Maria Naletaki is a research technician at the Institute of Oceanography in HCMR. 
She has graduated from the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, United Kingdom, and she obtained her Master’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Crete, Greece.
She started working as a marine biologist in the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology of the Institute of Marine Biology of Crete (IMBC) in 2001 and continued her work in HCMR after the two centers merged.
She works with the benthic macrofauna and has specialized in the taxonomy of the decapod crustaceans. 
She is a member of the scientific team of ELNAIS (Ellenic Network on Aquatic Invasive Species) and her research interests concern biodiversity, ecosystem structure, marine ecosystem management, ecology of estuarine and coastal ecosystems focusing on macrobenthos, taxonomy of decapods and study of the invasive species. 
She is also a member of the education team of HCMR and participates in the educational programs carried out in the HCMR labs and the CretAquarium.
She speaks fluently Greek, English, Italian and Spanish and has a good knowledge of Dutch. 
Maria has worked in many national and international projects, has participated in several international conferences and has been a member of the organizing committee for the Panhellenic Symposiums of Oceanography & Fisheries, as well as for the Researcher’s Night.