Lecturer and Principal Investigator
Molecular Ecology and Nematode Research Group
EnviroCORE, Department of Science and Health
Institute of Technology Carlow , Kilkenny Road, Carlow, IRELAND
Tel: +353 59 91 75545 (office)
+353 87 6225969 (mobile)
Fax: +353 59 91 75501
Email: thomae.kakouli@itcarlow.ie and thomae.kakouli@gmail.com
Web: http://www.itcarlow.ie/researchers_thomae.htm
http://agribiotics.itcarlow.ie/
Qualifications
1995 Ph.D. Thesis: Biological Control of the Black Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) with Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida). University of Reading, U.K.
1991 M.Sc. Technology of Crop Protection. M.Sc. Thesis: Association between Sclerotium rolfsii and Meloidogyne javanica on Phaseolus vulgaris. University of Reading, U.K.
1990 Diploma Crop Production, Grade: 1st Class. Technological Education Institute of Western Macedonia, Florina, Greece.
Work Experience
2003-present Lecturer in Environmental Biotechnological Sciences. Department of Science and Health, Institute of Technology Carlow, Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Ireland. Main duties: teaching (Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Cell Biology, Ecology), research, course development, promotion and student recruitment.
2000-2003 Assistant Lecturer in Environmental Biotechnological Sciences. Department of Science and Health, Institute of Technology Carlow, Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Ireland. Main duties: teaching (Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology), research.
1997-2000 Postdoctoral research fellow. Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Research project funded by EU FP4. Title: Development of standardised molecular techniques for the identification of insect quarantine pests.
1998-1999 Part time lecturer Population Genetics. Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Population Genetics module of the 3rd year (Hons) Biology and Biotechnology degrees.
1998-1999 Part time tutor. Department of Experimental Physics, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Higher Diploma in Applied Physics: Co supervision of a research project entitled “Chaos in biological systems”.
1996-1997 Senior demonstrator in Biology. Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
1995-1996 Postdoctoral research fellow. Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Research project funded by EU Training and Mobility Grant. Title: The identification and characterisation of active transposable elements in the entomopathogenic nematodes, Heterorhabditis spp.
1993-1994 Part time technician in the Crop Protection Research Unit. Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, U.K.
1992-1994 Nematology demonstrator. Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, U.K.
1992-1993 Part time research assistant. Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, U.K.
Research Theses Supervised
· PhD Thesis, 2007: Boyle, S. An investigation on the genetic structure and variation of Irish and exotic Steinernema feltiae (Nematoda: Steinernematidae). Institute of Technology Carlow.
· MSc Thesis, 2007: Courtney, L. Towards the development of Sclerotinia resistant white clover. Institute of Technology Carlow.
· MSc Thesis, 2009: O’ Connor, W. Development of a DNA array for soil nematode community characterisation. Institute of Technology Carlow.
Research Team at Present
One PI, five postgraduate students and two undergraduate students.
Research Interests:
Molecular ecology; nematode biodiversity in the context of environmental change; nematode sentinels; bumble bee conservation; biological control; molecular quarantine diagnostics.
Research Funding Secured:
More than 1.3 million euro in the last 5 years
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL BODIES
· Secretary, Postgraduate Research Programme Board, Institute of Technology Carlow, 2011-present
· Chairperson, Postgraduate Research Programme Board, Institute of Technology Carlow, 2006-2010
· Secretary, Biology Course Board, Institute of Technology Carlow, 2007-2010
· Member of R & D Committee of the Academic Council of the Institute of Technology Carlow, 2006-2012
· Representative of the Institute of Technology Sector in the National Working Group for FP7-Environment, coordinated by the EPA, 2008-present
· Irish representative member in the Management Committee of COST Action 872 “Exploiting genomics to understand plant-nematode interactions”, 2008-2011.
· Member of the organising and scientific committee for Environ 2007; IT Carlow in association with ESAI, 27-28 January 2007
· Examination Board of NUIM (PhD external examiner)
· Teagasc Biological Safety Committee
· Teagasc Interview Board
· Association of Applied Biologists (A.A.B.)
· Royal Entomological Society
· The European Society of Nematologists (E.S.N.)
· The Society of Nematologists (S.O.N.)
· Member of the Entomophilic Nematode Committee of S.O.N. 2005-2006
· Member of the Nematology Working Group of the Association of Applied Biologists, 2010-2012
· Reviewer of manuscripts in the following journals: Journal of Applied Soil Ecology, European Journal of Plant Pathology, Environmental Bioindicators, Experimental Parasitology, Journal of Nematology, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Hellenic Plant Protection Journal.
· Member of the Steering Committee of BioNet, 2002-2006
· Member of the Programme Committee of the BioNet Inaugural Conference 2003 at the Galway – Mayo Institute of Technology
· Member of the Organising and Programme Committee of the BioNet Annual Conference 2004 at the Institute of Technology Carlow
· Member of the Organising and Programme Committee of the BioNet Annual Conference 2006 at the ITT-Dublin
Reviewer of Manuscripts in:
· Journal of Applied Soil Ecology
· European Journal of Plant Pathology
· Environmental Bioindicators
· Experimental Parasitology
· Journal of Nematology
· Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
· Hellenic Plant Protection Journal
Congress Organisation
· Chairperson and Session Organiser: Advances in Nematology. The Association of Applied Biologists. The Linnean Society, London, UK. 13 December 2005.
· Chairperson and Chief Scientific Organiser of the 1st International Symposium on Nematodes as Environmental Bioindicators. The Association of Applied Biologists, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, 12-13 June 2007.
· Convenor and Session Organiser: Climate change, soil health monitoring and nematode bioindicators. 5th International Congress of Nematology, Brisbane, Australia. 13-18 July 2008.
· Chairperson and Session Organiser: Nematodes as bioindicators. Joint 30th International ESN Symposium & 5th Phylloxera Symposium, Vienna, Austria. 19-23 Sept 2010.
· Chairperson and Session Organiser: Advances in Nematology. The Association of Applied Biologists. The Linnean Society, London, UK. 14 December 2010.
Other Achievements
· President of the Hellenic (Greek) Community of Ireland 2006-2011.
· Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community in Ireland 2006-present
· Coordinator of a COST Action application amassing 37 research teams from 16 Europe countries, two peripheral, one Asian and one Pacific. February 2008.
· Selected to represent Ireland by undertaking an exchange visit to Greece for third-level education experts within the frame work of the Cultural Agreement between Ireland and Greece. Visiting Institute: Foundation for Research and Technology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Crete, Greece. 18 to 25 August 1998.
Publications
· Books: 3
· Peer-Reviewed in International Journals: 11
· Technical Reports- Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food: 2
· Invited Presentations: 5
· Conference Abstracts and Proceedings: 48
· Popular Science Articles: 2