The Partners
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
The team
Dr. Theodoros Ntallaris (DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECAR, EBVS® European Specialist in Ruminant Reproduction and Herd Health)
Senior Lecturer in Ruminant Medicine at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Dr. Theodoros Ntallaris he is also working as a clinical veterinarian at the Ruminant Clinic and the Ambulatory Clinic at the University Hospital in Uppsala (UDS). Dr. Ntallaris has broad experience in Herd Health, antibiotic resistance, and sustainable livestock production. His work ranges from gene-level studies to projects involving individual animals, herds, and national programs.
Areas of focus include reproductive physiology and pathology, behavior, reproductive biotechnologies, and animal husbandry, all of which support sustainable food production and are involved in several European projects, with an emphasis on capacity building for farmers and educators.
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) is a university with a clearly defined role in society: to take responsibility for the development of learning and expertise in areas concerning biological resources and biological production. This responsibility spans the wide-ranging fields of agriculture, forestry, and the food industry, as well as environmental questions, veterinary medicine, and biotechnology. A comprehensive viewpoint, an interdisciplinary approach, and applicability are keywords in SLU’s research and teaching, as well as in its contacts with industry and society.
University activities are organized in 31 departments at four faculties: Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and Crop Production Science; Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences; Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; and Forest Sciences. The central campuses are located in Alnarp, Skara, Ultuna, and Umeå. Research and teaching activities are carried out throughout the country.
SLU was established in 1977 and today has 4,400 full-time students, around 530 PhD students, and 3,200 full-time employees, of whom 225 are professors. SLU is ranked third in the QS World University Rankings for Agriculture & Forestry 2022. Furthermore, across all subjects, SLU is consistently ranked among the world’s top 400 universities and the 50 best young universities.
SLU activities are characterized by a strong link between education and research of the highest international standards, and by close collaboration with industry and the relevant sectors. SLU’s role is integrated with developments in the agriculture and forestry sectors, the food industry, veterinary medicine, natural resources and the environment, as well as in rural and urban development and landscape architecture.
Green4Growth (G4G)
The team
Dr. Panagiotis Gkorezis
Managing Director of Green4Growth
Dr. Panagiotis Gkorezis obtained his bachelor’s and MSc degrees as a Bioengineer from the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Department of Agriculture at Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki, Greece in 2002. He continued his postgraduate studies at the University of Ioannina to obtain his Master of Science degree in “Quality Agricultural Product Certification” in 2007, following an Interdepartmental Postgraduate Study Programme between the Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Products, the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, and the School of Medicine of the University of Ioannina. In 2009, he moved on to Belgium to continue his doctoral studies in Environmental Biology at the Center of Environmental Sciences at Hasselt University (Belgium), under the supervision of Professor Jaco Vangronsveld and Daniel van der Lelie. From 1st of January 2015, to 31st of July 2021, he worked as an Environmental Microbiologist at various Belgian companies, specializing in the remediation of ecosystems contaminated by organic and inorganic pollutants.
From the 3rd of August 2021, he has been the Managing Director of Green4Growth.
Dr. Gkorezis has co-authored 4 book chapters, 18 refereed Journal publications, and 6 Genome Announcements on microbial-assisted remediation of contaminated ecosystems, Biosurfactants, soil quality, and the application of novel Genomic technologies for monitoring various Biodiversity issues. He has been an invited speaker and presented his research work at various International Conferences in Europe, the USA, Canada, and Brazil.
Mr. Evanglelos Divaris
Senior Policy Advisor in Green4Growth
Mr. Evanglelos Divaris is an economist specializing in European Integration, a former alternate Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (1981 -1989), principal administrator at the DG Agri (1989- 2009), and former Special Secretary for Community Resources and Infrastructures at the Greek Ministry for Rural Development and Food (2009 – 2012). Since 2019, he has been the Secretary-General at the European Chamber for Sustainable Development and Vice-President in charge of Strategic Planning at the European Organization for Certification A-Cert.
G4G is a strategic consultancy offering tailor-made, state-of-the-art, professional, science-based advice on sustainable development, climate resilience, green growth, and circularity in the agri-food industry and the bioeconomy, along with eco-friendly methods for controlling anthropogenic pollution of ecosystems and its links to human health. In more detail, G4G’s activities aim at tailor-made strategic consultancy; project design, management, and implementation; training and capacity building for decision-makers of private and public legal entities, associations, and research and innovation institutions, mainly but not exclusively working within the agri-food, environment, and climate, and health and sustainability sectors.
The 196 countries that have signed the Paris agreement have set specific targets in their climate-neutral strategies. The EU, under the umbrella of the Green Deal in 2019, has set strategies to implement the UN’s 2030 Agenda and SDGs, aiming at sustainable development, green growth, health, and quality of life, including all facets of the economy and society, and targeting the agri-food systems with its Farm to Fork Strategy, and the environment, with the Climate Law and Biodiversity strategy. These ambitious, long-term plans require knowledge-based decisions and strategies by businesses and governments at the municipal, regional, and national levels. Decisions and strategies demand a good understanding of the international scene, the political and administrative burdens, and the economic and natural environment, and require holistic, multidisciplinary approaches. With its deep knowledge of the EU and international policies, governance, and funding opportunities, G4G offers expert, professional, scientific, and multidisciplinary advice on strategy and implementation of sustainable development and green growth.
