Violeta Karaxaliou

Academic Education and Certification

I graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Essex, UK. I continued to postgraduate studies at the University of Nottingham, UK and granted the Master of Medical Sciences in Assisted Reproduction Technologies. Following my postgraduate studies, I was initially trained on the practice of laboratory protocols on assisted reproduction in the Thessaloniki IVF and Fertility Center and continued my training on the gamete micromanipulation – ICSI and vitrification at the Embryokosmogenesis IVF Unit. I am currently a fully trained Senior Clinical Embryologist certified by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

• Senior Clinical Embryologist Certification by ESHRE, 2019
• Initiation of PhD diploma, Democritus University of Thrace, 2015
• Clinical Embryologist Certification by ESHRE, 2013
• Master of Medical Sciences in Assisted Reproduction Technology, University of Nottingham, UK, 2006
• Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, University of Essex, UK, 2001

Work experience and Training

• Senior Clinical Embryologist – FIVI Fertility and IVF Center, Interbalkan Medical Center, 2020-today
• Deputy Lab Manager – Senior Clinical Embryologist, “Biogenesis” Unit of Assisted Reproduction and IVF, Thessaloniki, 2016-2020
• Lab Manager – Clinical Embryologist, “Embryokosmogenesis” Assisted Reproduction Unit of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, 2012-2016
• Clinical Embryologist, “Embryokosmogenesis” Assisted Reproduction Unit of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, 2009-2012
• Trainee Clinical Embryologist – Thessaloniki IVF and Fertility Center, 2008-2009
• Biochemist at “Cryogenomics SA” Advanced Biotechnology Services – Cord Blood Bank, 2007-2008
• Biochemist at the Laboratory for the Control of Immunosuppressed Patients, General Hospital of Athens “G.Gennimatas”, 2001-2005

Laboratory Techniques

My responsibilities as a clinical embryologist include the performance of assisted reproduction techniques such as in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, evaluation of oocytes and embryos, cryopreservation – vitrification, semen analysis and preparation. As well as, keeping records, analysis, and evaluation of laboratory results, updating the laboratory protocols according to international standards and legislation. I am also involved in the quality assurance and quality control of laboratory procedures as described in ISO 9001 and ISO 15224.

Teaching experience

I have participated in the postgraduate course, Master’s Degree Program “Human Reproduction”, Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 2014, 2015.
Lecture presentation with topic “Transport of spermatozoa, capacitation and acrosomal reaction-transport of oocyte, fertilization, implantation, early stages of embryo development”
Practical laboratory sessions demonstrator “Basic Semen analysis and sperm morphology, Gamete micromanipulation – ICSI, Gamete and embryo cryopreservation and vitrification”

Member of Scientific Societies

Member of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Member of Panhellenic Union of Clinical Embryologist

Email: violettakarachaliou@gmail.com

Athina Karamouza

Education

• M. Med. Sci. in Assisted Reproduction Technology, Nottingham University (UK)
• Graduate Degree in Biology, Aristotle University, Greece, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology and Genetics

Work experience

• 2019 – Senior Clinical Embryologist, ESHRE certified
FIVI Fertility and IVF Center, European Interbalkan Medical Center
• 2011-2019- Senior Clinical Embryologist, ESHRE certified
THESSALONIKI IVF and Infertility Center
• 2008-2011- Clinical Embryologist, ACE certified
Assisted Conception Unit, Jessop Wings, Sheffield UK
• 2007- Trainee Biologist in Microbiology Laboratory
Εuromedica Blue Cross Medical Center, Thessaloniki, GR

International certifications

• 2019 ESHRE certification Senior Clinical Embryologist
• 2012 ESHRE certification Clinical Embryologist
• 2011 ACE postgraduate diploma Clinical Embryologist, Association of Clinical Embryologists UK

Laboratory skills/ Quality management

• Highly skilled and experienced in all aspects of embryology and andrology techniques since 2007
• Expertise in PGT embryo biopsy/ tubing and patient consultation
• Expertise in Laboratory Quality control (ISO 9001 /EN 15224).
• Internal Auditor for ISO 14000 and ISO 9001
• Responsible for Surrogacy program in FIVI center
• Experience in setting up and supervising a new IVF laboratory (FIVI)

Languages

• GREEK Native
• ENGLISH Fluent
• ITALIAN Intermediate (B2)
• FRENCH Intermediate (B2)
• RUSIAN Intermediate (B1)

Memberships

• Greek Community of Clinical Embryologists (PEKE)
• European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)
• Panhellenic Union of Bioscientists (PEB)

Oral presentations • Oral presentation ” Surrogacy in Greece” European Interbalkan Medical Center Thessaloniki 2016
• Oral presentation “Culture media: Single versus one-step” ELEYIA Athens 2015
• Oral presentation ” Double embryo transfer in patients with previous failed IVF attempts” Karamouza A., Tzafetas M., Bousiaki E., Kyrou. P. ELEYIA Athens 2013
• Oral presentation “An ongoing study on the effectiveness of two-step (consecutive) embryo transfers” RCOG Athens 2011
• Poster Presentation “Blastocyst thaw data” Karamouza A., Clarke H., Saxton J., Winstone L., Osemeikhian O., Cutting R. Fertility Conference, Dublin Ireland 2011

