Professor Ioannis Vontas was unanimously re-elected Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) of FORTH, on December 12, 2025. (Official Government Gazette appointment (FEK): 129_ΥΟΔΔ_10.2.2025).
The election was carried out by a seven-member Evaluation Committee, appointed by the Ministry of Development and chaired by Professor Nikolaos Kyrpides, Senior Scientist (Biologist), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Joint Genome Institute, United States Department of Energy, Walnut Creek, USA.
Prof. Vontas brings extensive experience both at the administrative level—having served as Director of IMBB since 2021—as well as at the scientific level, as the research of his group on the development of biotechnological methods for controlling agricultural pests and insects of public health importance has gained significant international recognition.

Brief Curriculum Vitae

John Vontas completed his undergraduate studies and PhD at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) in 1997. Subsequently Marie Curie TMR and Return fellowships allowed him to work at Cardiff University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-FORTH), as a postdoctoral researcher. He was appointed Lecturer at AUA in 2004 and Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Crete (2008–2013). He worked at the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) in 2013-2014, to develop to the funding framework for malaria vector research. In 2014, he returned to Greece as Professor at AUA and collaborating Researcher at IMBB-FORTH. Since 2021, he has served as Director of IMBB-FORTH. His research focuses on (green) Biotechnology based approaches for the control of mosquito disease vectors and agricultural pests. He teaches in numerous undergraduate and postgraduate programs and has supervised >40 PhD students and Post-Doctoral Researchers, some pursuing careers in academia and industry, worldwide. He has authored a substantial number of scientific publications, delivered numerous invited lectures, and serves as an Academic Editor for leading international journals. He has extensive experience coordinating large European and international research projects. He is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and participates in many international panels across Europe (ERC, EU, FWO, ANR, etc). He collaborates with public-sector bodies, providing scientific support on issues related to Public Health and the Agri-food sector. He has served, as a member, the Advisory Committee at the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation and the National Life Science Council of Greece (GSRI).