Maria Traka

Maria Traka has extensive experience in the field of food and health research. Maria is currently the Deputy Head of Food Databanks National Capability at the Quadram Institute, where they are responsible for managing and curating data on the composition of foods eaten in the UK. Maria'srole also involves supporting multidisciplinary research projects related to food composition data and dietary assessment tools. Prior to this, Maria worked as a Senior Research Scientist at the Quadram Institute, focusing on diet and health, particularly prostate cancer prevention and liver metabolism regulation. Maria has experience in conducting clinical and preclinical trials, analyzing sequencing data, and studying the molecular mechanisms of diet's impact. Maria also has a background in working at the Institute of Food Research, where they held positions as a Senior Research Scientist and Postdoctoral Researcher, exploring the molecular mechanisms of disease prevention by diets and the role of phytochemicals derived from diet in colon and prostate health. Additionally, Maria is currently serving as the Co-Director of the UK Food Safety Research Network, where they facilitate collaborative research and training activities to address food safety challenges in the UK.

Maria Traka began their education at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) in 1994, where they pursued a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Plant Sciences. Maria completed their undergraduate studies in 2000. Following this, Maria attended the University of Nottingham from 2000 to 2001, where they obtained a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Plant Sciences. Maria'seducational journey continued at the University of Nottingham, where they pursued a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in both Plant Sciences and Biomedical Sciences from 2001 to 2005.