Institute of Applied Biosciences, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas | Thessaloniki | Greece
Zoe Hilioti serves as a principal investigator at the Institute of Applied Biosciences (INAB) – CERTH. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1991, followed by a Master’s degree in Greenhouse Management and Protected Crop Production from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania in 1993. In 1998, she completed her Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology at Penn State University. Throughout her career, she has received several prestigious fellowships, including those from the Greek State Scholarship Foundation, the Gerondelis Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). From 1999 to 2001, she conducted postdoctoral research at the NIH (NIDDK), specializing in cell biology with a focus on the cell cycle. Hilioti has also worked as a researcher on various projects that explore cell signaling regulation through systems biology and microfluidics at Johns Hopkins University, contributing to the Department of Biology from 2001 to 2004 and then in Biomedical Engineering from 2004 to 2009. In 2010, Hilioti joined the Institute of Agrobiotechnology (now INAB at CERTH), where she pioneered genome editing technologies. Notably, she developed a cutting-edge Zinc Finger Nuclease platform—a tool for precise genetic modification—which she first applied to tomato crops. Her current research is multifaceted, aiming to cultivate novel plant varieties by conducting systems-level analyses of plant development and metabolic composition. This work identifies high-value crops while promoting sustainable agriculture through eco-friendly strategies. Additionally, Hilioti explores the application of phytochemicals to combat fungal pathogens, merging plant science with environmental stewardship to advance agricultural resilience and innovation.