Christodoulos Stefanadis

Christodoulos Stefanadis (Fig. 1) was born in 1947 in the small remote Aegean island Icaria. The island, named after Icarus, has been inhabited since 750 B.C. by the Milecians and perhaps earlier by the Phoenicians. Stefanadis, born on the island to a naval family, developed a sustained passion for sailing, often in treacherous Aegean waters. Contrary to Icarus, whose ambitious flight had an unfortunate end when he got too close to the sun, and the wax that fastened the wings to his body melted, Stefanadis’ flight from his place of birth landed him safely in Athens where his ambition to become a physician became reality. After graduation from the Athenian Medical School in 1971, he was trained in internal medicine (1972–1977) and cardiology (1977–1981) and received a Ph.D. degree in experimental cardiology in 1981 at that institution. An additional fellowship in cardiology research (coronary artery disease and arterial function) was accomplished at Ohio State University (1985–1986). Stefanadis’ academic career started in 1983 as consultant in the Department of Cardiology at the Hippokration Hospital in Athens (1983–1986). From 1989 to 1991, he was lecturer in the department, Assistant Professor from 1991 to 1996, Associate Professor from 1996 to