Dr. Zoe Antonopoulou is an Assistant Professor of English Literature at Keele University. She holds degrees in English Language and Literature from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and in Social Anthropology from Panteion University, an MA in English Literature from the University of London (Queen Mary College), and a PhD from the Department of Psychology at Panteion University. A certified adult educator by EOPPEP, she has extensive teaching experience in General English and English for Specific Purposes in higher education (University of Athens Foreign Language Teaching Centre, Hellenic Police Officers’ School, University of Piraeus). Her academic interests focus on the teaching of English for Academic and Specific Purposes, as well as on adult education and intercultural learning, with an emphasis on integrating language education into broader psychological and cultural skills. She has published two university textbooks—one as sole author and one as third co-author—seven articles in academic journals, and has participated in more than 25 conferences with oral presentations and publications in proceedings volumes.

Selected Conference Presentations / Publications

• Antonopoulou, Z. (2025). English for Business Communication: Learning the lingua franca through 21st century skills. Disigma Publications. ISBN: 978-618-202-289-4. Eudoxos Book Code: 143556272
• Sivridi, F., Iakovos, A., & Antonopoulou, Z. (2025). Skills and Functions in Business English (3rd ed.). Faidimos. ISBN: 978-618-5062-49-1. Eudoxos Book Code: 143554958
• 3rd International Conference on Innovation in Teaching and Education, London, July 2025.
• Oral presentation: ‘Utilizing 21st century skills in teaching English as an international language to Higher Education Tourism studies’
• Journal of Applied Languages and Linguistics, Volume 8, Issue 1, June 2025.
• “Teaching English as a lingua franca to University students of Business and Tourism: intercultural communication towards a holistic perspective of self”
• 10th Panhellenic Conference: Education and Culture in the 21st Century, Athens, April 2025.
• Oral presentation: “The integration of 21st century skills in the teaching of English in higher education as a means of cultivating intercultural competence”
• Online Proceedings Volume, 8th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education, Prague, Czech Republic, September 2024.
• ‘Teaching English as a lingua franca at tertiary education studies of Economics and Tourism: overcoming challenges and inhibitions, embracing a holistic perspective of self’ (https://www.dpublication.com/proceeding/8th-ntteconf/#Table-of-Contents)
• “Education for Global Citizenship”, Institute of Educational Policy, Piraeus, November 2024. Oral presentation: “Teaching English as an international language in higher education”
• 6th International Conference: Language for Specific Purposes: Approaches and Strategies, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia, September 2024. Online oral presentation: ‘English as a foreign language (EFL) and English for specific purposes (ESP) as tools of intercultural competence in Higher Education students of Tourism’
• 8th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education, Prague, September 2024. Online oral presentation: ‘Teaching English as a lingua franca at tertiary education studies of Economics and Tourism: overcoming challenges and inhibitions, embracing a holistic perspective of self’

Dr. Konstantinos Christos Daoultzis is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Keele University, Greece. He holds a PhD in Social Psychology from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and an MSc in Cognitive Neuropsychology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research interests include close interpersonal relationships, sexual identity and gender expression, masculinity, and the uncritical adoption of social gender roles. His work on Gender Role Conflict has been recognized by the originator of the theory, Professor James O’Neil. He has participated in European research projects and has published in Greek and international peer-reviewed journals, with presentations at both national and international conferences. He teaches courses in Social Psychology, Research Methods, and Statistics.

Selected research projects / publications:

• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2025). Greek Validation of the Scale on Beliefs About Children’s Adjustment in Same-Sex Families (SBCASSF). Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences, 7, 1-25.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2024). Have a woman’s heart but a man’s face: Perceptions of gay relationships in Greek gay men. Trends in Psychology, 1-25.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2023). Psychometric Properties of the Gender Role Conflict–Short Form (GRC-SF) in Straight and Gay Greek Men. Interpersona: An International Journal, 17(2), 143-160.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2023). Gender role conflict, gay identity, relationship love types and relationship satisfaction in Greek gay men: A path model. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 31(3), 449-477.
• Grigoropoulos, I., Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2023). Identifying context-related socio-cultural predictors of negative attitudes toward polyamory. Sexuality & Culture, 27(4), 1264-1287.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2023). Construction and validation of a new scale for measuring dimensions of the heterosexual identity: The Male Identity Scale (MIS). Psychology: the Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 28(1), 95-115.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2024). A pilot study testing a new visual stimuli database for probing men’s gender role conflict: GRASP (Gender Role Affective Stimuli Pool). Journal of Homosexuality, 71(1), 72-95.
• Daoultzis, K. C., & Kordoutis, P. (2024). The Bigger Picture: The Effect of Context on Gender Role Conflict in Greek Men. Psychological Reports, 127(2), 747-785.

Dr. Kalliopi Eikospentaki is a Cognitive Psychologist holding a PhD in Cognitive Science from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her research focuses on cognitive development, conceptual change, executive functions, and the learning processes of children with and without visual impairments. She
has served as a researcher in major competitive projects (THALIS, PENED) and has published extensively in high-impact international journals, including Cognitive Science, Cognitive Development, and Learning and Instruction.

She has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate level at the University of Western Macedonia, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the Hellenic Open University. Her teaching expertise includes cognitive and developmental psychology, research methodology, and special education.

Dr. Eikospentaki is a member of several scientific associations (EARLI, Hellenic Society for Cognitive Science, Hellenic Psychological Society) and has presented her work in numerous national and international conferences. Her scientific contributions have been widely cited, with more than 560 citations (Google Scholar, 2024).

Dr. Paraskevi Goltsi is a Professor of Psychology at Keele University, Greece. She holds a PhD in Organisational Sport Psychology from Northumbria University, UK, and a Master’s degree in Occupational Psychological Assessment from Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. She is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and Associate Fellow (AFBPsS) of the British Psychological Society (BPS), as well as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Her research interests focus on psychological wellbeing, exercise psychology, mental health issues in sport, organisational matters in the athletic environment, professional training and development for sport executives and athletes, as well as football fans and fan health. She teaches Research Methods, Social Psychology, Sport and Exercise Psychology, and Organisational Psychology.

Selected research projects/publications:

• Goltsi, V. & Kapsis, A. (2024). Psychological Resilience and Meaning in Life in Young Adults. Oral Presentation in the Annual Conference of the Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology, The British Psychological Society (3 & 4 December, 2024).
• Tsachouridi, E. & Goltsi, V. (2022). Gratitude as a concept and intervention of positive psychology: A qualitative exploration. Oral Presentation in the 18th Panhellenic Congress of Psychological Research. ELPSE, Αthens, 5-9 October 2022.
• Goltsi, V., Kapsis, A., Gialamas-Selter, F., Kapsalou-Dede, E., Thomas, G., Patera, V. & Konstantinidis K. (2022). The impact of online exercising in psychological health during lockdown: A positive psychology intervention. Inquires in Sport and Physical Education. 20 (3), 190-202.
• Manara, E., Xenou, T., Goltsi, V. Hoorens, V., Speed, E., Coulson, N.S., Astoniszczak, D., Collyer, F., Dubbin, L., Faulks, D., Forsyth, R., Harsløf, I., Larsen, K., Olczak-Kowalczyk, D., Willis, K. Scambler, S. and Asimakopoulou, K. (2021). Comparative optimism for Illness and recovery from Covid-19 in the Greek population. SKEPSΥ, 9, 377-398
• Asimakopoulou, K., Hoorens, V. Speed, E., Coulson, N.S., Antoniszczak, D., Collyer, F., Deschrijner, E., Dubbin, L., Forsyth, R., Goltsi, V.......(2020). Comparative Optimism about infection and recovery from COVID-19; Implications for adherence with lockdown advice. Health Expectations, 25(6), 1502-1511.
• Goltsi, V. & Wolfson, S. (2018). The effects of locality and success of the club on fans’ identification, well-being and passion. Inquiries in sport and physical education, 16 (3).
• Lewis, M. & Goltsi, V. (2007). Perceptions of contribution to the home advantage by English and Greek football fans. 12th European Congress of Sport Psychology, Halkidiki, Greece.
• Anderson, N. & Goltsi, V. (2006). Negative Psychological Effects of Selection Methods: Construct Formulation and an Empirical Investigation into an Assessment Centre. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 14 (3), pp. 236-255.

