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Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis
Professor
2105294506
2105294513
dimtsi@aua.gr
CV Tsitsigiannis 2024 May.pdf

Personal Info

EDUCATION

  • University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Department of Plant Pathology. Graduate Student (Ph.D.) GPA=3.95/4.0.

My PhD was funded from 2000-2002 by the “ICRISAT-International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics-India and from 2002 to 2004 I received a Crop Protection Graduate Fellowship from Novartis (Syngenta). In July 2004, I received the “Dr. George Washington Carver Award” from the United States National Peanut Board for my achievements on “Strategies to reduce aflatoxin contamination utilizing peanut and Aspergillus fatty acid molecules”.

  • Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece. B.Sc. Diploma from Department of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology (Minor: Plant Pathology). 09/91-09/96. GPA=3.6/4.0. Graduation with Distinction.

 

PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

  • Director of Plant Protection and Environment Section, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 12/2017 – today
  • Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 05/2017 – today
  • Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 02/2012-04/2017
  • Lecturer of Plant Pathology, Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 06/2007-01/2012
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, The Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre, Norwich. 01/2005 – 06/2007. Group Leader: Prof. Jonathan D.G. Jones
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 08/2004 – 12/2004. PI: Dr. Nancy P. Keller
  • Graduate Research Assistant (Ph.D.), Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 01/2001- 07/2004. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Nancy P. Keller
  • Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University 09/1999-12/2000. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Nancy P. Keller

 

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

 

2007 – today

Lecturer, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece. Undergraduate courses: 1) Introduction to Plant Pathology, 2) Diseases of Fruit Crops and Vines, 3) Diseases of Field Crops, 4) Principles and Methods of Plant Disease Management, 5) Principles and Methods of Plant Disease Diagnosis, 6) Applied Plant Physiology – Plant Stresses diagnosis, 7) Post Harvest Diseases of Vegetables, 8) Plant Virology. Postgraduate courses: 1) Plant Microbe Interactions, 2) Molecular Plant Pathology

2007 – today

Actively involved in vocational education training of farmers, young and adult people who want to get involved professionally in agriculture, through short-term seminars held in AUA or in Institute of Agricultural Science (www.ige.gr). Significant experience in management and coordination of training courses through the implementation of LIFE+, TEMPUS and ERASMUS projects.

2013-today

Lecture on Plant-Fungal Interactions, MSc Postgraduate studies. Department of Plant Biology, University of Crete, Greece.

06.2012

Τraining activity in “Mycotoxins”, Faculty of Plant Protection and Agroecology, Agricultural University of Plovdviv, Bulgaria (for faculty and graduate students)

07.2013

Τraining activity in "Clinical Field and Lab Plant Disease Diagnosis, Biological Control and Specimen Collection”, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Serbia (for faculty and graduate students)

09.1999 - 05. 2000

Teaching Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, USA.  Course: Introductory Plant Pathology

09-12.2002

and 2004

Teaching Assistant , Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. Courses: 1) Plants, Parasites and People, 2) Introduction to Plant Pathology

 

 

AREAS OF RESEARCH INTEREST

  • Epidemiology and Integrated management of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins
  • Validation and development of prediction models and Decision Support Systems for plant diseases in grapevines
  • Epidemiology and Integrated management of olive anthracnose and Alternaria bud and blossom blight in olives
  • Development of Integrated management strategies of plant diseases using Decision Support Systems
  • Organic Viticulture
  • Precision Agriculture in Plant Protection
  • Plant disease diagnosis using novel technologies
  • Disease resistance mechanisms - Fungicide resistance
  • Plant microbe interactions (plant immune system, fungal virulence mechanisms)

 

SELECTED PRIZES, AWARDS AND HONORS

  • Dr. George Washington Carver Award for excellence in peanut aflatoxin research and service to the community. National Peanut Board. July 2004.
  • Novartis (Syngenta) Crop Protection Graduate Fellowship 07/02-07/04. Competitive grant that covered salary/benefits for 2 years.
  • 2004. Nomination from the International Society for Plant-Microbe Interactions for a Seat on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. The Nomination Committee has identified Dr. Tsitsigiannis as one of 6 candidates internationally.
  • Graduation with Highest Honors from the Agricultural University of Athens. 1st in Dean’s graduation class list. Declaimed the oath in the graduation ceremony (November 1996).
  • Recipient every academic year of the Academic Performance Scholarship from the National Greek Scholarship Foundation (IKY), Athens, Greece (1991-1995).

