Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos

I graduated from the Veterinary Faculty of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1985. I obtained my PhD on Laboratory Animal Science from the Medical School of the University of Athens (1992-1996). During 1996 I attended a four months training program on Laboratory Animal Management and Medicine in Veterinary Resources Program (VRP) of National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, United States of America. I served as National expert of the Greek Ministry of Agriculture on Laboratory Animal Welfare issues in the Council of Europe and in the European Union (1991-1994). I worked, as a post-doctoral associate researcher, in the Laboratory for Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research of the Medical School of the University of Athens (1996-1999) with main interests on management, anesthesia, analgesia and post-operative care of the animals. Since 1996, I contributed as technical consultant to the design and the construction of the Animal Facilities of the Center for Experimental Surgery of the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens. Since 2002 I am working in the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Greece as head of the laboratory animal facilities. My scientific interests are focusing on the proper care and use of laboratory animals, the ethical evaluation of research protocols and the planning, the design and the management of laboratory animal facilities. I am Vice President for International Liaisons in the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA), Governing Board member of the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) and ad hoc expert of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC Int) and member of the Board of Trustees. I was member of COST Action B24 on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare (2003-2008) I have been co-author in over 50 peer reviewed articles in International and Greek scientific journals and 1 book chapter.