Irini Pateraki

CV

Professional Experience

03_2016-today: Assistant Professor at the section of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

03_2015-02_2016: Post-doctoral researcher at the section of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

03_2013-02_2015: Marie Curie Fellow (IEF) at the section of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

06_2012-02_2013: Post-doctoral training at the section of Plant Biochemistry, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

2011 -2012:             Post-doctoral training at the Department of Molecular Genetics, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics, Barcelona, Spain.

2007 – 2011:           Post-doctoral training at the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain.

2003–2007:             Specialized Scientific personnel at the Agricultural Research Centre of Northern Greece, National Agricultural Research Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece

2000-2003:              Research assistant at the Laboratory of Pharmacognosy (Group of Biotechnology of Pharmaceutical Plants), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

1995-2000:              Research assistant at the Post-Harvest Physiology and Biotechnology laboratory, National Agricultural Research Institute, Heraklion, Greece.

1994:                        Research assistant in the Plant Physiology laboratory, Faculty of Biology, University of Crete, Greece.

Education

1992:                Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Agricultural University of Athens, Greece.

1993:                Diploma for «Specialized Post-graduate studies in Horticulture Science and Technology» in Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Chania, Greece.

2007:                Ph.D. degree, Group of Biotechnology of Pharmaceutical Plants, Lab of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. 

Short presentation

Research area

Plants produce a plethora of specialized metabolites that they are using for interacting with the environment and for defending themselves against biotic and abiotic factors. Among these metabolites, terpenoids is the largest and most diverse class. Our group is interested in the biochemistry of these valuable phytochemicals and by using technologies like transcriptomics, metabolomics and biochemical tools, we aim to elucidate the biosynthetic pathways responsible for the synthesis of selected high value bioactive terpenoids which can be helpful for the wellbeing of our society.

By using pathways we have already elucidated (e.g. forskolin), we are working on understanding the regulatory points of terpenoids biosynthesis and on how we can implement these findings for the heterologous production of high value compounds in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Special focus is given to the plant-based and light-driven heterologous biosynthesis.

Scientific Highlights

In the recent years our group has shown that by using novel technologies, scientific advances and accumulated knowledge, it is possible to elucidate entire biosynthetic pathways in a short and cost-effective time-period. We have managed to elucidate the entire forskolin biosynthetic pathway and to functionally express it in yeast cells. Without significant engineering, yeast cells were able to produce forskolin titers at the range of 40 mg/L, in collaboration with Evolva Biotech. Thus, we have shown that yeast can be a suitable production platform for high-value terpenoids, and a suitable host for expressing the recalcitrant CYP enzymes in a functional way. Additional we have managed to manipulate in vivo the function of CYPs enzymes, to improve their efficiency and products specificity via enzymes engineering.

In a similar manner we have identify enzymes participating in the early steps of the pathways of ingenol angelate from Euphorbia peplus, ginkgolides from Ginkgo biloba, of dopaminergic diterpenoids from Vitex agnus-castus, and triptolide from T. wilfordii. Currently we are working on profiling the diterpenoid composition of all approx. 300 species of the Australian desert plant genus Eremophila and pathway elucidation of target diterpenoids based on their observed bioactivities. Several bioactive diterpenoids have been identified already.

Using combinatorial biochemistry, we have demonstrated the modular nature of terpenoids biosynthetic pathways, and we have been able to produce new to nature compounds.

Using the biosynthetic pathway of forskolin as a model system, and in collaboration with different groups, we have been able to heterologously produce diterpenoids using sunlight and photosynthetic energy, in host organisms like algae and cyanobacteria.

Using again forskolin as a model pathway, we have shown that b₅ enzymes can contribute significantly in the efficiency of CYP-containing biosynthetic pathways (ongoing work).

Research Group web page

https://plen.ku.dk/english/research/plant_biochemistry/high-value-phytochemicals/