About Me

Engineer.
Scientist.
Problem-Solver.

My name is Odyssefs Liagkas. I am a passionate and hard-working individual with a strong interdisciplinary background spanning life sciences and engineering, computer science and AI, as well as business and management. This foundation has been developed through my academic and professional experiences from high school to the present (May 2026).

Fulbright Scholar Cornell MEng Biology & Biomedical Engineering Computer Science & AI
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Academic Background

Education

Aug 2025 — May 2026
Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering
Cornell University, College of Engineering, Ithaca NY
  • GPA: 9.38/10 (4.032/4.3)
  • Blend of engineering and science expertise with leadership
  • Fulbright Graduate Student Scholarship
  • Michael C. Soteriades '41 Scholarship
  • M.Eng. Capstone: Novel Tissue Tensiometer for Total Knee Arthroplasty
  • Consulting Capstone: Supply Chain & Operations with Corning Inc.
  • STEM: Soft Tissue Biomechanics, Robotics, Bio-robotics, Fast Autonomous Robots, Circuits/Signals/Sensors, Innovation & Design of Medtech
  • MBA: Management of Technology & Innovation, Managerial Decision Making, Management Consulting, Experience in Strategic Operations
Sep 2024 — Apr 2025
Computer Science Bridge Program
New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, New York
  • Awarded with distinction
  • 400 hours, distant learning
  • Mathematics and Calculus
  • C++ Programming and Memory Management
  • Principles of Operating Systems
  • Computer Networks
Sep 2019 — Sep 2023
Bachelor of Science in Biology
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
  • GPA: 8.09 / 10
  • Diploma Thesis: Oleuropein analogues in cancer and inflammation, Grade: 10/10
  • Second Prize for Basic Research - 49th Annual Panhellenic Medical Conference
  • Extensive laboratory experience in immunology and flow cytometry
  • Business classes: Business Economics & Management, New Venture Creation
Sep 2016 — Jul 2019
High School Diploma — Apolytirion
Hellenic American Educational Foundation (Athens College), Athens, Greece
  • GPA: 19.7 / 20 with honors — Excellence Award from Ministry of Education
  • Production Manager, virtual company 'W.A.R.N.' — 'Innovative Product Award' at Junior Achievement's Student Trade Fair, 2018
  • Production Manager, virtual company 'Bac Bake' — 2nd Prize in Panhellenic 'Best Virtual Company' competition, 2017
  • 2nd Excellence Award, 5th Panhellenic Student Physics Competition 'Aristotle', 2017
Career

Professional Experience

Operations & Product Development Engineer
Dec 2025 — Present
The Period Box — FemCare / Women's Health | Launched through Cornell's eLab accelerator

Active role in daily operations, evaluation of tools & platforms, and internal/external processes.

  • Startup awarded with Cornell Entrepreneurship Award
  • Developed and deployed a full-stack website from concept to production; ongoing maintenance and feature shipping
  • Key role in successful MVP launch in March of 2026
Team Leader & Design Engineer
Aug 2025 — May 2026
Touchdown Medical Technologies (Simulated Startup) — Cornell Engineering, M.Eng. Program

Developed a novel Tissue Tensiometer incorporating patellar tension for Total Knee Arthroplasty using the Stanford Biodesign Innovation Process.

  • Led an interdisciplinary team of 4; coordinated all team activities
  • Gained proficiency in 6-DoF Robot Arm Biomechanical Testing and CAD Modeling
  • Advanced skills in 3D Scanning, 3D Printing, Soldering and Microelectronics
  • Collaborated with Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS, New York City) surgeons and engineer-advisors
Project Leader — Supply Chain & Operations Consulting Intern
Jan 2025 — May 2026
Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management

Planned and executed a real-world consulting project in supply chain & operations for Corning Inc. as a team of 3.

  • Developed an AI framework and agent integrating existing central databases for Corning Inc.'s manufacturing operations
  • Proposed future improvements to the framework and underlying database systems
  • Authored all relevant documentation, such as the Standard Operating Procedure document
Research Fellow Intern — AI, Data Science & Algorithms
Sep 2024 — Jun 2025
Archimedes AI Research Unit — Athena Research Center, Athens, Greece

Scholarship for "Implementation of Informatics in Biosciences and Medicine".

