Dr. Vasiliki Pogka is a seasoned molecular biologist specializing in molecular virology and diagnostics. She holds a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the Demokritus University of Thrace and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2012.
Since 2013, Dr. Pogka served as the technical director of the WHO-accredited National Poliovirus Reference Laboratory of Greece, based at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute (HPI). She also contributed her expertise to the National Reference Laboratories for Influenza and other respiratory viruses, as well as Measles/Rubella viruses. Her work has been pivotal in virological surveillance and diagnostic advancement in Greece. An expert in viral cell culture, genetic characterization, phylogenetic analysis, and antiviral susceptibility testing, Dr. Pogka has also led evaluations of virucidal efficacy for disinfectants and antiseptics under European guidelines since 2015.
Currently, she is part of the Bioinformatics and Applied Genomics Unit at HPI, focusing on the design and implementation of molecular library preparation protocols for Next Generation Sequencing technologies.
