Afroditi Chatzifragkou
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+44 (0) 118 378 6724
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Associate Professor
- Department Director of Teaching and Learning
Office
2-54Building location
Harry NurstenAreas of interest
- Biotechnology
- Food waste
- Microbial conversions.
The area of research that I am developing is the exploitation of agri-industrial by-products and waste-streams within a biorefinery concept, for the production of functional compounds for food and non-food applications. Food grade wastes have potential as sources of profitable food ingredients of nutritional importance such as phytochemicals, functional lipids or prebiotic carbohydrates. To this end, my research involves the utilisation of microorganisms and/ or enzymes for the biotransformation of waste streams into microbial lipids, platform chemicals and biopolymers.
Academic qualifications
- PhD in Food Biotechnology
- MSc in Food Science and Technology and Human Nutrition
- BSc in Food Science and Technology.
Selected publications
- A. Chatzifragkou, S. Papanikolaou, N. Kopsahelis, V. Kachrimanidou, M.P. Dorado, A.A. Koutinas (2014) "Biorefinery development through utilization of biodiesel industry by-products as sole fermentation feedstock for 1,3-propanediol production". Bioresource Technology, 159, 167-175.
- A. Chatzifragkou, S. Papanikolaou, D. Dietz, A.I. Doulgeraki, G.J.E. Nychas, A.P. Zeng (2011) "Production of 1,3-propanediol by Clostridium butyricum growing on biodiesel-derived crude glycerol through a non-sterilized fermentation process", Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 91 (1):101-102.
- A. Chatzifragkou, A. Makri, A. Belka, S. Bellou, M. Mavrou, M. Mastoridou, P.Mystrioti, G. Onjaro, G. Aggelis, S. Papanikolaou (2010) "Biotechnological conversions of biodiesel derived waste glycerol by yeast and fungal species", Energy, 36:1097-1108.
- A. Chatzifragkou, D. Dietz, M. Komaitis, A. P. Zeng, S. Papanikolaou (2010) "Effect of biodiesel-derived waste glycerol impurities on biomass and 1,3-propanediol production of Clostridium butyricum VPI 1718", Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 107 (1):76-84.
- A. Chatzifragkou, S. Fakas, M. Galiotou-Panagiotou, M. Komaitis, G. Aggelis, S. Papanikolaou (2010) "Commercial sugars as substrates for lipid accumulation by Cunnighamella echinulata and Mortierella isabellina fungi", European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 112:1048-1057.