Eleni Antoniadou studied Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics at the University of Thessaly in Greece, and continued her studies at University College London and at the University of Illinois, where she earned graduate degrees in Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, and Bioengineering and Tissue Engineering respectively. She is currently working on a doctoral degree in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois.
Eleni has received recognition from the scientific community for her involvement in the development of life-saving therapies for artificial organ transplantations, and has received awards including the NASA - ESA Outstanding Researcher Award for 2012, the 50 for the Future Award, and was voted 2013 Woman of the Year at the annual British FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards.
In addition, she has received several fellowships for her doctoral studies and was selected from among 1,200 students to participate in a course at the NASA Ames Academy for Space Exploration, where she continues to work as a Researcher focused on studying the effects of changes in atmospheric pressure on the nervous systems of astronauts.
Eleni’s focus is to help ease human pain by translating scientific findings into therapeutic treatments that are affordable and accessible to patients. She was able to prove this possible when she and a classmate developed an artificial trachea that was later used in the first successful artificial organ transplant in the history of medicine on a 36-year-old late-stage tracheal cancer patient. The success of this procedure sparked the idea for Transplants Without Donors, a company co-founded by Eleni that is dedicated to developing life-saving therapies for artificial organs. As President and Scientific Researcher, Eleni has successfully represented Transplants Without Donors in competitions including Coad, Idea to Product, and Pitchfest.
She is actively involved in humanitarian aid missions to Uganda, Peru and Costa Rica where she has served as a volunteer Group Leader with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children. Based in Philadelphia, the organization sends qualified volunteer groups to perform operations or offer health care to children that have been victims of the illegal organ trade.
Source: greekamerica.org