Dr. Panagiota Masoura is a Professor of Literature and Chair of the Department of Education Sciences at Keele University, Greece. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature and an MA in English Literature from the University of Warwick, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE, UK). She also holds a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education from Queen Margaret University.

She has extensive experience in teaching English language and literature, as well as more than twenty years of administrative and academic experience in collaborations with UK universities. Her research interests focus on the teaching of English through literature, literary theory, and innovative pedagogical approaches in transnational education.

She has authored university textbooks, as well as articles and studies in the field of English language and literature teaching, and has participated in international conferences with papers and presentations.

Selected publications / collaborations:

• Transformations of the “Self” (LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2013)
• Antonaros.S & Couri.L.& Konstantakis.N. & Makra.M. & Masoura.P. & Pavli.M. (2014). H Αγγλική Γραμματική στα Ελληνικά. Perugia Publications
• «The importance of visual learning in young learners in ELT» (ELTA Newsletter, 2017)
• «The Use of Poetry in the EFL classroom» (Tesol Macedonia Thrace International Convention, 2016)
• «Διδασκαλία και Μάθηση χωρίς αποκλεισμούς στη Διακρατική Εκπαίδευση» (Oxford Brookes University Conference, 2022)

Dr. Vassilis Thanopoulos is an Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Keele University, Greece. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, a Master’s degree in Cognitive Science, and a PhD in Cognitive and Experimental Psychology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. His doctoral research was supported by an IKY scholarship. His research interests focus on time perception and multisensory learning, employing behavioural and neurophysiological methods. He has participated in national (HFRI/ELIDEK) and European (Horizon 2020) research projects, designing new methodological approaches aimed at reducing symptomatology in older adults with early-stage dementia and in children with ADHD, respectively. In recent years, he has served as the head of the Applied Psychology Laboratory at Panteion University. He teaches courses in Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, and oversees the Laboratory for Practical and Academic Skills in Bioscience.

Selected research projects and publications:

• Chaumon, M., Rioux, P. A., Herbst, S. K., Spiousas, I., Kübel, S., Hiroyasu E. G., Runyun, S., Micillo, L., Thanopoulos, V., et al. (2022). The Blursday database as a resource to study subjective temporalities during COVID-19. Nature Human Behaviour, 6, 1587–1599.
• Thanopoulos, V., Psarou, E., & Vatakis, A. (2018). Robust intentional binding for causally-linked sequences of naturalistic events but not for abstract event sequences. Acta Psychologica, 190, 159-173.
• Vatakis, A., & Thanopoulos, V. (2023). Laboratory Manual in Experimental Design for Psychology Students. Kallipos+Open Academic Editions.
• FocusLocus: ADHD management Gaming System for educational achievement and social inclusion” (EU Horizon Project 2020).
• Multisensory Integration in Natural and Virtual Reality Walking Scenarios for Successful Ageing (HFRI/ELIDEK Research Project).

Dr. Spyridon Theofilopoulos is Professor at Keele University Greece, in the Psychology with Neuroscience Program. He has studied Biochemistry and completed his PhD in Developmental Neurobiology, both at Imperial College London. He has worked at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, the Medical School of the University of Thessaly, the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Swansea University Medical School in the United Kingdom and Deree-The American College of Greece. He has won first prize in the "Eudoxos" Mathematical contest in Athens and he has co-founded the company CholesteniX Ltd. His research work focuses on the function and mechanism of action of specific cholesterol metabolites (oxysterols) in neurodegenerative diseases.

