Nikos Thomaidis, Alternate Chair of the University of Athens’ Administration Council, Professor of Analytical Chemistry, and President of the Company for the Development and the Management of the Property of the University of Athens, has completed a week-long visit to Yale University, USA. The primary aim of the visit was to develop the Joint Master’s Degree Programme between Yale University and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens on Global Environmental Sciences and Public Health.
As part of the visit, Professor Thomaidis held a series of meetings with Megan Ranney, Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, Teresa Hartnett, Director of Financial Strategy and Administration, Maira Myrogianni, Secretary General for Greeks Abroad, as well as with faculty members from various Yale Schools involved in the programme. Additionally, he collaborated closely with Professor Vasiliou to expand existing partnerships and establish new academic and research ties between the two institutions.
During his stay in the US, Professor Thomaidis also participated in the 7th International Yale Symposium on Olive Oil and Health, which was organized by the Yale School of Public Health.
In Session III – Technological Advances and Applications, he presented the research of the University of Athens’ TrAMS Group titled:
‘Fast, Reliable, Authentic: The Next Generation of Olive Oil Testing – A Novel Approach for Rapid Adulteration Detection and Quality Assessment Using DART-HRMS’.
The proposed method, based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS), enables direct analysis without sample preparation or the use of solvents, ensuring reliable assessment of the quality and authenticity of extra virgin olive oil, as well as the detection of adulteration (1% in seed oils and 5% in lower-quality oils).
