Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras (LBEET)
The Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering & Environmental Technology (LBEET), headed by Professor Michael Kornaros of the University of Patras, Department of Chemical Engineering, was founded in 1990 with the aim of conducting research and providing education in the field of development, design, mathematical modeling, and optimization of biochemical processes with applications in the production of high-value-added biotechnology products and in the treatment and utilization of municipal and industrial wastewater. Research at LBEET covers a wide range of topics, ranging from basic research into the key mechanisms involved in the biochemical processes under study to the design and optimization of bioprocesses on an industrial scale. Particular emphasis is placed on biological as well as combined (biological–physicochemical) processes for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients (removal of nitrogenous substances from wastewater, accumulation in natural ecosystems, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in nature), the removal of xenobiotic substances from wastewater, and the integrated treatment of agricultural, livestock, and industrial waste. In particular, innovative technologies and integrated management methods are being developed for the treatment and utilization of various types of agricultural and livestock waste, agricultural and organic residues, and energy crops, while simultaneously producing high-value-added products (e.g., bioplastics, bio-surfactants, etc.) and/or energy through the production of gaseous and liquid biofuels, such as methane, hydrogen, bioethanol, etc. At the same time, modern environmental tools and techniques, such as Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA), are used to assess environmental impacts during the development of new bioproducts or processes.
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of the Aegean
The Department of Food Science and Nutrition, and specifically the Laboratory of Microbiology and Food Hygiene of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (www.fns.aegean.gr) of the University of the Aegean (UA) (www.aegean.gr), was established in 2023 (Government Gazette, Issue B’ 1139/02/28/2023) and specializes in the broader field of Food Microbiology. Specifically, its research activities focus on the following areas: (1) the isolation and characterization of new probiotic strains, (2) food safety, and (3) the study of the beneficial effects of probiotic foods (effects on the gut microbiome of healthy populations and populations with metabolic diseases, protection against pathogens, etc.), etc. Partner 2 will participate in Work Package 1 and will be scientifically responsible for the pre-selection of suitable F/O using bioinformatics tools.
AFOI PER. VASILOPOULOU AEBE
AFOI PER. VASILOPOULOU AEBE., headquartered in Magoula, Attica, is engaged in the trade of chemical raw materials, pharmaceuticals, agricultural fertilizers, and medicines, has been active in the fertilizer production sector since 1971, specializing in the production of organo-chemical, organic, soil-improving, water-soluble fertilizers, and potting soils. The company’s mission is to produce and supply farmers with innovative, high-quality organo-chemical and organic fertilizers, as well as soil conditioners and potting soils. Its goal is to improve crop yields through integrated fertilization while simultaneously enhancing soil fertility and structure. The company’s vision is to contribute to reshaping agricultural data, practices, and values toward the production and utilization of high-quality fertilizers, with absolute respect for the environment. The company is a purely Greek, family-owned business, with capital entirely from its own resources and all facilities privately owned. With a consistently stable and growing trajectory, it is now recognized by growers as one of the most innovative companies in the sector in the country, producing the highest-quality fertilizers on the Greek market.
LIFE ECO SOLUTIONS I.K.E.
LIFE ECO SOLUTIONS I.K.E., trading as L.E.S. I.K.E., was founded in 2019 by Ioannis Vasilopoulos, a graduate of the Agricultural University of Athens, and Eleni Vasilopoulou, a graduate of the Department of Business Administration. Both founding members have many years of experience in the business sector, as they work at the family-owned company AFOI PER. VASILOPOULOU AEBE, which is the leading producer of organic fertilizers in Greece. LIFE ECO SOLUTIONS I.K.E. operates in the manufacturing sector, producing organic raw materials for the production of organic fertilizers as well as animal feed from plant and animal waste, such as poultry meal, bone meal, blood meal, branches, etc., through the processing of liquid and solid waste. The company’s mission is to produce and supply farmers and livestock breeders with high-quality, pioneering, and innovative, as well as organic, soil-improving fertilizers and animal feed for comprehensive crop fertilization, aiming to simultaneously improve soil fertility and structure and enhance crop yields for both customers and its own agricultural.