Prof. Dr. Georgios Salachas Biochemistry – Best Researcher Award

University of Patras, Greece

Author Profiles

🎓 Academic Background

Prof. Dr. Georgios Salachas is a distinguished Professor of Applied Plant Physiology and Nutrition at the Department of Agriculture, University of Patras, Greece. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Agricultural University of Athens and later completed his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology at the Department of Biology, University of Patras. His academic journey laid the foundation for his expertise in plant nutrition, stress physiology, and sustainable agriculture.

🏛 Academic Leadership & Contributions

Over the years, Prof. Salachas has played a crucial role in shaping agricultural research and education. He has served as the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Patras, where he contributed to the advancement of agricultural technologies and plant science education. Additionally, he has held administrative positions such as Vice-Rector of the former Technological Institute of Western Greece and Director of the Postgraduate Program on Production Technologies and Nutritional Value of Plant Products. Beyond academia, he has been actively involved in national and regional agricultural policies, serving as a member of the Agri-Food Partnership of the Region of Western Greece Council and the National Research and Innovation Council of Greece. His leadership in these organizations has significantly contributed to agricultural advancements and policy development in Greece.

🔬 Research & Scientific Contributions

Prof. Salachas has made remarkable contributions to plant physiology and sustainable agriculture through his research. He has been a principal investigator or a key member in 17 research programs, focusing on innovative solutions in plant nutrition, stress tolerance, and sustainable food production. His scientific impact is evident through his 40 publications in peer-reviewed international journals and 35 research presentations at national and international conferences. His work has contributed significantly to understanding plant metabolic responses to environmental stress and optimizing nutrient use efficiency in crops.

🌿 Key Research Interests

His research spans across multiple cutting-edge agricultural fields, including:

Plant Nutrition & Fertilization – Developing efficient nutrient management strategies for enhanced crop productivity.

Plant Stress & Metabolism – Investigating how plants respond to environmental stressors at both primary and secondary metabolic levels.

Nutritional Quality of Fruits & Vegetables – Enhancing the nutritional value and bioactive compound accumulation in agricultural products.

Aromatic & Medicinal Plants – Exploring bioactive compounds and their potential applications in medicine and food science.

Long-term Preservation of Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Studying lipid oxidation processes to extend the shelf life of extra virgin olive oil.

Aeroponics, Hydroponics & Aquaponics – Developing soilless farming technologies to ensure sustainable and resource-efficient food production.

Notable Publications📄

📄Soil Washing with Humic Acid: A toxicity constraintment technique for a successful soil remediation

Authors: Marios Drosos, Maria Antonopoulou, Ioanna Efthimiou, Li Xiong, Meng Li, Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Georgios Salahas, Vlastos Dimitris, Antonio Scopa, Alessandro Piccolo

Journal: EGU25

Year: 2025

📄Long-Term Preservation Evaluation of Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Lipid Hydroperoxides and Malondialdehyde Toxicological Concern Levels

Authors: Christos D Georgiou, Evangelos Giannakopoulos, George Salahas, Electra Kalaitzopoulou, Athina Varemmenou, Effimia Michail, Marianna Skipitari, Polyxeni Papadea

Journal: ACS Food Science & Technology

Year: 2024

📄Effects of heavy metal ions on white clover (Trifolium repens L.) growth in Cd, Pb and Zn contaminated soils using zeolite

Authors: Vasilios Sotiriou, Georgios Michas, Li Xiong, Marios Drosos, Dimitiros Vlachostergios, Maria Papadaki, Giouli Mihalakakou, Anastasia Kargiotidou, Miltiadis Tziouvalekas, Georgios Salachas, Evangelos Giannakopoulos

Journal: Soil Science and Environment

Year: 2023

📄Enhancing bioactive compounds accumulation in red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) plants by managing N nutrition. The identification of the ‘critical’ zone as a cultivation technique

Authors: Georgios Salachas, Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Dimitra Hela, Angelos Papasavvas, Dimitrios Savvas, Ioannis Deligiannakis

Journal: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry

Year: 2022

📄Internet of things (IoT) and agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in smart farming: A comprehensive review

Authors: Achilles D Boursianis, Maria S Papadopoulou, Panagiotis Diamantoulakis, Aglaia Liopa-Tsakalidi, Pantelis Barouchas, George Salahas, George Karagiannidis, Shaohua Wan, Sotirios K Goudos

Journal: Internet of Things

Year: 2022

Assist. Prof. Dr. Evangelos Giannakopoulos – Biochemistry – Best Researcher Award

University of Patras, Greece

Author Profiles

🎓 Academic Background

Assist. Prof. Dr. Evangelos Giannakopoulos is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Patras, Greece. He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Physical-Chemistry, Natural Materials, and Molecular Mechanisms from the University of Ioannina, Greece. His academic journey has been dedicated to exploring fundamental physicochemical processes and their impact on agriculture and environmental sustainability.

