George Kollias

Biography

George Kollias is a biologist, Member of the Academy of Athens, Professor of Experimental Physiology at the Medical School of the University of Athens and Director of the Immunology Division at the Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", where he served as President and Scientific director from 2002-2010. Dr. Kollias has pioneered genetic approaches to study the function of cytokine signaling in animal models of human diseases, with specific focus on Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). His lab is renowned for proof of principle preclinical studies that led to the development of anti-TNF therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and for advancing knowledge on molecular and cellular mechanisms driving chronic inflammation and autoimmunity (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Multiple Sclerosis). Dr. Kollias has published over 150 primary research articles in peer-reviewed journals and more than 40 reviews and commentaries (>25.000 citations, h-index of 71 Source: Google Scholar). His laboratory is supported by several competitive grants from the European Commission and national sources, as well as by the pharmaceutical industry. He was recently awarded an Advanced grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to study the role of mesenchymal cells in intestinal tissue homeostasis and pathophysiology. Dr. Kollias has led several efforts for the development of biomedical infrastructures of scientific and technological excellence at a national and European level that have contributed decisively to the support of a new generation of Greek scientists. Animal models developed in his lab have been distributed to numerous academic and industrial laboratories around the world (over 200 MTAs in the last ten years). In 2005 he founded the first CRO-biotech spin-off of BSRC Fleming, Biomedcode Hellas SA. Since 2000 Dr. Kollias is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). He served as the National Representative of Greece at ESFRI (2010-2012) and as member of the ESFRI strategic working group on Health and Food from 2011 to date. Dr. Kollias served as Chair of the ERC Starting grants Review panel for Immunity and Infection (2012 and 2013). He was elected President of the Council of the Directors of the Greek Research Centers (2009-2010) and member of the National Council on Research and Technology of the Ministry of Development (2001-2003 and 2005-2009). Dr. Kollias is Member of the Biosciences Steering Group of the European Academies Science Advisory Panel (EASAC) since 2014. In 2014, he was awarded the Carol-Nachman Award for Rheumatology and in 2015 he received the first Galien Scientific Research Award at the Prix Galien Greece.

Research Interest

Biosciences and biomedical infrastructures