Dr Chryssoula Drouza is Associate Professor in Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) in the department of Agricultural Production, Biotechnology and Food Science since 2023. She graduated from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ioannina in 1991. She worked as visiting Scientist in the department of Chemistry at the Colorado State University in the development of new drugs exerting anti-diabetic properties. Afterwards, Drouza moved to Cyprus where she registered in the postgraduate program of the Department of Chemistry in University of Cyprus and obtained her PhD diploma (2003). She conducted research on synthesis, characterization and redox stability of metal complexes of transition metals with non-innocent ligands, investigating the mechanisms of action of dioxygen, and application on utilization of dioxalene type ligands for remove toxic metals from the water, human body and the food. She was employed for a Post Doctoral position in the same department undertaking research for several funded research programs. Since 2007 she holds an academic position at the Cyprus University of Technology, Department of Agriculture Production, Biotechnology and Food Science.
Her research interests comprise the following fields: (a) Interaction of transition metals with non-innocent ligands towards the activation of dioxygen (b) Use of metal-organic catalysts for the development of new methods for food characterization and monitoring of redox reactions in food processing (c) Utilization of paramagnetic probes for the food analysis (d) Study of the mechanisms of lipids oxidation and wine aging (e) Investigation for determination of markers for the discrimination/authenticity of food (f) Antioxidant content of food
To match these targets Drouza has equipped her lab with expensive equipment of advanced techniques such (i) spectroscopic: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer (EPR), UV-vis spectrophotometer, FT-IR (ii) electrochemical: CV-voltammetry, chromatographic: GC-MS/FID, HPLC-PDA/fluorescence/RI/UV. In her research she also utilizes 1H (1 and 2D), 13C, 51V, 19F, 31P Nuclear Magnetic spectroscopy (NMR) in cooperation with her collaborators.
Drouza’s research has been funded with more than 19 funding research programs.
Drouza has been the Coordinator and Scientific supervisor of the funding research program “New Markers for the Certification of Quality and Authenticity of Food by EPR”, 395000 Euros, (2008-2012) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research Promotion Foundation (Infrastructure) which funded the purchase of an Electron Paramagnetic Resonance equipment.
Current/recent research funded research programs she participates are as following:
1. Research Promotion Foundation Programmes for Research, Technological Development and Inovation, Cyprus, “RESTART 2016-2020” EXCELLENCE/0421/, “Uranium mining from the sea” SUSS, 200.000 euros, 2022-2024. Participating role: Partner
2. Research Promotion Foundation Programmes for Research, Technological Development and Inovation, Cyprus, “RESTART 2016-2020” EXCELLENCE/1216/0508, “New quinone/hydroquinoe metal complexes for the catalytic conversion of H2O/O2 to H2O2 and the construction of aqueous photosynthetic solar cells”, QUINSOL, Funding: 250.000 euros, 2019-2021. Participating role: Partner
Her research has been published with 61 articles to peer reviewed international scientific journals, to 6 book chapters with review, and to more than 60 local and international conferences, while it has been cited in other publication more than 955 times with h factor=19. Her research group currently consists of 1 Post Doctoral research fellow, 2 PhD students, and 2 undergraduate diploma thesis students. One Ph.D. student and 2 Msc students have graduated from her group, while she has co-supervised 1 PhD and 1 Msc student.
