in 50 industrially funded, contract-based research and development projects related to new product development or quality control in collaboration with food industries in Greece and internationally (in 38 of which he was the scientific coordinator). He has also coordinated four educational/vocational training projects, supervising the development of digital educational materials and adult education programs, including collaborations with the Centre for Lifelong Learning (KEDIVIM) of the University of Thessaly.
He has published more than 60 research articles, review papers, and book chapters, which have received more than 2,660 citations in the international scientific literature. He is co-editor of three scientific book volumes and co-inventor of six patents related to functional foods, natural antimicrobial and antioxidant ingredients, and the valorization of by-products for the production of bioactive compounds.
Since 2022, he has been included in the top 2% of the most influential scientists worldwide in the field of Food Science, according to the international ranking list compiled by Elsevier and Stanford University (USA).
Courses
- General Microbiology
- Food Microbiology
- Microbial Fermentations & Food Biotechnology
Selected publications
- Skenderidis, P., Mitsagga, C., Lampakis, D., Petrotos, K., & Giavasis, I. (2020). The Effect of Encapsulated Powder of Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) on Growth and Survival of Probiotic Bacteria. Microorganisms, 8(1), 57.
- I. Kafantaris, D. Stagos, B. Kotsampasi, A. Hatzis, A. Kypriotakis1, K. Gerasopoulos,S. Makri, N. Goutzourelas, C. Mitsagga, I. Giavasis, K. Petrotos, S. Kokkas, P. Goulas,V. Christodoulou and D. Kouretas 2018. Grape pomace improves performance, antioxidant status, fecal microbiota and meat quality of piglets. Animal, July 2017, 1-10.
- Georgakouli, K., Mpesios, A., Kouretas, D., Petrotos, K., Mitsagga, C., Giavasis, I., & Jamurtas, A. Z. 2016. The Effects of an Olive Fruit Polyphenol-Enriched Yogurt on Body Composition, Blood Redox Status, Physiological and Metabolic Parameters and Yogurt Microflora. Nutrients, 8(6), 344.
- Ioannis Giavasis 2014. Bioactive fungal polysaccharides as potential functional ingredients in food and neutraceuticals. Current opinion in Biotechnology, 26:162–173.
- Ioannis Giavasis, Linda M. Harvey and Brian McNeil, 2006. The effect of agitation and aeration on the synthesis and molecular weight of gellan in batch cultures of Sphingomonas paucimobilis. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 38:101-108.
