Dr. Apostolos Georgiannakis, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Clinical Biologist-Andrologist
Specialises in sperm quality.
Dr. Georgiannakis, active member of the European Academy of Andrology- EAA, is a registered Biomedical Scientist in the United Kingdom (HCPC-state registered) and works as a Clinical Andrologist. With experience in both the National Health Service (NHS) and the private sector, he offers scientific advice on sperm quality. Currently he is best known for his high success rate in isolating and cryo-preserving spermatozoa from testicular tissue in men diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia.
Curriculum Vitae
He completed his undergraduate studies in the field of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, in the Department of Biology at the University of Crete. Whilst in Crete he developed a special interest in Developmental Biology and Reproduction which led him to complete his postgraduate studies in Reproduction at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 2009. As a postgraduate student he studied the process of spermatogenesis and differentiation of gonads at the molecular and cellular level. From Scotland he moved to London where he worked as a visiting researcher in Stem Cell Biology at London Imperial College, Haematology Department. In 2011 he initiated his doctorate as a University College London scholar where he studied the effect of Complement system on cell physiology (cellular structure, cell survival/apoptosis and its influence on mitochondria). Upon completion of his doctoral studies (Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D.) in 2015, he obtained a license to practice as a Bio-medical scientist (Health and Care Professions Council) and started working as an Andrologist at the Reproductive Medicine Unit (RMU) of University College London (UCLH) NHS Trust. During his time there he was trained in semen analysis, cryo-preservation of sperm from cancer patients and sample preparation for intra-uterine insemination (IUI). He then continued his career in the private sector in Harley street, where currently he specialises in sperm isolation from testicular biopsies (TESE/micro-TESE) mainly from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. He also examines the interplay between DNA fragmentation and sperm health, the role of free radicals in sperm (ROS) and is also involved in the diagnosis of retrograde ejaculation, in the laboratory. This period he is passionately receiving training in penile, prostate and scrotal ultrasonography in Rome and Florence, Italy.
Dr. Xanthi Maragoudaki, M.Sc., Ph.D., RNutr
Fertility Nutritionist
Assistant Professor, University of Westminster
Specialises in reproduction and pregnancy nutrition
Dr. Maragoudaki, founder of www.threpsis.co.uk, specialises in the field of nutrition in order to investigate the role of it in both reproduction and the development of metabolic diseases in offspring. Having extensive research experience in nutrition, she provides bespoke nutritional plans to individuals with fertility problems and also to new mothers and their infants.
Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Xanthi Maragkoudaki was born in Athens. She completed her studies at the Biology department of the University of Crete, Greece. During her studies she worked on weight loss and hormone secretion. She then participated in research on childhood diabetes at the Agia Sofia Children's University Hospital in Athens, Greece. In 2007 she moved to London for her postgraduate studies in "Public Health and Nutrition" at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. During her postgraduate studies she specialised in the role of nutrition to chronic diseases and infant/child nutrition. Due to her interest in infant nutrition, she continued her education further with the course "Breastfeeding: Practice and Policy" from P.O.Y and UNICEF. She then worked at the Department of Health in London as a scientific adviser in the field of nutrition. She also participated in programs such as start4life and change4life and she collaborated with the Scientific Advisory Committee of Nutrition of the Ministry of Health in the field of early nutrition. From 2010 until 2014, she was a doctorate scholar at King's College London in the Department of Women's Health. As a fellow there she focused on obesity and maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding and how these two factors can affect infant's metabolism . After completing her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) she continued to work at King's College London as a post-doctoral researcher. Her research area included obesity (infant and pregnancy), basal metabolic rate, gestational diabetes, probiotics in pregnancy and dietary liver damage. Over the years she had participated and had been an invited speaker at international conferences and has publications in international journals such as: Journal of Hepatology, Journal of Physiology, Journal of developmental origins of health and disease and the International journal of obesity.
Since 2015 she has been working as an independent nutrition consultant specialising in pre-conception nutrition as well as infant and child nutrition. At the same time, as a member of the Early Years Nutrition Partnership, she has been providing seminars regarding child nutrition in kindergartens and nurseries, in central London, England and Attica, Greece.
Apart from her freelance duties, in 2021 she has been a Lecturer at the University of Westminster where she has been the course leader in Public Health Nutrition.