General surgeons with experience in Obesity in Cholargos

Dr. Ioannis Virlos is a General Surgeon who maintains a private practice in Glyfada. He graduated from the Medical School of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, obtaining his medical degree in 1990. In 2000, he earned a Master’s degree in Surgical Sciences (MSc in Surgical Sciences) as well as a Diploma from Imperial College London (Diploma Imperial College), United Kingdom. In 2009, he was awarded a Doctorate (Medical Doctorate) from the University of Manchester, UK.He has been a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd.) since 1998 and of the Intercollegiate Board in Surgery of the United Kingdom (FRCS (Gen Surg)) since 2008. Since 2011, he has been a Fellow of the European Board of Surgery in the field of Colorectal Surgery (FEBS (Coloproctology)).Dr Ioannis Virlos is a specialized colorectal and bariatric surgeon, also trained in minimally invasive surgery — both laparoscopic and robotic. He has received training not only in Greece but also in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Belgium.After completing his military service in 1992, he trained in General Surgery in hospitals in Athens and the United Kingdom between 1992 and 1999, obtaining his specialty title in General Surgery in 1999. From 2002 to 2012, he served as a surgical consultant in hospitals in the UK, Australia, Belgium, and Greece. Specifically, he worked at the following hospitals in the UK: North Middlesex, Arrowe Park, Derriford, Torbay, Exeter, Cheltenham, and North Bristol, as well as at Sir Charles Gairdner University Hospital in Perth, Australia, and Sotiria Hospital in Athens (as Senior Consultant).During the same period, he received advanced training in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and laparoscopic bariatric surgery at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, UK, and Heilighart Ziekenhuis in Roeselare, Belgium.From 2012 to 2021, he worked as a Consultant Surgeon at the following hospitals in the UK: Ealing Hospital, Homerton University Hospital, John Radcliffe & Churchill Hospitals in Oxford, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Northampton General Hospital, and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton. He returned to Greece in 2021.Since 2023, Mr. Virlos has been the Director of Surgery at Metropolitan General Hospital in Athens. He also serves as the General Secretary of the Hellenic Society of Coloproctology. Finally, for the period 2025–2028, he will represent Greece at the European Society of Coloproctology.

Specialist Internist - Diabetologist Papadopoulos Paris maintains private practices in downtown Athens and Cholargos. He is a graduate of the English-speaking department of the University of Belgrade. He specialized in Internal Medicine initially at the 7th IKA Therapeutic Hospital and subsequently at the Konstandopouleio - Patision General Hospital of Nea Ionia, where he actively participated in the activities of the Diabetology Center. He holds a two-year postgraduate degree focused on Diabetes Mellitus from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom, and possesses the internationally recognized SCOPE (Specialist Certification of Professional Education) certificate for Obesity management, awarded by the World Obesity Federation. His name is included in the official list of healthcare professionals with international certification in Obesity management. He has served as Consultant of the Diabetology Unit and the Obesity Unit at the Athens Medical Center and as Head of the Internal Medicine Department at a private clinic in Peristeri. The physician offers high-level specialized and personalized medical services aimed at the best possible care for each patient, understanding their individual needs. He has extensive experience in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases across the full spectrum of Internal Medicine, with a particular interest in Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Gestational Diabetes, Prediabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome. He has participated in multicenter domestic and international medical studies related to Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity. Finally, the physician regularly attends international and domestic conferences as part of his continuous professional development.

Garzonis Spyros is an Internist - Diabetologist and maintains a private practice in Cholargos. He graduated from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and specialized in Internal Medicine at the General Hospital for Chest Diseases of Athens "Sotiria". Additionally, he received further training in Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Foot at the Diabetology Center of the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko," where he remained as a collaborator for over 10 years. He holds official specialization in Diabetes Mellitus. He has a particular interest and involvement in diabetes technology and insulin pumps. He has participated as a volunteer physician in a Doctors Without Borders - Greece mission in Zambia and in programs within Greece. Finally, he is a member of the Hellenic Diabetological Association, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the Hellenic Society for the Study of Diabetic Foot Disorders, the Hellenic Society of Internal Medicine, and Doctors Without Borders - Greece.

