Dr Antonios Michaelakis is an entomologist and Research Director at the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, where he has worked since 2007. Currently heads the Laboratory of Insects & Parasites of Medical Importance.

He holds a BSc in Agricultural Biotechnology and PhD in Entomology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology’s Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering (BASE) through the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science short-term program and a research exchange at Penn State University (USA) through Princeton University’s IDEAS program (Infection Disease Evolution Across Scales).

He also serves as an alternate member of the Board of Directors for the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) and holds leadership roles in several initiatives, including Vice Chair of the COST Action LILY (CA23133) and Scientific Coordinator for mosquito surveillance in Attica Region.

He has managed European projects (LIFE CONOPS, PEST PRACTICE) and contributes to Horizon Europe consortia like IDAlert and E4Warning. Previously, he acted as Chief Technical Counterpart for the IAEA’s Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) pilot targeting Aedes albopictus in Europe and now leads Greece’s first SIT application.