Selected publications:

• S. Theofilopoulos, Y. Wang … W.J. Griffiths, E. Arenas. Brain endogenous liver X receptor ligands selectively promote midbrain neurogenesis. Nature Chemical Biology, 2013, 9:126-133.
• S. Theofilopoulos, W.J. Griffiths … E. Arenas, Y. Wang. Cholestenoic acids regulate motor neuron survival via liver X receptors. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2014, 124:4829-42.
• S. Theofilopoulos, W. Oliveira … W.J. Griffiths, E. Arenas. 24(S),25-Epoxycholesterol and cholesterol 24S-hydroxylase overexpression promote midbrain dopaminergic neurogenesis in vivo. J. Biol. Chem., 2019, 294:4169-76.
• J. Hennegan, A. Bryant … M. Lelos, S. Theofilopoulos. Inhibition of 7α,26-dihydroxycholesterol biosynthesis promotes midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. iScience, 2023, 27:108670.

Dr. Theodora Zarkadi is a Professor of Psychology at Keele University, Greece. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Warwick, a Master’s degree from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, and a Bachelor’s degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge (Embodied Cognition and Emotion Lab) and served as a lecturer at the University of Cambridge, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Bedfordshire. Her research bridges cognitive, social and forensic psychology, focusing on memory, embodied cognition, and decision-making in criminal investigation. She has led funded projects (ESRC, Newton Trust), her work has been presented at international conferences, featured in popular media, and has contributed to improving policing practices in the UK.

Selected Publications:

• The Defendant with the Prison Tattoo: Perceptions of Mock Jurors’ Perceptions, Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 2018

• Black and White Thinking: Visual Contrast Polarizes Moral Judgment, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2013

• Creating Fair Lineups for Suspects with Distinctive Features, Psychological Science, 2009

Indicative research projects / publications:

1. Multiplex base editing of BCL11A regulatory elements to treat sickle cell disease (Cell-Reports-Medicine, 2025)

2. EDITSCD-Evaluation of genome editing approaches for sickle cell disease (EU-Horizon Project, 2022–2027)

3. Modified pegRNAs mitigate scaffold-derived prime editing by-products (Nature-Communications, 2025)

4. Adenine base editor-mediated correction of the IVS1-110-(G>A) b-thalassemia mutation (Blood, 2023)

5. Base-editing-mediated dissection of a γ-globin cis-regulatory element for the therapeutic reactivation of fetal-hemoglobin (Nature-Communications, 2022)

Dr. Christos Iavatsos is a Lecturer in the Biomechanics Programme at Keele University, Greece. He holds a PhD from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as two Master’s degrees, one in Research in Women’s Reproduction and one in Surgical Oncology, both from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

His research interests focus on gynaecological malignancies (endometrial, ovarian, cervical, and vulvar cancer) and robotic surgery. He has received advanced training at centres of excellence in the United Kingdom, has participated in multicentre studies, and works as a Gynaecologic Oncologist in cancer hospitals. He is an elected member of the Board of the European Society of Robotic Gynaecology (SERGS) and a certified trainer of European Robotic Gynaecologists (SERGS Certified Trainer).

He has participated in numerous international and Greek conferences as a speaker or instructor. He has an extensive publication record in international medical journals (350 publications in recognised international journals) and publishing houses (6 Greek and 5 foreign-language books). He teaches Anatomy and Physiology.

Indicative research projects/publications:

1. Kibbi N, Owen JL, Worley B, Wang JX, Harikumar V, Downing MB, Aasi SZ, Aung PP, Barker CA, Bolotin D, Bordeaux JS, Cartee TV, Chandra S, Cho NL, Choi JN, Chung KY, Cliby WA, Dorigo O, Eisen DB, Fujisawa Y, Golda N, Halfdanarson TR, Iavazzo C, Jiang SIB, Kanitakis J, Khan A, Kim JYS, Kuzel TM, Lawrence N, Leitao MM Jr, MacLean AB, Maher IA, Mittal BB, Nehal KS, Ozog DM, Pettaway CA, Ross JS, Rossi AM, Servaes S, Solomon MJ, Thomas VD, Tolia M, Voelzke BB, Waldman A, Wong MK, Zhou Y, Arai N, Brackett A, Ibrahim SA, Kang BY, Poon E, Alam M. Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Extramammary Paget Disease. JAMA Oncol. 2022 Apr 1;8(4):618-628. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.7148. PMID: 35050310.

