Associate Professor Yiannis Kourkoutas is Head of the Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology Laboratory at the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, at Alexandroupolis, Greece. He obtained his first degree in Chemistry in 1997 and his PhD in Food Biotechnology in 2002, both from the University of Patras, Greece. He further continued for Post-Doctoral studies at the University of Ulster, UK.

His current main research focus is on bioprocesses, novel food product development and nutrition (novel functional foods with potential health benefits, exploitation of agro-industrial wastes, high-added value products, etc).