🔬 Research Interests & Expertise

Dr. Giannakopoulos’s research focuses on multiple disciplines within agricultural chemistry and environmental science. He investigates physicochemical processes at the particle-water interface in natural ecosystems, along with free radical mechanisms in environmental reactions. His work also extends to the study of soil organic matter (humic substances) and its influence on soil health and crop productivity. Additionally, he examines antioxidant capacity in plants and plant extracts, plant abiotic stress, and the role of aromatic and pharmaceutical plants in agriculture. His research also covers the nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables, the fate and transport of heavy metals in the vadose zone, and environmental electrochemistry. He has further explored applications of atmospheric cold plasma in agriculture, sustainable waste management, and agricultural composting.

📚 Scientific Contributions

Dr. Giannakopoulos has significantly contributed to scientific research, authoring 32 research papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and presenting 26 studies at national and international conferences. His research has helped advance sustainable agricultural practices, particularly in environmental catalysis, aeroponic and hydroponic cultivation systems, and biotechnology-based waste management solutions.

🔬 Research Projects & Collaborations

Dr. Giannakopoulos has played a crucial role in several co-funded research projects focused on environmental sustainability and innovative agricultural techniques. His projects have explored environmental catalysis to improve agricultural processes, aeroponic and hydroponic cultivation methods for optimized plant growth, and earthworm biotechnology as an eco-friendly approach to agricultural waste management. These collaborations have strengthened his contributions to the field of sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

📖 Teaching & Academic Contributions

As an educator, Dr. Giannakopoulos is committed to teaching and mentoring students in agricultural sciences. He teaches various courses, including Physics-Agrometeorology, Agricultural Physical-Chemistry, Agricultural Experimentation, Systems Simulation & Modeling of Agrobiosystems, Composting & Soil Organic Matter, and Crop Growth Simulation. Through his lectures and research guidance, he continues to inspire the next generation of scientists and agricultural experts.

🌍 Impact & Future Contributions

Dr. Giannakopoulos’s work is instrumental in bridging the gap between environmental chemistry and sustainable agriculture. His research continues to shape eco-friendly agricultural solutions, improving soil health, plant resilience, and waste management practices. With his interdisciplinary expertise, he remains at the forefront of agricultural innovation, paving the way for a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future.

Notable Publications📄

📄Green roofs as a nature-based solution for improving urban sustainability: Progress and perspectives

Authors: Giouli Mihalakakou, Manolis Souliotis, Maria Papadaki, Penelope Menounou, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Dionysia Kolokotsa, John A Paravantis, Aris Tsangrassoulis, Giorgos Panaras, Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Spiros Papaefthimiou

Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

Year: 2023

📄Influence of Pb (II) on the radical properties of humic substances and model compounds

Authors: E Giannakopoulos, KC Christoforidis, A Tsipis, M Jerzykiewicz, Y Deligiannakis

Journal: The Journal of Physical Chemistry A

Year: 2005

📄Adsorption and Radical Stabilization of Humic-Acid Analogues and Pb2+ on Restricted Phyllomorphous Clay

Authors: Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Panagiota Stathi, Kostas Dimos, Dimitris Gournis, Yiannis Sanakis, Yiannis Deligiannakis

Journal: Langmuir

Year: 2006

📄A humic-acid-like polycondensate produced with no use of catalyst

Authors: Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Marios Drosos, Yiannis Deligiannakis

Journal: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

Year: 2009

📄Removal of mercury (II) and lead (II) from aqueous media by using a green adsorbent: kinetics, thermodynamic, and mechanism studies

Authors: Mohammad Javad Amiri, Mohammad Arshadi, Evangelos Giannakopoulos, Ioannis K Kalavrouziotis

Journal: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste

Year: 2018