• Email: a.karamouza@interbalkan-hosp.gr
• LinkedIn: https://gr.linkedin.com/in/athina-karamouza-75172b158

Eleni Bousiaki

Education

• M. Med. Sci. with Honors in Assisted Reproduction Technology, Nottingham University (UK)
• Graduate Degree (Ptychion) in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

Work experience

• 2019 – Senior Clinical Embryologist,ESHRE certified – Quality Manager
FIVI Fertility and IVF Center, European Interbalkan Medical Center
• 2010-2019- Senior Clinical Embryologist ESHRE certified-Quality Manager
THESSALONIKI IVF and Infertility Center
• 2008-2010- Clinical Embryologist
Assisted Conception Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK
• 2005-2007- Trainee Biologist-Embryologist in various Laboratories Thessaloniki, GR

International certifications

• 2015 ESHRE certification Senior Clinical Embryologist
• 2012 ESHRE certification Clinical Embryologist

Laboratory skills/ Quality

• Quality Manager of FIVI and Thessaloniki IVF center specializes in international standards of medical and assisted conception units
• Expertise in Laboratory Quality control (ISO 9001 /EN 15224) and other international standards (TEMOS).
• Internal Auditor for ISO 14000 and ISO 9001
• Highly skilled and experienced in all aspects of embryology and andrology techniques
• Expertise in PGT biopsy and consultation of patients
• Expertise in semen analysis and morphology assessment
• Experience in setting up and supervising a new IVF laboratory (FIVI)

Languages

• GREEK Native
• ENGLISH Fluent
• FRENCH Intermediate (B2)

Memberships

• Greek Community of Clinical Embryologists (PEKE)
• European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)

• Email: e.bousiaki@interbalkan-hosp.gr
• LinkedIn: https://gr.linkedin.com/in/eleni-bousiaki-82ba2693

Polyxeni Kyrou

Education

1999-2000 IMPERIAL COLLEGE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,
LONDON-UK
MSc in Human Reproductive Biology

1996-1999 UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX, ESSEX-UK
BSc Honors in Cell and Molecular Biology

Work Experience

APRIL 2019- FIVI FERTILITY AND IVF CENTER

2007-2019 THESSALONIKI IVF AND INFERTILITY CENTER
EUROPEAN INTERBALKAN MEDICAL CENTER
Laboratory Manager since 2009
Senior Clinical Embryologist.

2003-2007 THE LISTER HOSPITAL, LONDON-UK
Senior Clinical Embryologist

2002-2003 CHELSEA & WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL, LONDON-UK
WOKING NUFFIELD HOSPITAL, WOKING- UK

2000-2002 ANDROLOGY DEPARTMENT / IVF ENDOCRINOLOGY DEPARTMENT
HAMMERSMITH HOSPITAL -LONDON-UK
Medical Laboratory Assistant

Skills

Highly trained in all aspects of clinical embryology with a long-standing experience in patient consultation and preimplantation genetic testing.
Trained in quality management and specifically in ISO9001/EN15224, ISO 17025, ISO 14001:2015.

Memberships

• Member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology-ESHRE
• Member of the Pan-Hellenic association of embryologists- PEKE
• Certified as a clinical scientist/embryologist by the Health and Care Professional Council (hcpc) of Great Britain

Email: p.kyrou@interbalkan-hosp.gr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xeniakyrou/

Grigorios Grimbizis

Concise curriculum vitae

Professor Grigoris F Grimbizis, M.D., Ph.D., is the Director of the 1st Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki from 2017. He received his Medical Degree in 1984, graduated as an obstetrician-gynecologist in 1993 and, did his PhD at the same University in 1996. He worked as a post-graduate fellow in infertility and endoscopic surgery at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine of the Free University of Brussels. His research and clinical interests include gynecological endoscopy and reproductive medicine and he has published more than 100 papers in these fields. He is the President of ESGE (European Society for Gynecological Endoscopy) and he was a past member of the Executive Committee of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology), elected member of the Committee of National Representative of ESHRE, Vice President of the Hellenic Society of Gynecological Endoscopy, elected member of the Executive Board of Hellenic Society of Obstetrics – Gynecology and the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine. He was coordinator of the Committee ESHRE/ESGE Working Group for female genitals anomalies, member of the ESHRE/ESGE/WES working group for the recommendations of the surgical treatment of Endometriosis and of the working group for the classification of endometriosis.

grimbi@med.auth.gr

Email: grimbi (@) auth.gr

Tel: 2313 323 131

Alexandros F. Lambropoulos

Concise curriculum vitae

Dr. Alexandros F. Lambropoulos was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1958. He graduated from the School of Sciences, Department of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1981 and received his MSc degree in Molecular Biology from the Ecole des Sciences, Université de Genève, Suisse in 1983. During 1983-1984, he has worked as a research assistant at the Insitut de Pathologie, Hôpital Cantonal de Genève, Suisse. He received his PhD from the School of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1989 under the supervision of Professor S. Koliais. In 1991, he was appointed lecturer in Biology and Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in 1996 Assistant Professor, in 2006 Associate Professor and in 2013 Professor. He teaches Biology and Genetics to undergraduate and graduate students at the Faculty of Medicine and to undergraduate students at the Faculty of Dentistry of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Dr. Lambropoulos has participated in the translation of two books in medical Genetics and published more than 70 papers in peer review international journals with more than 1300 references; he has written 10 chapters in books and 12 papers in Greek journals. He was an invited speaker in more than 24 Greek and international congresses and seminars. He has been a reviewer in 5 international medical journals and member of the Editorial Board of 1 international journal.
His main research interests include genetic epidemiology, stem cells and cancer.