Elena Papathanasopoulou MSW, Dip Psych (Hons) is a Psychotherapist - Mental Health Counselor with a private practice in Cholargos. She studied Psychology in the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology at the University of Ioannina and subsequently at the Open University in the UK (Diploma in Psychology). Additionally, she completed postgraduate studies in the USA at the Smith College School for Social Work (Massachusetts) with a Fulbright scholarship. Upon returning to Greece, she continued her training at the Hellenic Psychoanalytic Society. She has worked as a therapist in psychotherapeutic centers in the USA and Athens. She possesses extensive teaching experience (in psychodynamic counseling seminars for mental health professionals and at the Technological Educational Institute of Patras). She has also worked in parent training schools and on various research projects. She has numerous presentations at conferences and educational and continuing education programs abroad and in Greece, as well as publications in scientific journals in Greece. She is a member of the British Psychological Society, the Hellenic Association of Social Workers, and the Hellenic Psychoanalytic Society. In her private practice, she treats a wide range of conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, self-awareness, generalized anxiety disorder, interpersonal difficulties, mood disorders, using psychodynamic psychotherapy and counseling as her primary therapeutic modalities.

Ioanna Papadopoulou is a General Surgeon and maintains private practices in Cholargos and Glyfada. She performs exclusively laparoscopic surgery for benign and malignant conditions of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder and bile ducts, as well as all types of abdominal wall hernias. She received her Medical Degree from the “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi in 2012. She completed her rural service at the General Hospital of Messinia – Kyparissia Nursing Unit in 2013–2014. In 2021, she obtained her surgical specialty certification.

During her specialty training, she served at the 417 Army Fund Nursing Institution (N.I.M.T.S), where she specialized in advanced laparoscopic surgery for malignant colon diseases, obesity, reflux, and hernias, as well as thyroid malignancies. Additionally, at the Sismanogleio General Hospital of Athens, she participated in a large volume of colon and thyroid cancer surgeries. Considering that the present of surgery lies in laparoscopic and robotic techniques, she attended advanced laparoscopic seminars organized by ELPEN under the auspices of the Hellenic Surgical Society from 2016 to 2018.

In 2021, she completed further training in Surgical Oncology, earning a Master of Science (MSc) degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Finally, in 2023, she received additional training in the latest methods for managing complex diaphragmatic hernias and reflux at the Symposium on Innovation in Surgery in Malta.

Mousiolis Dimitris MD, MSc, cPhD is a General Surgeon with a private clinic in Ilion. He graduated from the Medical School of Plovdiv University and obtained his specialty in General Surgery from the General Hospital of Athens "Elpis". He holds a postgraduate diploma in Liver - Biliary - Pancreatic Surgery from the Medical Department of Democritus University of Thrace and a Diploma from the Hellenic School of Mastology. Additionally, he has received specialized training in adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bariatric surgery, vascular access, sentinel lymph node biopsy, as well as in Laparoscopic & Robotic General Surgery. He specializes in the modern management of perianal diseases and has received specialized training in the minimally invasive treatment of perianal conditions (hemorrhoids, pilonidal cyst, perianal fistulas, anal fissures, condylomas) using specific surgical lasers (LHP, SiLAC, FiLaC) as well as in the treatment of hemorrhoidal disease with the use of ultrasound. To date, he is a collaborating General Surgeon at the Medical Center of Athens, the Bioclinic of Athens, and the Affidea - Euromedical Group. He has published scientific articles in reputable international medical journals and participates in specialized medical events in Greece and abroad. Finally, the doctor is a member of the Medical Association of Athens, the Hellenic Surgical Society, the Hellenic Scientific Society of Robotic Surgery, the Clinical Robotic Surgery Association, as well as the European Resuscitation Council.

Kiousi Katerina is a Dietitian - Nutritionist and maintains private practices in Paiania and Cholargos. She holds a degree in Nutrition Science from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom and a postgraduate degree in Education and Public Health Promotion from King’s College London. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Basic Clinical Practice and Health Investigation from seminars attended at the International Academy of Health Investigation, Brookwood. She has gained significant professional experience and currently serves as the scientific director of the dietetics center at Voulioukaleio Clinic in Aigaleo and as an External Associate of boarding schools. In her private practices, she provides comprehensive nutrition programs tailored to individual needs. Finally, she has attended numerous industry conferences and is a member of the Panhellenic Association of Dietitians - Nutritionists.

