On Friday, November 21, 2025, the Ionian Academy in Corfu hosted a grand ceremony awarding Professor Nektarios Tavernarakis an Honorary Doctorate by the Department of Informatics of Ionian University.

Dr. Tavernarakis is a Research Director at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) of FORTH, and Professor of Systems Molecular Biology at the Medical School, University of Crete. He is the former President of FORTH, and former Director of IMBB. The honorary degree recognizes not only his outstanding scientific achievements but also his seminal contributions to the academic and broader community in Greece and abroad, where he has held multiple leadership roles, including Chair of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Vice-President of the European Research Council (ERC) and currently President of the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC).

The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, local officials, members of the public, as well as faculty and students of Ionian University. A recording of the ceremony is available on the Ionian University YouTube channel.