About us
About the University of Thessaly
Video presentation of the University of Thessaly
About the Medical Faculty of the University of Thessaly
About the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Thessaly
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology is housed in the historic Katsigras building situated in the center of Larissa, a city located in the Thessaly region of central Greece.
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for the International Health Regulations: points of entry (WHO Reference: GRE-27), with the purpose of assisting WHO in training activities related to ship sanitation and event management on means of transport and at points of entry/international travel.
Public health observatory in means of transport and points of entry
A Public health observatory in means of transport and points of entry was established at the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, whose scope addresses teaching and research needs in the subjects of public health in means of transport and points of entry. Τhe role of the Public health observatory is to:
- support competent national authorities in training of relevant personnel for implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR);
- provide scientific support to competent authorities in matters regarding implementation of national, European and international guidelines on issues related to health and hygiene in shipping and at ports;
- operate the EU Common Ship Sanitation Database for recording and issuing Ship Sanitation Certificates;
- develop and supervise the annual programme for conducting hygiene inspections on board ships in Greece (in collaboration with the national competent authorities) in accordance to standards of the European Manual for Hygiene Inspections and Communicable Disease Surveillance on passenger ships.
Peripheral Public Health Laboratory under the National Public Health Organization of Greece (NPHO) and Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the University Hospital
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology is affiliated with the University General Hospital of Larissa as a cross-departmental unit, and also functions as a Peripheral Public Health Laboratory under the National Public Health Organization of Greece (NPHO).
The Laboratory includes the following four departments:
- Microbiological department
- Molecular epidemiology department
- Physicochemical department
- Chromatography-mass spectrometry department
Meeting Biosafety Level 2 requirements, the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology is equipped with cutting edge technological equipment for performing both routine analyses and research projects. These specifically include: i) all conventional equipment required for microbiological and serological analyses; ii) systems for automated extraction and purification of DNA, RNA, proteins and cells; iii) conventional PCR, Real-time PCR and digital PCR thermal cyclers; iv) two (2) high-throughput sequencing systems; v) ultracentrifuge; vi) MALDI-TOF MS for proteomics; vii) IDEXX Filta-Max xpress; viii) Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry equipment (HPLC-UV-Vis-FL, GC-NPD-ECD, GC-MS) for the determination of a wide spectrum of environmental (air, water, soil) contaminants and hazards, human and environmental biomonitoring; and ix) atomic absorption.
European Scientific Association for Health and Hygiene in Maritime Transport
The “European Scientific Association for Health and Hygiene in Maritime Transport” with acronym EU SHIPSAN ASSOCIATION was founded by members of the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
The Laboratory has an established history of collaboration with European and international organizations, and enjoys close cooperation with European and non-European countries through its role as coordinator of several EU projects.
Within the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, many doctoral and post-doctoral research studies in various public health fields have been completed or are in the process of being conducted. The Laboratory’s scientific members have published a considerable number of research papers in high impact factor, international peer reviewed journals.
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology has a long history of coordinating and leading European projects, as well as established collaborations with both European and international organizations.
Coordinator and project leader of EU funded research and innovation projects and joint actions
- HEALTHY SAILING – HORIZON EUROPE project (2022-2025)
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology currently coordinates the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action titled “HEALTHY SAILING – Prevention, mitigation, management of infectious disease on cruise ships and passenger ferries” (Project Number: 101069764).
- EU HEALTHY GATEWAYS joint action (2018-2022)
Coordinator of the EU HEALTHY GATEWAYS joint action (Grant Agreement Number 801493) titled “Preparedness and action at points of entry (ports, airports, ground crossings)”. The objective of the joint action was to support cooperation and coordinated action of Member States to improve their preparedness and response capacities at points of entry, in preventing and combating cross-border health threats from the transport sector.
For further information please see here
- European Service Contract “HADEA/2021/NP/0004 –E-TRAVEL TOOL – HEALTHY GATEWAYS” (2021-2023)
Sole tenderer with the participation of subcontractors of the service contract aiming to operate, host and further develop the European Digital Passenger Locator Form, to onboard countries, to develop training courses and to finally transfer the tool in an EC IT environment.