All the activities of G4G have a European and international dimension, mainly, but not exclusively, aimed at the design, management, and implementation of initiatives financed by European and international institutions. G4G produces relevant knowledge adjusted to the needs of our customers, drawn from the positions and strategies of EU institutions (Commission, Parliament, Council, European Economic and Social Committee, Committee of the Regions, etc.), processed and refined with the help of the broad expertise and experience of our group of collaborators.
Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA)
The team
Ylva Persson (DVM, PhD, associate professor)
State veterinarian in infectious ruminant diseases at the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA)
Ylva Persson she is also affiliated with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences as a senior lecturer and associate professor in udder diseases. Ylva has broad expertise in endemic infectious diseases in ruminants, antibiotic use, contingency planning/civil defense, and sustainable livestock production. She has extensive experience working on preventive animal health and policies for antibiotic use in ruminants, both in Sweden and internationally, primarily in low-income countries.
The Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA) is an expert authority with contingency missions. SVA promotes animal and human health, Swedish animal husbandry, and our environment through diagnostics, research, preparedness, and advice. The authority is under the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure. SVA has about 400 employees.
European Food Information Council (EUFIC)
The team
Dr. Betty Chang
Research Area Lead at EUFIC
Betty is a researcher at heart – always striving to improve her understanding of people’s behavior and their motivations. Having completed her PhD in psychology from the University of New South Wales in 2008, she then moved from Australia to Belgium in order to pursue her first postdoc. After being an academic researcher for 13 years, Betty worked on European projects at GfK before joining EUFIC in 2019. Among her diverse research interests, she has worked on projects related to health, consumer psychology, and food policy. Betty enjoys thinking about food from all perspectives, from the hedonic, salutary, environmental and social points of view. She also loves learning about new ideas through travelling, reading and films.
Dr. Amber Peeters
Research Manager at EUFIC
Amber is a researcher fascinated by the role of communication in shaping food choices. She obtained a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication at the University of Antwerp, where she also completed her PhD in Social Sciences. Her research investigates how men’s decisions to eat or avoid meat influence their social interactions, and how cultural narratives around masculinity and food consumption evolve. She joined EUFIC in early 2025. Beyond her research, Amber is an avid reader and enjoys playing music.
The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) is a consumer-oriented non-profit organization that promotes public health by making the science behind food and health more accessible and understandable. Their vision is to create a world where people live healthier lives because they know how, and to provide science-based information that inspires, empowers, and facilitates healthier, more sustainable diets and lifestyles among European citizens.
Through its work, EUFIC helps prevent diet- and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases in Europe and supports the urgent transition to healthy, sustainable diets and lifestyles. They do so by increasing citizens’ health literacy, countering misinformation on food and health, and promoting health by mainstreaming holistic, science-based dietary and lifestyle advice. EUFIC furthermore engages the public on food and nutrition research and innovation to increase consumer readiness for policies and innovations that are key to achieving a resilient food system.
EUFIC’s target audiences are consumer-citizens, both the general public interested in a healthy lifestyle and specific population groups, as well as individuals and organizations that help EUFIC reach their audiences on a larger scale for greater impact. The latter group includes national nutrition and food safety organizations, dietitians and nutritionists, doctors and nurses, educators and sports practitioners, patient and consumer organizations, and the media.
EUFIC’s in-house food and health scientists and consumer research team underpin all activities with a strong evidence base, ensuring not only that EUFIC’s content is accurate and reflects the wider scientific consensus, but also that its approaches and communication effectively respond to consumer behavior and needs.
Learn more: EUFIC website
Prolepsis
The team
Pania Karnaki
Director of European and International Programs at Prolepsis
Pania Karnaki is a psychologist specializing in health promotion. She received her MSc in Health Science from ECU, Western Australia. Her research interests are focused on health inequalities. She has managed numerous Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, DG SANCO, FP7, and other EU projects. Previously, she has worked in the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine and at the University of Patras as a project coordinator.
Prolepsis has taken a leading role in public health in Greece and across Europe. Prolepsis is active in key areas of public health, epidemiology, and health promotion. The organisation designs and implements a wide range of initiatives addressing public health issues, including child and maternal health, the health of vulnerable populations, health inequalities, physical activity, occupational health, and workplace health promotion. Our programs target diverse groups, including women, migrants, Roma communities, adolescents, various occupational groups (such as health professionals), policymakers, other NGOs, and decision-makers.
Specific areas of expertise: As a coordinator and partner in over 80 EU and national projects, Prolepsis carries out both research and applied programs, as well as educational and training initiatives. These efforts are carried out in cooperation with various institutions to improve health promotion, advance health education, support medical research, promote policy change, and alleviate health inequalities.
Approximate number of paid/unpaid staff: Our team comprises approximately 35 experienced staff members, including physicians, health promotion experts, communication specialists, statisticians, economists, psychologists, and researchers. Each professional brings unique expertise based on the project's needs. In addition, over 300 volunteers contribute to our work. Prolepsis also encourages interdisciplinary and international collaboration and maintains networks in Greece, the EU, Eastern Europe, and the USA.