Head of Haematology & Transplantation
Varnavas Constantinou
Dr. Varnavas Constantinou is a medical doctor, Specialist Haematologist, head of the currently forming Haematology Department – Bone Marrow – Stem Cell Transplantation Unit of the German Oncology Center, from March 2021.
He studied Molecular and Cell Biology (BSc Molecular and Cell Biology) at the University of Maine, USA, during 1995-1998. He then worked for one year as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, in the group of the late Professor George Stamatogiannopoulos, focusing on the molecular pathology of inherited haemoglobinopathies and stem cell gene therapy.
Subsequently, he attended the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he received his medical degree in 2005. From 2006 to 2008 he worked as a resident at the Pathology Clinic of the Hospital “G. Papanikolaou” in Thessaloniki.
He specialized in the Haematology Clinic and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the Hospital “G. Papanikolaou” of Thessaloniki (2008-2012) and received the title of specialist in Haematology in 2012. Since 2002, he is also a research associate at the Genetic and Cellular Unit of the “G. Papandreou Hospital”. Papanikolaou” in Thessaloniki.
In 2013 he worked for about one year at the Blood Center of the AHEPA Hospital of Thessaloniki as a Specialist Haematologist (Immunohaematology). In November 2013, he was appointed as a Specialist Haematologist at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit – Gene and Cell Unit of the “G. Papanikolaou Hospital in Thessaloniki, where he worked until February 2021.
As a Hematologist, he has clinical and research interests in the diagnosis and treatment of hematological malignancies with specialization in bone marrow/hematopoietic stem cell transplantations. He also has a special interest in new cellular therapies for hematological malignancies, as well as in gene therapy for hemoglobinopathies.
- BSc Molecular and Cell Biology (1998), University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA, School of Natural Sciences
- University of Washington, Seattle, USA, Department of Medical Genetics - Visiting Scientist (1998-1999)
- Gene and Cell Therapy Unit, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki - Post doctoral fellowship (2002-2005)
- Medical Degree (MD, 2005), Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
- Resident Physician in Internal Pathology (2006-2008), 2nd Pathology Clinic, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki
- Resident Physician in Haematology (2008-2012), Haematology Clinic - Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki
- JACIE Inspectors Training Course, Barcelona, Spain (October 2016) - Accredidation Inspector for Haematopoietic Stem Cell (Bone Marrow) Transplantation Units
- Karaiskakio Foundation, Nicosia, Cyprus, Centre for the Study of Haematological Malignancies and Bone Marrow Donor Archive - Visiting Scientist (January-March 2020)
- 01/2006 - 01/2008: Junior Physician in Internal Medicine (2006-2008), B' Pathology Clinic, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki
- 2006 - present: Research Fellow, Gene and Cell Therapy Unit, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki, Greece
- 8/2008 - 8/2012. Junior Physician in Haematology (2008-2012), Haematology Clinic - Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki, Greece
- 02/2013 - 11/2013: Specialist Haematologist (Attending MD), Blood Center, AHEPA University Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece.
- 11/2013 - 02/2021: Transplant Attending physician, Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, General Hospital ''Georgios Papanikolaou'' of Thessaloniki
- 3/2021 - today: Specialist Haematologist - Transplant physician, Head of Haematology, German Oncology Centre, Limassol, Cyprus