Anna Georgiou BSc, MSc is a Dietitian-Nutritionist and maintains a private practice in Agia Paraskevi. She holds a degree from the Dietetics department of Queen Margaret University in Scotland and a postgraduate degree in "Applied Dietetics and Nutrition" from Harokopio University of Athens. She has worked as a Clinical Dietitian at the Athens Medical Center, and currently, in addition to her private practice, she works as a Dietitian-Nutritionist at IASIS Medical Diagnostic Centers. Finally, she is a regular member of the Hellenic Association of Dietitians-Nutritionists.

H Δρ. Κολομβότσου Αναστασία είναι πτυχιούχος Διαιτολόγος - Διατροφολόγος, μέλος του Πανελλήνιου Συλλόγου Διαιτολόγων - Διατροφολόγων, με ιδιωτικό γραφείο στο Νέο Ψυχικό. Κάτοχος μεταπτυχιακού διπλώματος M(Med)Sc στη Διατροφή με εξειδίκευση στη Δημόσια Υγεία στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Γλασκώβης, Μεγάλης Βρετανίας και διδακτορικού τίτλου με εξειδίκευση σε καρδιαγγειακά νοσήματα και μεταβολικό σύνδρομο από το Τμήμα Επιστήμης Τροφίμων και Διατροφής του Ανθρώπου, Γεωπονικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών. Εν συνεχεία, με βάση το ενδιαφέρον της στην υγεία πληθυσμών σε κίνδυνο, ολοκλήρωσε το δεύτερο μεταπτυχιακό στη διαχείριση κρίσεων και τη διεθνή ιατρική στο Εθνικό & Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών. Διαθέτει σπουδαίο και αναγνωρισμένο ερευνητικό έργο με την συμμετοχή σε διάφορες μελέτες, τη συγγραφή επιστημονικών άρθρων σε περιοδικά παγκόσμιας απήχησης, όπως το Am J Clin Nutr, Epidemiologia, κεφαλαίων σε βιβλία διατροφής και μεταφράσεις. Με στόχο την διαρκή ενημέρωση και εξειδίκευση, παρακολουθεί ετησίως συνέδρια και έχει υπάρξει η ίδια ομιλήτρια σε επιστημονικά συνέδρια, σε σχολεία και σε πληθυσμιακές ομάδες ακριτικών περιοχών ως μέλος των Κινητών Ιατρικών Μονάδων. Διαθέτει κλινική εμπειρία έχοντας εργαστεί σε ως Κλινική Διαιτολόγος - Διατροφολόγος στο Νοσοκομείο "Υγεία" και στην Πολυκλινική Ολυμπιακού Χωριού. Ακόμη, εξειδικεύεται σε καρδιαγγειακά νοσήματα, υπέρταση και μεταβολικό σύνδρομο, στο σακχαρώδη διαβήτη και στην απώλεια σωματικού βάρους. Αναλαμβάνει και έχει σημαντική εμπειρία σε διατροφική αντιμετώπιση ΙΦΝΕ (Ιδιοπαθείς Φλεγμονώδεις Νόσοι του Εντέρου) σε παιδιά και ενήλικες, σε διατροφή εγκύων και ατόμων μεγαλύτερης ηλικίας των 65 ετών. Επίσης αξιολογεί (αναλύσεις διατροφικού ιστορικού και εξετάσεις) και συμβουλεύει σε υιοθέτηση υγιεινής διατροφής. Εστιάζει στην εξατομίκευση των προγραμμάτων διατροφής με σεβασμό στις ιδιαιτερότητες του κάθε ατόμου/ασθενούς (ιδιαίτερες γευστικές προτιμήσεις, vegan, vegetarian), στις οικογενειακές συνήθειες, με λύσεις πρακτικές, έτσι που να μπορούν να πετύχουν το στόχο τους και την θεραπεία τους, βελτιώνοντας την υγεία τους υγιεινοδιαιτητικά, χωρίς φαρμακευτική αγωγή όπως και την εικόνα σώματός τους. Πετυχαίνουν τους στόχους τους άτομα πολυάσχολα, με απαιτητική καθημερινότητα, ιδιαίτερες συνήθειες και ανάγκες ακόμη και απογοητευμένα άτομα, μετά από πολυάριθμες προσπάθειες απώλειας βάρους. Παρέχει και διαδικτυακή παρακολούθηση σε Ελλάδα και εξωτερικό.