Email: lambrop (@) auth.gr

Tel: 2310 991 486

Leonidas Zepiridis

Concise curriculum vitae

Dr. Leonidas I. Zepiridis completed his medical training (MD) at Ioannina University, Greece in 1989 and completed his training in OBGYN in the United Kingdom and Greece. He received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2004.

In Feb 2010 he completed his two-year Subspecialty in Assisted Reproduction (ESHRE accredited), at the Unit for Human Reproduction of the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Greece, and for the next six months he was a Fellow as part of his Subspecialty Training in Assisted Reproduction on “In Vitro Maturation of Oocytes”, at the Dutch Speaking Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

Dr. Zepiridis has published more than 45 papers in peer review international journals with more than 1500 references, and 37 full papers in Greek journals.

He authored 2 chapters in international and 18 chapters in Greek books and was an invited speaker in more than 90 national and international congresses and seminars.

He is currently an associate professor of OBGYN in the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

His main interests include infertility, endoscopic surgery and ultrasound in Obgyn.

Email: lzepeiri (@) auth.gr

Juan García-Velasco

Concise curriculum vitae

Juan García-Velasco, MD, PhD, is Director of IVI Madrid. He is also Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain, where he is Director of their Master’s Degree Programme in Human Reproduction.

Professor García-Velasco graduated from University Medical School, Madrid, in 1990 and received his obstetrics and gynaecology certification from La Paz Hospital, Madrid, in 1995. He completed his PhD in Medicine at Autonoma University, Madrid, in 1995, and from 1997 to 1998 studied at Yale University, New Haven, CT, under a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellowship.

Professor García-Velasco’s main research interests have been in IVF and endometriosis. He is the Principal Investigator of projects funded by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health in Spain, and has received awards from the Spanish Fertility Society, Spanish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and 22 book chapters on human reproduction, endometriosis and hypo- and hyper-ovarian stimulation response. Currently he is Editor of RBMOnline.

Email
jgvelasco (@) ivi.es

Panagiotis Anagnostis

Concise curriculum vitae

Dr. Panagiotis G. Anagnostis has completed his basic medical training (MD) (2002) and received his PhD from the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece (2013). He has received an MSc degree from the Open University of Cyprus (2016). He has acquired the specialty of “Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism” at the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes of Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece) (2012). Having had a scholarship from the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE; International Endocrine Scholarship Program, 2013), he completed his post-doctoral training at the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, in St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College of London, UK and at menopause clinics in Queen Charlotte and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals (2014). He is also a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH) since 30th of May 2018. He has received a postgraduate award for Distinguished Research Activity (2010, Medical School, AUTH), grant from the Hellenic Atherosclerosis society for his post-doctoral training abroad (2014) and the 2021 Jens Sandahl Christansen Award by the ESE, for excellent clinical science. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher and clinical scientific collaborator at the Unit of Reproductive Endocrinology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AUTH. He actively participates as tutor of MSc programs in AUTH and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has achieved 191 publications in PubMed (5,716 citations; h-index: 36; i10-index: 88), delivered numerous lectures and presentations and chaired in national and international congresses.

Email
anagnostis (@) auth.gr

Panagiotis Anagnostis

Concise curriculum vitae

Dr. Panagiotis G. Anagnostis has completed his basic medical training (MD) (2002) and received his PhD from the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece (2013). He has received an MSc degree from the Open University of Cyprus (2016). He has acquired the specialty of “Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism” at the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes of Hippokration Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece) (2012). Having had a scholarship from the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE; International Endocrine Scholarship Program, 2013), he completed his post-doctoral training at the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, in St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College of London, UK and at menopause clinics in Queen Charlotte and Chelsea & Westminster Hospitals (2014). He is also a fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH) since 30th of May 2018. He has received a postgraduate award for Distinguished Research Activity (2010, Medical School, AUTH), grant from the Hellenic Atherosclerosis society for his post-doctoral training abroad (2014) and the 2021 Jens Sandahl Christansen Award by the ESE, for excellent clinical science. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher and clinical scientific collaborator at the Unit of Reproductive Endocrinology, 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AUTH. He actively participates as tutor of MSc programs in AUTH and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He has achieved 191 publications in PubMed (5,716 citations; h-index: 36; i10-index: 88), delivered numerous lectures and presentations and chaired in national and international congresses.

Email
anagnostis (@) auth.gr