 

 CV Tsitsigiannis 2024 May.pdf
Title Credits Undergrad/Postgrad Compulsory/Elective
Undergraduate Compulsory
Undergraduate Compulsory
5 Undergraduate Elective
Plant Microbe Interactions Postgraduate Elective
  1. IKOPROTECTA: (RESEARCH–CREATE-INNOVATE national call). ”Agricultural composted products as plant growth and protection regulators”. General Secretariat for Research and Technology - Greece. 2020-2023. Total Budget 545.256,00€ Coordinator
  2. AgROBOfood:  (H2020-DT-2018-1). ”Business-Oriented Support to the European Robotics and Agri-food Sector, towards a network of Digital Innovation Hubs in Robotics”. The agROBOfood project, a consortium of 39 partners aims to accelerate the sector’s digital transformation through the adoption of robotic technologies. To boost the uptake of robotic solutions, it will establish a sustainable network of digital innovation hubs (DIHs). At the heart of the project are innovation experiments (IEs) that will be organised and monitored by the DIHs. 2018-2021. https://agrobofood.eu/project/ Partner
  3. OPTIMA:  (H2020-SFS-17-2017). ”Optimised Integrated Pest Management for precise detection and control of plant diseases in perennial crops and open-field vegetables”. Development of an  integrated disease management system (IPM) for vineyards, apple orchards and carrots that includes bio- and chemical PPPs, disease prediction models, spectral early disease detection systems and precision spraying techniques. http://optima-h2020.eu/el/home-5/ Total Budget 3.426.000€, AUA budget 516.000 €.  2018-2021. Co-Coordinator
  4. ExoPeach2Ηealth: (RESEARCH–CREATE-INNOVATE national call). “Novel plant protection approaches and application of -omics technologies for optimization of integrated management of peach leaf curl disease”. General Secretariat for Research and Technology - Greece. 2021-2023. Total Budget 686.130 €, Partner
  5. OCHRAVINE CONTROL: (H2020-RISE project). “Implementation of integrated and innovative precision agriculture management strategies to reduce the occurrence of ochratoxins along the vine value chain products: grapes, raisins/currants and wine”. The project will offer an integrated smart ICT solution (OchraVine Control DSS) and will allow prediction and monitoring at pre- and post-harvest level to control Aspergillus infection and OTA contamination in vine cultivation by combining epidemiological data, biological and chemical management strategies, post-harvest technologies and precision agriculture tools. 2018-2021. https://www.ochravine.eu/ General Secretariat for Research and Technology - Greece. Total Budget 1.183.500€, AUA budget 310.500 € Coordinator.
  6. OENOVATION: “Exploitation of new natural microbial flora from Greek origin amenable for the production of high-quality wines“. HSR Technology 2018-2021. Partner  http://www.oenovation.aua.gr/%cf%84%ce%bf-%cf%80%cf%81%cf%8c%ce%b3%cf%81%ce%b1%ce%bc%ce%bc%ce%b1/ 
  7. HarISA: “Harmonization and Innovation in PhD Study Programs for Plant Health in Sustainable Agriculture –”. https://harisa.site123.me/ ERASMUS+ CBHE project. Local Coordinator.
  8. APOLLO: (H2020 project, Innovation Actions). “Bringing the benefits of precision agriculture to smallholder farmer”. The project aims to develop a market-ready platform of agricultural advisory services focused primarily, but not exclusively, at smallholder farmers in Europe. http://apollo-h2020.eu/  Senior Scientist
  9. Biological and chemical management of aflatoxins in pistachios. Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food. 2015-2016. Coordinator
  10. Detection of the mycotoxigenic fungi Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. and quantification of aflatoxins and fumonisins in corn fields in Thessaly and Macedonia (2014-2015) Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Coordinator
  11. Detection of the mycotoxigenic fungi Aspergillus spp. and quantification of aflatoxins in pistachio orchards in Fthiotida (2017-2018). Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Coordinator
  12. Mobile Disease Diagnosis - MobDi2 (Task Addressed: T421. Green House Management & Control), Future Internet Business Collaboration Networks in Agri-Food, Transport and Logistics – FiSpace 604123 - Large-scale Integrated Project (IP). MOBICS. Senior Scientist
  13. SustUse Fumigants - Sustainable use of chemical fumigants for the control of soil-borne pathogens in the horticultural sector. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance 2008, LIFE08 ENV/IT/000432. Senior Scientist (2010-2012)
  14. BIOCON - Biological Control of soilborne pathogens: a seed to field approach. Bilateral grant Greece-Germany. HSR Technology 2014-2015
  15. International Joint Master Degree in Plant Medicine, Project “Tempus IV”, 2009, 158875-Tempus-1-IT-Tempus-JPCR Senior Scientist  (2010-2013)
  1. E.C. Tjamos, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, S.E. Tjamos, P.P. Antoniou, P. Katinakis (2004). Selection and screening of endorhizosphere bacteria from solarized soils as biocontrol agents against Verticillium dahliae of solanaceous hosts. European Journal of Plant Pathology 110: 35-44
  2. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, R. Zarnowski and N.P. Keller (2004). The lipid body protein, PpoA, coordinates sexual and asexual sporulation in Aspergillus nidulans. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279: 11344-11353
  3. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, T.M. Kowieski, R. Zarnowski and N.P. Keller (2004). Endogenous lipogenic regulators of spore balance in Aspergillus nidulans. Eukaryotic Cell, 3: 1398-1411
  4. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, T.M. Kowieski, R. Zarnowski and N.P. Keller (2005). Three putative oxylipin biosynthetic genes integrate sexual and asexual development in Aspergillus nidulans. Microbiology, 151: 1809-1821
  5. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, J-W. Bok, David Andes and N.P. Keller (2005). Aspergillus cyclooxygenase-like enzymes are associated with prostaglandin production and virulence. Infection and Immunity, 73: 4548-4559
  6. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, S. Kunze, D.K. Willis, I. Feussner and N.P. Keller (2005). Aspergillus infection inhibits the expression of peanut 13S-HPODE-forming seed lipoxygenases. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 18: 1081-1089.
  7. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, and N.P. Keller. (2005). Oxylipins act as determinants of natural product biosynthesis and seed colonization in Aspergillus nidulans. Molecular Microbiology, 59: 882-892.
