Psaroulaki Anna
July 1, 2026 2026-07-01 10:56Psaroulaki Anna
Psaroulaki Anna
Professor of Microbiology - Zoonoses
Medical School, University of Crete, P.C. 70013 Heraklion, Crete
Anna Psaroulaki is Professor of Microbiology/Zoonoses at the Medical School of the University of Crete.
She is: a) director of the Lab of Food Water & Environment Microbiology, b) head of the Zoonoses & Geographical Medicine Unit, and c) head of the reference Lab of Rickettsiae & Tick-Borne diseases. (Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis). She is the scientific responsible for the Regional Public Health Laboratory of Crete.
She was elected as Lecturer of Zoonoses at the Division of Laboratory Medicine of the Medical School, University of Crete in 2006 and currently holds the position of Professor. For a period of 13 years (1993- 2006), she worked as a researcher (1993-1998) and subsequently as a post-doctoral researcher (1998-2006) at the Lab of Clinical Bacteriology, Parasitology, Zoonoses and Geographical Medicine (Medical School, University of Crete). She has been a collaborating researcher at the WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Mediterranean Zoonoses (1998-2011).
Dr Anna Psaroulaki received her B.Sc. in Biology from the Department of Biology of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki and obtained her PhD degree from the Medical School of the University of Crete.
She specialized in Clinical Microbiology at the Medical School of the University of Crete and the University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete. She received further training at the Medical School of the University of Marseille (Faculte de Medecine, Unite des Ricketsies, Marseille, WHO-Collaborating Center) in the diagnosis of vector-borne diseases and other zoonoses, and in molecular microbiology methods. He received further training in the diagnosis, treatment and management of specific high-risk pathogens at the Centre for Applied Microbiology & Research, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK, and at the Health Protection Agency (Colindale, London UK).
Participation (principal or participating researcher or scientific director) in 44 research programs funded by both international and national organizations, in 20 of which as scientific director.
Dr. Anna Psaroulaki’s research work has been developed in the fields of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Public Health Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, Food and Water Microbiology and focuses on the study of pathogenic microorganisms that are causative agents of zoonoses, foodborne/waterborne pathogens, as well as diseases transmitted through vectors (vector-borne diseases). She has her research group at the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis of the Medical School of the University of Crete and her research has received significant funding.
The research activities of Ms. Psaroulaki’s research group focus on:
a) understanding the pathogen-host interactions, the mechanisms of intracellular survival and microbial resistance to antibiotics for intracellular bacteria. Three intracellular bacteria (C. burnetii, Brucella, Legionella) are studied for which mechanisms of pathogenesis and antibiotic resistance are investigated using different experimental systems and Omics-Based methodologies (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics).
b) the investigation of the epidemiological chain of transmission of zoonotic/foodborne/waterborne pathogens at the “Human-Animal-Environment” interface with the aim of better understanding their transmission and spread. Under the One Health approach, bacterial species/strains (from patients, animals and environmental samples) are characterized using molecular epidemiology and omics methodologies, and their phylogenetic relationships and interactions are determined;
c) research activities in the fields of Public Health Microbiology, and Food and Water Hygiene and Safety. The research interests include the study and improvement of the microbiological safety of food and water, the development of quantitative microbiology tools (mathematical models) and risk assessment, the development and application of innovative methodologies towards improving water safety and innovative food packaging. Other research activities: Molecular epidemiological investigation of epidemics/outbreaks of foodborne/waterborne infections, the study of the spread of resistant strains and antibiotic resistance genes in food, water and wastewater treatment facilities, in the context of a One Health approach and the use of “Culturomics” for the detection of antibiotic resistance genes in new microorganisms.
– Google Scolar (Psaroulaki A): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kfAXADwAAAAJ&hl=en
– Pub Med: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Psaroulaki+AAuthor&sort=date#
– Scopus AU-ID (“Psaroulaki, Anna” 6602337143)
Μore than 150 scientific publications (in Peer Review Journals or in Journal Supplements/conference proceedings), over 165 abstracts in scientific congresses (6 of them have received Awards), and chapters /co-editing books.
Member of: ESCMID (European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases); ESGLI (ESCMID Study Group for Legionella Infections); ESCAR (ESCMID Study Group for Coxiella, Anaplasma, Rickettsia , Bartonella); European Network for Vector and Vector borne diseases.
