Efstathios-Iason Vlachavas

Scientific Project Manager

Efstathios is a computational biologist with a strong background in cancer biology, cell signaling, and clinical pharmacology. As an expert in multi-omics data analysis and functional interpretation, he leverages open-source bioinformatics tools and principles to reconstruct patient-specific tumor histories to supporting precision oncology.

He has always been intrigued by how different molecular layers interact and contribute to the manifestation and progression of complex diseases, such as cancer. With this in mind, he pursued a Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology & Genetics. Subsequently, he joined the dark side — bioinformatics —, earning his PhD from the Democritus University of Thrace, in collaboration with the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens, Greece, funded by a State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) PhD scholarship.

For over four years, he worked as a postdoctoral scientist at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in the Division of Molecular Genome Analysis. During this time, he addressed the heterogeneity of distinct omics modalities and patient data, focusing on integrating this vast molecular information into actionable insights for personalized medicine. In parallel, he collaborated extensively with clinicians and scientists from diverse backgrounds, helping to shape the "Bench-Bytes-Beds" network within the framework of the Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center (ACCC) (https://accc.gr/).

When he's not behind a screen delving into data, you can find him immersed in functional training, reading manga, or exploring new video games — always accompanied by a super cold freddo espresso.