  8. R. González-Lamothe, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, A.A. Ludwig, M. Panicot, K. Shirasu and J.D.G. Jones (2006). The U-Box protein CMPG1 is required for efficient activation of defense mechanisms triggered by multiple resistance genes in tobacco and tomato. Plant Cell, 18: 1067-1083.
  9. D. Hofius, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, J.D.G. Jones and J. Mundy (2007). Inducible cell death in plant immunity. Seminars in Cancer Biology, 17(2):166-187.
  10. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, and N.P. Keller. (2007). Oxylipins as developmental and host-fungal communication signals. Trends in Microbiology, 15:109-118.
  11. T. M. Hammond, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, and N. P. Keller (2007). Development of an Arabidopsis thaliana-based bioassay for investigating seed colonization by mycotoxigenic Aspergillus species. Plant Pathology, 56(5): 848-854.
  12. Μ. Brodhagen*, D.I. Tsitsigiannis*, E. Hornung, C. Goebel, I. Feussner, N.P. Keller (2008). Reciprocal oxylipin-mediated cross-talk in the Aspergillus-seed pathosystem. Molecular Microbiology, 67: 378-391. (* equal contribution)
  13. H. A. van den Burg, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, O. Rowland, J. Lo, G. Rallapalli, D. MacLean, F.L.W. Takken, and J.D.G. Jones (2008). F-box protein ACF1 regulates cell death and defense responses activated during pathogen recognition in tobacco and tomato. Plant Cell, 20: 697-719.
  14. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, P.P. Antoniou, S.E. Tjamos and E.J. Paplomatas (2008). Major diseases of tomato, pepper and eggplant in greenhouses. The European Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology, 2: 106-124.
  15. J-W. Bok, N.P. Keller and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2009). Real-time and semi-quantitative RT-PCR methods to analyze gene expression patterns during Aspergillus-host interactions. Methods in Molecular Biology, 470:151-167.
  16. D. Hofius, T. Schultz-Larsen, J. Joensen, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, Ν.H.T. Petersen, O. Mattsson, L. B. Jørgensen, J.D.G. Jones, J Mundy and M. Petersen (2009). Autophagic components contribute to Hypersensitive Cell Death in Arabidopsis. Cell, 15;137: 773-783
  17. M. Georgiadou, A. Proshlyakov, A. Revithia, S.Tjamos, I. Stringlis, D.Tsitsigiannis, E.Paplomatas, J. Blahovec , S. Yanniotis (2011). Detection of insect necrotic internal damage and aflatoxin reduction in stored pistachio nuts. IOBC, Volos, July 2011.
  18. A.K. Tzima, E.J. Paplomatas, D.I.Tsitsigiannis, S. Kang (2012). The G protein β subunit controls virulence and multiple growth- and development-related traits in Verticillium dahliae. Fungal Genetics Biology, 49(4):271-83
  19. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, M. Dimakopoulou, P.P. Antoniou, E.C. Tjamos (2012). Biological control strategies of mycotoxigenic fungi and associated mycotoxins in Mediterranean basin crops. Phytopathologia Mediterranea, 51(1): 158−174
  20. E. Skotti, S. Kountouri, P. Bouchagier, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, M. Polissiou, P.A.Tarantilis (2014). FTIR spectroscopic evaluation of changes in the cellular biochemical composition of the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata induced by extracts of some Greek medicinal and aromatic plants. Spectroch Acta–Molec. and Biomol. Spectr. 5;127:463-472
  21. M. Georgiadou, C. Gardeli, M. Komaitis, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, E.J. Paplomatas, K. Sotirakoglou, S. Yanniotis (2015). Volatile profiles of healthy and aflatoxin contaminated pistachios. Food Research International 74: 89–96
  22. A.C. Pappas, E. Tsiplakou, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, M. Georgiadou, M.K. Iliadi, K. Sotirakoglou & G. Zervas (2016). The role of bentonite binders in single or concomitant mycotoxin contamination of chicken diets, British Poultry Science 2:1-8
  23. C.S. Lagogianni, E.C. Tjamos, P.P. Antoniou, and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2017). First report of Alternaria alternata as the causal agent of Alternaria bud and blossom blight of olives. Plant Disease 2017, 101 (12): 2151 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-17-0527-PDN   
  24. M.K. Iliadi, E.C. Tjamos, P.P. Antoniou, and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2018). First report of Colletotrichum acutatum causing anthracnose on olives in Greece. Plant Disease 102, (4), 820 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-17-1451-PDN
  25. C.S. Lagogianni and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2018). Effective chemical management for prevention of aflatoxins in maize. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 57 (1), 2018: 186-197 DOI: 10.14601/Phytopathol_Mediterr-22492
  26. N. Mastrodimos, D. Lentzou, Ch. Templalexis, D.I. Tsitsigiannis and G. Xanthopoulos (2019). Development of thermography methodology for early diagnosis of fungus infection in table grapes: the case of Aspergillus carbonarius. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 165, 104972 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2019.104972
  27. C.S. Lagogianni and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2019). Effective biopesticides and biostimulants to reduce aflatoxins in maize fields. Frontiers in Microbiology 10, 2645 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb. 2019.02645
  28. E.  Skotti, C. Pappas, M.  Kaiafa, I.K. Lappa, D.Ι. Tsitsigiannis, C. Giotis, P. Bouchagier and P.A. Tarantilis. (2020). Discrimination and quantification of aflatoxins in Pistachia vera seeds using FTIR-DRIFT spectroscopy after their treatment by Greek medicinal and aromatic plants extracts. Food Science and Engineering, 1 (1): 45-57, DOI: 10.37256/fse.112020213
  29. L. Mondani, R. Palumbo, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, D. Perdikis, E. Mazzoni, P. Battilani (2020). Pest Management and Ochratoxin A contamination in grapes: A Review. Toxins (Basel). 12(5):E303. 2020, doi:10.3390/toxins12050303
  30. M.D. Kaminiaris, M. Camardo Leggieri, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, P. Battilani (2020). AFLA-PISTACHIO: Development of a mechanistic model to predict aflatoxin contamination of pistachio nuts. Toxins (Basel). (Reviewed and pending minor revisions).
  31. First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum causing anthracnose on olives in Albania (2020). M. Cara, M.K. Iliadi, C.S. Lagogianni, E.J. Paplomatas, J. Merkuri and D.I. Tsitsigiannis. Plant Disease (Reviewed and pending minor revisions).

