Tsiligianni Ioanna
January 26, 2026 2026-01-27 13:07Tsiligianni Ioanna
Tsiligianni Ioanna
Professor of General Medicine and Public Health
Medical School, University of Crete, P.C. 70013 Heraklion, Crete
She received her medical degree from the Medical School of the University of Crete in 1997, obtained her specialty in general/family medicine in 2002, a master’s degree (MPH/HCM) in Public Health & Health Services Administration from the Medical School of the University of Crete in 2007, first PhD from the Medical School of the University of Crete in 2003 and second PhD from the Department of General Medicine, University of Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands in 2013. Clinical Lecturer (2009-10) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Groningen UMCG, Assistant Professor (2017), Associate Professor (2021) in General Practice and Public Health at the Medical School of the University of Crete and was appointed professor in July 2025. From 2017 to 2025, she was director of the Health Services Planning Laboratory, and since March 2021, she has been deputy director of the Department of Public Health/PAGNI University Hospital. Since 2022, she is Director of the “Clinic of Social and Family Medicine” and Director of the Public Health/PAGNI Department. She is also director of the “Society and Health” laboratory.
Publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=tsiligianni+i
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7922-7491
She has >250 publications in peer reviewed journals with an impact factor of 1.311,98, which have received >5,939 citations (excluding self-citations) according to Scopus (h-index 38) and >9,932 citations according to Google Scholar (h-index 52). She has participated as an invited speaker in more than 220 international and national conferences/workshops. She has been Editor-in-Chief of NPJ PCRM (Nature partner journals Primary Care Respiratory Medicine) from 2019 to present (Q1 in the category of journals for primary care and Q1 also for respiratory diseases). She was appointed to this position after a competitive process involving the submission of her CV and interviews.
International recognitions:
• Among the top 2% of scientists worldwide for 2023 and 2025 according to Stanford University.
• Member of the Executive Board of WONCA Europe since 2023, elected as president (2025). Three years as president-elect and another three years as president for the period 2027-30.
• Appointed in July 2025 as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) scientific team with the aim of drafting guidelines for respiratory diseases in primary health care.
In the International Primary Care Respiratory Group http://www.ipcrg.org , an international organization of 40 countries, in collaboration with WHO GARD, she has received several positions (Board of Directors, President, COPD Head etc)
• She has received 20 awards at international (3) and national (16) level.
• In the field of volunteerism, he offered free medical services (Aegean doctors) on various remote islands (Kasos, Kastelorizo, Karpathos, etc.).
PhD (Medical School of the University of Crete, 2003).
• PhD (Department of General Medicine, University of Groningen (UMCG) , in Netherlands, 2013).
• MPH / HCM (Master’s Degree) Public Health & Health Services Management, Medical School of the University of Crete, 2007.
• MD (Medical Degree) Medical School of the University of Crete,1997.
General Medicine, Public Health and Primary Health Care topics, with emphasis on chronic non-communicable diseases mainly COPD and asthma, allergic rhinitis. Specific examples include actions for the creation-evaluation of prevention strategies, management of risk factors and outcomes, quality of life, multimorbidity, cancer, especially lung cancer, etc. In this context, epidemiological and clinical studies in General / Family Medicine and Public Health are conducted in the Department of Social Medicine in collaboration with international organizations.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7922-7491
• Member of the Executive Board of WONCA Europe – 6-year duration, 3 years as elected president and another 3 years as President for the period 2027-30
• Member of the scientific team of the World Health Organization (WHO) that will draft guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
• WONCA World (World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians) Rural board (Board of Directors)
• WONCA Europe from 2024 to present (World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians) membership committee (3-member committee – Board of Directors)
• WHO (World Health Organization) – GACD from 2023 to present (Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases)
• WHO (World Health Organization) – GARD from 2023 to present (Global Alliance for Respiratory Diseases)
• EUPHA (The European Public Health Association) representative in the Governing Board)
• EFPC (European Forum for Primary Care)
• EGPRN (European General Practice Research Network).
• Since 2010, he has been on the board of directors of the international organization IPCRG, where she has held various important positions:
o 2021-present: Head (COPD head) of the COPD Right Care program.
o 2020-2023: Since June 2020, after completing a successful term as president, she has taken on the role of Director of Education.
o 2018-2020: She was elected from 34 countries and served as president of the organization, with overall responsibility for its operation.
o 2009-2018: Director responsible for overseeing research.
o 2008-2010: Research head for Southeast Europe.
She is the national representative and president of the Greek committee of the IPCRG (GPCRG) (Greek Primary Care Respiratory Group).
• ERS (European Respiratory Society)
• GRIAC (Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD)
• ARIA (European Network for Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma)
• ARIA GREECE (Greek Network for Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma)
• MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network)
• ELEGIA (Hellenic Society of General Medicine)
• REG (Respiratory Effectiveness Group)
