Efthimia (Efi) Cotou

I am a holder of a PhD in Aquatic Toxicology and Environmental Sanitation (University of Ghent, Belgium, funded by the EEC) and a BSc in Biology (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece). My research focus on identification/selection of ideal biomarkers and development/optimization/validation of bioassays to detect anthropogenic environmental impacts on aquatic organisms and to evaluate the status of development, health and survival of marine farmed fish and shellfish affected by rearing systems, nutritional manipulations, disease treatments and exposure to other stressors during production. I have been involved in many EU and National research projects related to my research interests. I have established the Ecotoxicology Lab for Biological markers and assays at the Institute of Oceanography of HCMR and the Toxicology and Biomarkers Lab at the IMBBC of HCMR, where I am the Scientific responsible. I have been evaluator for the establishment of International Standardized guidelines for toxicity bioassays (ISO) by the Hellenic Organization Standardization (ELOT) and initiator for the production of National legislation (FEK 455/4-4-2000) for licensing chemical dispersants to combat oil pollution in seawaters based on toxicity bioassays.