Event on Genetic Medicine

About the event

Key information

Topic: Genes and Choices: The Power of Prediction and Prevention
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026, 11 am
Location: CHS Greece
Organized by: CHS Greece, Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)
Open to: All
Language: Greek
Speakers: Professor Aris Eliopoulos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Professor Despina Sanoudou, PhD FACMG (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens / CHS)
Activity Administration: Dr. Evan Katsarelis (CHS Greece)
Contact phone and email: (+30) 27520 47030, int. line 2, programs-eventsgreece@chs.harvard.edu

Overview

The Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece and the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens co-organize an event titled "Genes and Choices: The Power of Prediction and Prevention," on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 11 am, at the CHS Greece building in Nafplio. The event aims to highlight the transition from the traditional model of health management to the era of personalized care, making use of the power of the science of Genetics. Through two short presentations and the discussion that will follow, it will explore how the decoding of DNA enables the early prediction of hereditary diseases, and how pharmacogenetics guides the selection of the most appropriate treatment for each patient. Through genetic counseling, scientific data are transformed into a personal health plan, offering both the individual and the physician the possibility for significant and targeted interventions. The order of the talks and the topics of the presentations is as follows:

Aris Eliopoulos (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) will speak on the topic "The role of genetic testing in the prediction and prevention of chronic diseases."
Despina Sanoudou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens / CHS) will speak on the topic "Tailoring treatment to the patient: pharmacogenetic testing and genetic counseling in everyday practice."

The event is open to the public and is held in the framework of the "Genomic Medicine Course in Nafplio" program, co-organized by CHS Greece and the NKUA Medical School.

Event poster with a light blue background featuring a large translucent DNA double helix, faint molecular icons and soft diagonal shapes, with overlaid Greek text providing the event title “Genes and Choices: The Power of Prediction and Prevention” and key details about date, venue, speakers, and organizers.

Short biographical notes of the speakers

Aristides Eliopoulos

Aristides Eliopoulos is Professor of Biology and Genetics and Director of the Laboratory of Biology at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. With many years of research experience in the UK (Birmingham) and the US (Tufts, Thomas Jefferson), he has been honored with the prestigious MRC Career Development Award. He has twenty years of teaching experience in undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Greece and abroad, having supervised dozens of theses. His research work in Molecular Biology and Genetics has received international recognition, with more than 27,500 citations, and he holds four patents. He is co‑founder and scientific director of GENOSOPHY®, the first spin‑off company of NKUA. The company specializes in Precision Medicine, using innovative machine learning algorithms that integrate genetic and bioclinical data for the personalized prevention and management of chronic diseases.

Despina Sanoudou

Despina Sanoudou is Professor of Pharmacogenomics and Cardiovascular Biology at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Head of the Clinical Genomics and Pharmacogenomics Unit at the 4th Department of Internal Medicine. She completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK, and worked at Harvard Medical School, where she joined the Faculty as an Instructor in Genetics. She has served as Senior Research Fellow at the Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine and as Visiting Scholar at the Boston University Department of Medicine and the University of South Florida. Today, as an expert in Precision Medicine, she directs a pioneering Genetics and Pharmacogenomics Unit and the Genetic Counseling Outpatient Clinic at "Attikon" General Hospital. She has served as advisor to dozens of international organizations and national committees in the field of Health, including the National Organization for Medicines (EOF), the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY), and the Greek Ministry of Health, and she has taught more than 12,000 students in over 95 countries. For her contribution to science, she has received multiple awards, including the L'Oreal‑UNESCO Award. Since 2025, she has served as a Harvard CHS Associate in Interdisciplinary Initiatives.

Accessibility

The Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its events and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please email programs-eventsgreece@chs.harvard.edu or call (+30) 27520 47030, in advance of your participation. Requests for accommodations should be made as far in advance as possible. We will explore each request on a case-by-case basis. However, please note that all services are subject to availability.