Dr. Chrysoula Tassou, born in Xanthi, with BSc in Biology from National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Ph.D in Food Microbiology from University of Bath, UK, and postdoc in Colorado State University, USA, is Research Director, Deputy Director and President of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products (ITAP) of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER (HAO-DEMETER). She is also deputy member of the Scientific Council of HAO-DEMETER.
Her research fields are: Food Microbiology-Safety (pathogens, mycotoxins), Food microbial diversity, Emerging technologies in Food Microbiology/ Technology/ Preservation, Natural antimicrobials, Fermented traditional products (olives, wine, meat & dairy), Functional foods – Probiotics. She has more than 80 scientific publications in SCI journals, 15 scientific book chapters, >200 articles in conference proceedings (citations 4750, h-index: 33, i10-index: 68, May 2020).
Dr. Tassou has implemented successfully as Coordinator (FP7-SME-2008-PROBIOLIVES; FP7-SME-2012-WILDWINE; 14 partners, budget of 2.000.000€ each, PROBIODAIRYMEAT) or as Scientific Leader for ITAP, more than 30 competitive EU and national research projects, attracting significant funding for ITAP.
In parallel, Dr. Tassou is serving as reviewer, editor and guest editor in many SCI scientific journals, president of the Greek Scientific Society “Mikrobiokosmos”, member of international scientific societies and expert evaluator or reviewer with great experience for national and EU projects (FP7, ERC, H2020, BBI). She is member of the working groups of “Food Safety”, “Food Processing and Packaging” and “Nutrition-Health-Consumers” of the Greek Technology Platform “Food for Life”, member of the European Technology Platform ETP “Food for Life”.
She is co-inventor of the patent «Probiotic olives» and team member for the development of innovative food products with the 1st or 2nd prize in ECOTROPHELIA 2012, 2016, 2017. She has been awarded in 2013 by the Minister of Rural Development and Foods for the research on probiotic traditional fermented foods.
She has teaching experience in graduate and postgraduate level (Universities of Patras and West Attica) and is Supervisor for many PhD and MSc students of Cranfield University (UK), Reading University (UK), Agricultural University of Athens, Democritus University of Thrace and Aegean University.
She is married to Prof. George-John Nychas (Agricultural University of Athens) and mother of 3 children. Member of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women.