Dr. Kalliopi Gkouskou, PhD

Dr Kalliopi Gkouskou is Assistant Professor of Biology & Genetics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) since 2021. Her research interest focuses on gene-diet interactions in the regulation of metabolism with an emphasis on obesity and diabetes (population studies and dietary interventions) and basic mechanisms of regulation of metabolic pathways with omic technologies. Her academic training and the research path she followed helped her acquire the necessary skills, develop an excellent technical and scientific background and provide her with the know-how on her way to independence in the fields of diet related diseases.

She received her BSc in Biology from the University of Crete (2001) and MSc in «Molecular Biology and Biomedicine» from the same Institution (2003). Upon completion of her MSc training, she joined the Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (IMBB) in Heraklion as a PhD candidate. Her PhD on gene regulation by micronutrients was supported by a national grand and an EMBO scholarship that enabled her to complete part of the thesis at the Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe in Valencia, Spain.

During 2009-2015, she was employed as a post-doctoral Research Fellow in ΙΜΒΒ and the University of Crete Medical School. As part of this post-doctoral work, she was trained in medical genetics applications in NKUA Medical School and attended intensive courses by the Swiss Society of Medical Genetics. Additionally, she was trained in genomic technologies at the Cancer Research Center of the University of Liverpool.

During 2017-2021, she collaborated with the Department of Biology, NKUA Medical School as scientific associate, on the development of specialized feedback algorithms that can individualize diet and lifestyle recommendations based on the unique genetic and phenotypic characteristics of an individual. Through this collaboration, scientific publications in important international journals have emerged.

In 2022 she attended the course by the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) and was trained on application of methods for population-based association analysis, exome and whole-genome sequence and array genotype data analysis (including Polygenic Risk Scores), at the Max Delbrück Center of Molecular Medicine Berlin, Germany.

Dr Kalliopi Gkouskou has also established a constantly expanding network of physicians, dieticians and other health professionals (GENOSOPHY®network) with a strong commitment towards the improvement of human health through the provision of precision medicine products and services.