Professor of Epidemiology, Founder of Prolepsis Institute

Athena Linos

Professor, Medical School, University of Athens 

Founder of the Institute of Preventive Medicine Environmental and Occupational Health, Prolepsis

Prof Athena Linos studied Medicine at the University of Athens Medical School (MD degree) and Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health (MPH). She also holds a PhD and a Professorial degree from the University of Athens Medical School in the field of Epidemiology.

Over the years, Prof Linos has held various long-term academic positions and has taught courses on Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine and Occupational Health at the Mayo Medical School, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and Case Western Reserve University. In 1996, she was appointed Associate Professor and in 2004, Professor at the University of Athens Medical School.

Prof Linos has been the scientific director of a graduate program entitled Environmental and Occupational Health Risk Assessment and Management which awards both Masters and PhD degrees and is co-directed by the Medical School and the Public Policy Division of the Law School of the University of Athens, as well as the Department of Social Work of the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Crete.

Prof Linos has participated in numerous national Committees and Councils regarding public health and occupational health and safety. She has also served as the Vice President of the Greek Regulatory Agency for Medicines and as President of the Committee for the Prices of Medicinal Products, Ministry of Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping. She has also served as President of the National Committee for Greek Diet that aims to the promotion of Greek diet as a means to improve the health of Greek citizens (and especially youth) and the parallel rebranding of Greek diet to boost national and international tourism and exports.

Since 1990 that Prof Athena Linos founded the Institute of Preventive Medicine Environmental and Occupational Health, Prolepsis, she has been coordinating and organizing numerous research and applied programs related to preventive medicine and public health.

Her scientific interests include epidemiology and prevention of chronic and occupational diseases. Nutrition and prevention of obesity have also been among her primary research interests. Author and editor of many Greek and English textbooks on public health, Prof Linos has also published extensively in international and Greek peer-reviewed journals and participated in numerous conferences. She is a member of several scientific associations and participates in many international networks for public health. She was Professor and Chair of Dept. of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics at Athens Medical School from 2014 to 2017.