Dr. Pelagia Foka is a dedicated molecular virologist and researcher at the Molecular Virology Laboratory of the Hellenic Pasteur Institute. With a background in chemistry from NKUA (1999) and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Cardiff University (2003), she has cultivated extensive expertise in viral-host interactions, immunoregulation, and infection mechanisms.
Her postdoctoral journey includes prestigious fellowships, such as the BBSRC and Wellcome Trust in the UK, where she worked on non-viral drug delivery vectors for liver cancer and the role of macrophages in lipid metabolism during atherosclerosis. She later joined HPI, contributing to major European and national research projects on viral pathogenesis, including Herpesvirus-based oncolytic vectors and hepcidin regulation in liver diseases.
Dr. Pelagia Foka has a strong academic presence, serving as a visiting lecturer at the University of West Attica and NKUA, where she shares her expertise in biomedical engineering and biology applications in medicine. Her research focuses on HCV, HBV, and SARS-CoV-2 interactions with host systems, exploring inflammation, immunometabolism, and epigenetic factors in viral persistence and hepatocellular carcinoma. She also works on cutting-edge molecular diagnostics, pseudoviral particles for research, and advanced in vitro models using 3D organoid cultures.
Throughout her career, Dr. Pelagia Foka has built extensive collaborations, established innovative methodologies, supervised numerous students at various academic levels, and contributed as a reviewer for multiple scientific publishing houses. Passionate about advancing virology and immunology, she continues to drive impactful research in infectious diseases and viral pathobiology.