For further information please see here
- European Specific Contract: Organising a training entry – exit screening (2018-2019)
Leader of the group of tenderers for the Specific Contract No 2017 72 06: “Evidence-based best practices on entry/exit screening for infectious diseases in humans under the FWC Chafea/2015/Health/05”. Designed, organised and delivered a training to improve knowledge and capacity on entry/exit screening for infectious diseases in humans at borders (ports, airports, ground crossings), in the countries participating in the Third Health Programme (2014-2020).
- EU SHIPSAN ACT joint action (2012-2017)
Coordinator of the European Joint Action “The impact on maritime transport of health threats due to biological, chemical and radiological agents” (SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action, Grant agreement Number 2012 2103). The joint action’s general objective was to strengthen an integrated strategy and sustainable mechanisms at EU level for safeguarding the health of travellers and crew of passenger and cargo ships, and preventing the cross-border spread of diseases.
For more information please see here
- EU SHIPSAN TRAINET project (2008-2011)
Leader of the European Project “EU Ship Sanitation Training Network”. Within the framework of the project an integrated hygiene inspection programme for passenger ships was developed which was pilot-tested for 7 months, and where 44 pilot inspections were conducted. A pool of trainers was established, training materials were developed, and training courses were implemented for crew members and port health officers. The Information System for Recording and Issuing Ship Sanitation Certificates under IHR, as well as the port-to-port communication network for responding to health threats were pilot-tested.
- EU SHIPSAN project (2006-2008)
Scientific coordinator of the European project “Assessing the usefulness of an EU ship sanitation programme and coordinated action for the control of communicable diseases in cruise ships and ferries”. Within the framework of this project an epidemiological study was conducted among 32 countries and 176 competent authorities, aiming to describe the current situation in Europe. An integrated European programme for hygiene inspections on passenger ships was developed.
Participates as a partner in European projects
External Evaluator of European projects and joint actions
Coordinator of national projects
- Integrated surveillance and control programme for West Nile virus and malaria in Greece (2012-2013) (Coordinator) – funded by ESPA
- Seroepidemiological study of the National Network for the study of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 infection) – funded by NPHO
- Monitoring the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA in untreated wastewater – funded by NPHO
- Testing of respiratory tract samples for the presence of influenza pathogenic viruses, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV, as well as reading the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in virus-positive samples – funded by NPHO
- Control of environmental and epidemiological parameters to which public health is exposed – funded by NPHO
- Environmental Health Surveillance for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games (national programme)
- Integrated surveillance and control programme for West Nile virus and malaria in Greece (national programme) (2012-2013)
Currently, over 40 persons are employed in the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, including 3 faculty members, staff of the National Public Health Organization of Greece (NPHO) and staff of the University General Hospital of Larissa. As public health is an interdisciplinary field, epidemiologists, physicians, biopathologists, microbiologists, chemists, biochemists, statisticians, public health officers, environmental engineers and administrative staff work in the Laboratory.
Both undergraduate and graduate level education and training are provided by the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
Undergraduate medical studies courses
The Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology is responsible for teaching the following four courses of the medical studies programme:
- Epidemiology and Applied Medical Research (including theoretical courses, exercises and laboratories)
- Social and Preventive Medicine (including theoretical courses, exercises and laboratories)
- Occupational Medicine
- Epidemiology & Prevention of Infectious Diseases – Global Threats to Public Health (elective course)
Postgraduate studies
Since 2007, the Laboratory operates a post-graduate master’s course entitled “MSc in Applied Public Health and Environmental Hygiene” with a focus on food and water safety. In 2022 a second post-graduate master’s course was established entitled “MSc in Public Health and Maritime Transport” to be offered in English language.
Training courses at European level
Under the framework of European projects, the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology has organised a total of 12 training courses at European level (online and face-to-face) for health personnel and the shipping industry. These courses focused on issues related to health and hygiene on board ships as well as preparedness and response to public health events at points of entry. In addition, the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology – in cooperation with project partners – has organised a series of webinars on diverse public health related issues.