Aleksaki Sofia is an Endocrinologist - Diabetologist and a PhD candidate at École des Ponts ParisTech in France, with a private practice in Agia Paraskevi. She specialized in Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus, and Metabolism at Venizeleio General Hospital of Heraklion, where she further specialized in Diabetology. She also has many years of clinical and research experience in Greece, the United Kingdom, France, and Belgium.

Piki Eirini works as a psychologist, psychotherapist, family therapist, lecturer and supervisor. She is a member of the ‘Greek Psychological Association’ as well as the ‘Hellenic Association of Systemic Therapy (HELASYTH). She has also obtained the European Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy), and a work license as a psychologist (No. 5522/07). She completed her undergraduate degree (BSc) at the University of North London and her postgraduate (MA) and doctoral (PhD) studies at Goldsmiths University of London. Furthermore, she completed a training in individual, group and family psychotherapy at the Laboratory for the Study of Human Relations. She has worked for several years in different contexts in the field of psychology, such as in prisons, nursing homes and orphanages. She has given lectures at Goldsmiths University of London (UK) and at Mediterranean College (Greece). Since 2002, she has taken part in several seminars, with the aim of informing either the laymen or specific groups, such as parents, teachers and/or mental health care professionals. Since 2005, she has been working in private practice at her office in Agia Paraskevi, Athens, as a psychologist-psychotherapist for children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, as a group therapist, and also as a supervisor. Moreover, since 2005, she has been cooperating with a number of nurseries and, since 2012, she is in collaboration with the European Network of Women, which is an NGO dealing with issues of interfamilial violence and racial discrimination.

Zisiadis Dimitris MD, MSc, PhDc, is a General Surgeon and Director of the Surgical Clinic at the Medical Center of Athens - Psychiko, with private practices in Kifisia, Agios Dimitrios, Ilion, and Psychiko. He is a PhD candidate at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a master's degree in Bioethics from the Medical School of Democritus University of Thrace. Additionally, it is worth mentioning his specialization in Laparoscopic Surgery from the University of Strasbourg in France, Minimally Invasive surgery for inguinal hernia repair at IRCAD, and training in robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. He has participated in thousands of surgeries for critically ill patients during his surgical practice in the public sector, as well as numerous advanced surgical reconstructions abroad, with a strong commitment to implementing these techniques in Greece. He has served as a collaborating Surgeon in numerous private centers in Greece, Italy, and the UK (London), participating in a wide range of general, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical procedures. He employs the most modern equipment and state-of-the-art techniques worldwide. He has also been trained in the repair of inguinal hernia, hydrocele, and ventral hernia using double mesh and local anesthesia. Finally, he has actively participated in numerous surgical conferences in Greece and courses organized by the Hellenic Surgical Society.

Manolopoulou Thomi is a Clinical Psychologist - Psychoanalyst and maintains a private practice in Ampelokipoi. She studied Psychology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and subsequently pursued postgraduate studies in Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology as well as in "Psychoanalysis and Social Field" at the University of Paris. Additionally, she has trained in Psychoanalysis at the Psychoanalysis School of the Lacanian Field Forums in Paris and is a member of the clinical training committee of the Athens Forum (Psychoanalysis School of the Lacanian Field Forums), serving as a lecturer and seminar facilitator. She has extensive clinical experience, having worked both in Greece and abroad in hospitals, NGOs, and other institutions, such as the Psychiatric Hospital of Prémontré in France (where she holds a position as Clinical Psychologist and seminar facilitator), the Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit of Château-Thierry Prisons, and the Reception Center for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Thessaloniki. Simultaneously, she provides supervision to trainee Psychoanalysts, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Educators.

Marinakis Euaggelos is an Internist - Health Coach, maintaining a private clinic in Chalandri, bordering Psychiko (Agia Varvara area of Chalandri). He studied Medicine at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. With knowledge and extensive experience in internal medicine and ongoing education in health coaching, life coaching, behavioral psychology, and the fundamental principles of the Cognitive-Behavioral approach, Marinakis Euaggelos approaches the individual holistically and guides them with modern methods towards achieving their personal goals and aspirations in broader health and personal development matters. Well-being is an exciting challenge-goal in life, analyzed into physical and non-physical components, which include the individual, family, parenthood, and close or broader human relationships. Whether it concerns chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, bulimia, overeating, emotional eating, uncontrolled food consumption, cognitive restriction, and restrictive diets, psychogenic anorexia, or issues related to relationships and psychosocial aspects within the framework of health and lifestyle coaching, Marinakis Euaggelos possesses extensive training and experience.