  • Worked in in an interdisciplinary team within the Computer Vision and Robotics group
  • Utilized PyTorch to develop an AI pipeline with applications in Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM)
  • Conducted research in AI implementation in Genetic and Protein Engineering
Private, Medical Laboratory Scientist
Sep 2023 — Jun 2024
Hellenic Armed Forces — 401 Military Hospital (Mandatory Military Service)

Mandatory military service as a specialized medical laboratory scientist in a BSL-3 laboratory.

  • Supported the Biopathology and Molecular Diagnostics Lab; carried out tests, interpreted results and reported to clinicians
  • Independently managed the entire BSL-3 laboratory during 24-hour shifts
  • Actively participated in training new laboratory members
  • Received basic and advanced military training in Sparta
Research Intern — Structural Bioinformatics
Jul 2023 — Aug 2023
National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece — Institute of Chemical Biology

Structural bioinformatics research at the Structural Biology and Chemistry Laboratory.

  • Prepared protein crystals for synchrotron irradiation at a radiation facility
  • Used specialized software to predict and analyze 3D protein structures
  • Wrote Python scripts to expedite work and automate processes
Research Student — Immunology
Sep 2022 — Jul 2023
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens — Immunology Laboratory, Flow Cytometry Unit

Study of the action of oleuropein analogues in in vitro and in vivo models of cancer and inflammation.

  • Monitored Flow Cytometry analyses of leukemia and myeloma samples
  • Researched anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects of semi-synthetic oleuropein analogues
  • Conducted both in vitro and in vivo experiments; analyzed findings and reported to supervisor
Entrepreneurship & Leadership

Leadership Experience

Co-Founder & Team Member · Nov 2021 – Aug 2025

FunguWear — Sustainable Biomaterials

Athens, Greece

Introducing an environmentally friendly mycelium-based material resembling animal/PU leather to the market, aiming at a sustainable future against water pollution and animal cruelty.

  • 1st Place — 5th Business Idea Competition InnovInAgri 2022
  • Advanced to the finals of Ennovation 2023
  • Awarded Team Award at Phase 2 of the international program Start For Future: Match & Start 2023
Research Output

Publications

MDPI Antioxidants · 2024 · Vol. 13 Iss. 11
Ole-Oxy, a Semi-Synthetic Analog of Oleuropein, Ameliorates Acute Skin and Colon Inflammation in Mice
Pharmakeftiki Journal · 2023 · Vol. 35 Iss. 3
Biological assays for the preclinical screening of new molecules with anticancer activity [...]
3rd Author
Scientific Dissemination

Conference Presentations

May 2023
49th Annual Panhellenic Medical Conference
Divani Caravel Hotel, Athens
Second Prize for Basic Research
May 2023
42nd Scientific Conference, Hellenic Society of Biological Sciences
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Dec 2022
8th Symposium on Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy
Divani Palace Acropolis Hotel, Athens
Mar 2024 & Dec 2025
Scientific Conferences "The Society of Knowledge"
Athens College, Psychico
Community

Volunteering

🎓
Class Agent — Alumni Fund Drive
Hellenic American Educational Foundation (Athens College) · 2019 – Present
Connecting classmates and HAEF as the catalyst of lifelong class giving,
constituting the link between the Alumni Association and the graduating class.
🎭
Member — Athens College Alumni Association Drama Club
Hellenic American Educational Foundation · 2020 – Present
Raises money annually for the Athens College Scholarship Fund through theatrical performances.
🤝
Mentor — "Athens-Melbourne: a Journey of Friendship"
Hellenic American Educational Foundation · 2016 – 2018
Mentored 2 students from Australia in the international exchange program. Awarded Top Mentor.
Expertise

Skills & Certifications

Programming

Python C++ C JavaScript R Perl

Engineering Tools

CAD Modeling 3D Printing 3D Scanning Soldering & Microelectronics 6-DoF Biomechanical Testing

Laboratory Techniques

Flow Cytometry Cell Culture Protein Purification Molecular Diagnostics BSL-3 Operations Crystallography

Languages

Greek — Native English — Fluent Japanese — Limited

Certifications

Data Science Specialization — 10 Courses (Johns Hopkins / Coursera) Genomic Data Science Specialization — 6 Courses (Johns Hopkins / Coursera) Computer Usage Knowledge Certificate — NKUA Pedagogical & Teaching Proficiency Certificate — NKUA

AI & Research

PyTorch Computer Vision Cryo-EM AI Pipelines Bioinformatics Structural Biology