He obtained his BSc in Horticulture from Wye College, University of London, and his MSc in Pest Management (Plant Disease) from Imperial College London. He holds a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Southampton, U.K. His postdoctoral research was carried out in the Laboratory of Biotechnology of Pharmaceutical Plants at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as in the Institute of Agrobiotechnology, CE.R.T.H., in Thessaloniki. He has published 43 scientific articles and is a named inventor in two provisional PCT applications.