2. Iavazzo C, Fotiou A, Kokkali K, Vorgias G. "Iavazzo score", a preoperative score to predict duration of robotic-assisted gynaecological surgeries. Int J Med Robot. 2022 Aug;18(4):e2400. doi: 10.1002/rcs.2400. Epub 2022 Apr 10. PMID: 35398969.

3. STARSurg Collaborative; EuroSurg Collaborative. Association between multimorbidity and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing major surgery: a prospective study in 29 countries across Europe. Anaesthesia. 2024 Sep;79(9):945-956. doi: 10.1111/anae.16324. Epub 2024 May 27. PMID: 39101671.

4. Iavazzo C, Kokkali K, Kaouras E, Fotiou A. Robotic-assisted fertility sparing surgery in gynecological oncology. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2024 Mar;93:102485. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2024.102485. Epub 2024 Feb 15. PMID: 38377889.

5. EuroSurg Collaborative and STARSurg Collaborative. Extended pharmacological thromboprophylaxis and clinically relevant venous thromboembolism after major abdominal and pelvic surgery: international, prospective, propensity score-weighted cohort study. Br J Surg. 2025 Mar 4;112(3):znaf005. doi: 10.1093/bjs/znaf005. PMID: 40067192; PMCID: PMC11894929.

6. EuroSurg Collaborative and STARSurg Collaborative. Extended pharmacological thromboprophylaxis and clinically relevant venous thromboembolism after major abdominal and pelvic surgery: international, prospective, propensity score-weighted cohort study. Br J Surg. 2025 Mar 4;112(3):znaf005. doi: 10.1093/bjs/znaf005. PMID: 40067192; PMCID: PMC11894929.

Dr. Georgios Leonis is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Keele University, Greece. He is a Chemist, a graduate of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and holds a PhD in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry from the University of Florida, USA. His areas of specialisation include computational biophysical chemistry, drug design, and computational nanoscience and nanotoxicology. His primary research interests focus on the study of biomolecular systems related to cognitive functions, as well as psychiatric and neurological disorders. He has extensive teaching experience in both Greece and the United States. His research output includes 50 publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals and book chapters.

Dr. Elena Siapati (BSc, MSc, PhD) is the Programme Lead of the BSc in Biomechanics (Regenerative Medicine) at Keele University, Greece, specialising in Gene Therapy. She is a Biologist, a graduate of University College London (UCL), UK, holds an MSc in Applied Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from University College London, and a PhD in Immunology from the University of London. She has extensive research experience in the field of gene therapy and stem cells both in the United Kingdom (Institute of Child Health, Cancer Research UK) and in Greece (Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens).

She is a founding member of the Hellenic Society of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine (EEGTHAI), where she also serves as a member of the Audit Committee. Her research interests focus on:
(a) the optimisation of gene transfer and gene therapy vectors,
(b) the study of signalling pathways in normal and leukemic cells, and
(c) the interaction of haematopoietic stem cells with the bone marrow microenvironment.

She teaches courses in Cell Biology, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine.

Dr. Theodora Tzanavari is an Associate Professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Keele University, Greece. She holds a PhD from the School of Medicine of the University of Liverpool, an MSc in Molecular and Genetic Medicine from the University of Sheffield, and a BSc (Hons) in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Essex. She has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine of the University of Edinburgh and at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, participating in both European and Greek research projects.

She has received awards from the European Society of Cardiology and the French Cardiology Society for her scientific studies using cardiac disease models. She has contributed to publications in reputable scientific journals and books and has presented her research findings at numerous scientific conferences.

As a higher education academic, she has many years of teaching experience in Physiology, Pharmacology, and the Development of Research and Professional Skills within undergraduate programmes delivered through franchise agreements with the University of East London and Queen Margaret University. She has also supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations.