#antoniadou

[elladastinkardiamou]

Why Greeks question this role model's credentials

She has won awards and accolades, and has been feted internationally for her scientific work, but now a woman hailed as one of Greece's youngest and brightest minds has come under more intense scrutiny than ever before.

The rise and possible fall of Eleni Antoniadou, 31, has become the subject of intense discussion among Greeks.

For years she has been giving interviews portraying herself as a researcher working for Nasa; an expert on regenerative medicine; a maker of cutting-edge artificial organs; a passionate activist against organ trafficking; and a trainer of astronauts.

But it seems that not a single Greek news outlet, out of dozens that have interviewed her, ever bothered to check if everything that had been attributed to her was entirely accurate.

The tipping point came earlier this month when Greek Education Minister Niki Kerameus handed Ms Antoniadou an award at a privately organised event for her contribution to science.

The minister later posted a photo on her Facebook account and borrowed a quote from Antoniadou: "You can become whatever you are dreaming of."

This provoked a response from a number of Greek scientists, who spend most of their days carrying out lab research and have little time or inclination for publicity.

A Greek professor who teaches at a French university decided to do a detailed search online to see how it was possible for such a young person to have accomplished quite so much.

[elladastinkardiamou]

Woman who inspired first Greek Barbie accused of falsely claiming she worked as Nasa scientist

The woman who served as the inspiration for Greece's first Barbie doll has been accused of falsely claiming she is a leading scientist who has won awards for her work for Nasa.

Eleni Antoniadou, 31, has been described as a specialist in the fields of regenerative medicine, artificial organ bioengineering and space medicine, as well as training astronauts at Nasa, and working as CEO of Transplants Without Donors, which creates artificial organs for transplants.

Cited as a "Greek scientist of global calibre" by national media, her accolades include being named in a Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 list for Healthcare, being voted 2013 Woman of the Year at the annual British FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards, winning the NASA-ESA Outstanding Researcher Award in 2012, and presiding over the European Health Parliament.

Two weeks ago, she was presented with an award for scientific excellence by Niki Kerameos, Greece's education minister, who said: "Her passion for science inspires us and fills us with optimism."

However, Ms Antoniadou's career has this week come under heavy scrutiny, with members of the academic community claiming that many of her credentials are false, and that she has never held a position at Nasa or won one of its awards.

[elladastinkardiamou]

Let's Talk About Resin

If you'd met me a few years ago and insisted on us drinking a bottle of Retsina, I think I might well have tipped the table in my effort to run away from experience. It was beyond me why people drank that stuff, save the fact that it was cheap, affordable and could be found absolutely anywhere. But, to me, it was more of a tourist attraction or low budget student drink than a wine. Usually of unknown origin served in little copper cans, of a ¼, ½ or 1 Lt. And, I'm not sure if the resin made it a heady wine or, as students, we just had too much of it. Probably both. Time aids evolution. Winemakers changed, methods improved, experimentation with traditional forms ensued and nowadays 'new age' Retsina (Yiannis prefers calling them Ritinitis wines) is conquering the world. The secret nowadays is that the wine to which the resin is added is of good or very good quality. The character of Assyrtiko, Savatiano and Roditis shines through, with the resin augmenting rather than restricting aromatic complexity. I was told that some of the best pine resin is sourced in Attica, and according to wine producers, it adds a 'piney, botanic, mastic-like note'. I decided I wanted to know more about how pine resin is produced, so I pestered the pine resin producer for a few weeks before I managed an appointment and ventured to Keratea amidst Covid and the wildfires of Attica. Charis was late, and I thought to myself that he probably changed his mind after the hesitancy he had shown actually to arrange a meeting. However, when he did arrive, I was pleasantly surprised because before me stood a man much younger than my estimation of the voice on the phone, in his forties, slim, grey-haired, wearing a cross on his chest, friendly, polite, apologetic for standing me up. From the way he talks, I surmise he is deeply religious. Later on, he tells me that he is a high-school Theology professor and resin production is a side income, albeit a profession that has run in the family for generations. His grandfathers and great-grandfathers were both resin producers and winemakers. He, in turn, plans to pass the art on to his children.

[live-well-and-be-happy]

Eleni Antoniadou Wants To Change Medicine Forever -- And She's Only 27

Eleni Antoniadou Wants To Change Medicine Forever — And She's Only 27

Eleni Antoniadou, 27, is an extraordinary young scientist who hopes to change the face of medicine. Named one of Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 in health care this year, Antoniadou is the co-founder of the startup Transplants Without Donors, which aims to jumpstart the use of lab-generated organs in clinical transplants.

In 2011, she directly contributed to research that enabled the world’s first…

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