 

BOOK CHAPTERS

  1. E.C. Tjamos, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, S.E. Tjamos and C.G. Panagopoulos (1999). Selection and evaluation of rhizosphere bacteria as biocontrol agents against Verticillium dahliae. p. 244-248.  In: Advances in Verticillium Research and Disease Management, E.C. Tjamos, R.C Rowe, J.B. Heale, and D.R. Fravel eds, APS Press, The American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, USA.
  2. S.E. Tjamos, A. Venieraki, D.I. Tsitsigiannis, E.C. Tjamos, and P. Katinakis (1999). Ecology and activity of two endophytic isolates of Bacillus sp. effective as biocontrol agents against Verticillium dahliae of solanaceous hosts. p. 249-252. In: Advances in Verticillium Research and Disease .Management, E.C. Tjamos, R.C Rowe, J.B. Heale, And D.R. Fravel eds, APS Press, The American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, USA.
  3. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, R.A. Wilson and N.P. Keller (2001). Lipid mediated signaling in the Aspergillus/seed interaction. pp. 186-191 in: Biology of Plant-Microbe Interactions, vol. 3,  S.A. Leong, C. Allen and E. Triplet eds, ICMPMI, St Paul, MN, USA.
  4. Y.Q. Zhang, H.H. Wilkinson, N.P. Keller, D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2004). Secondary metabolite gene clusters. p.355-386 in: Handbook of Industrial Microbiology, Zhiqiang An, ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York (senior authorship).
  5. D.I. Tsitsigiannis, M. Brodhagen and N. Keller (2007). Oxylipins act as quorum sensing molecules and mediate the Aspergillus-seed dialogue. In: Biology of Plant-Microbe Interactions, vol. 6,  ICMPMI, St Paul, MN, USA.
  6. M.D. Kaminiaris and D.I. Tsitsigiannis (2019). Pre-harvest management strategies to control aflatoxin contamination in crops. In: Aflatoxins: Biochemistry, Toxicology, Public Health, Policies and Modern Methods of Analysis

 

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