Evangelos Dadiotis is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Northeastern University specializing in natural products and ion channel pharmacology. His research focuses on the pharmacological potential of psychedelics and cannabinoids, particularly their interaction with TRPA1 and related ion channels. He combines electrophysiology, NMR, and computational tools to explore mechanisms of action. He is also co-founder of Ekati Biotech and investigates ancient psychedelic preparations like Kykeon, bridging ethnobotany with modern psychedelic science.

Eleana Baskouta is a cultural strategist, development advisor, and interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of psychedelic science and cultural anthropology. With a decade of experience in international development and philanthropic strategy, she specializes in building research ecosystems that bridge scientific inquiry with cultural integrity.

As Co-Founder and Strategic Development Director of ELKEEN Eleana contributes to the institute’s strategic vision, resource development, and global partnerships. Her work is grounded in an ethical commitment to the philosophical and ceremonial legacy of the ancient Greek Mysteries. She advocates for a revival of entheogenic research that honors epistemic humility, ecological reverence, and cultural sovereignty—ensuring that Greece’s historical relationship with sacred pharmacology is not appropriated, but restored with rigor and respect. She holds a Master’s in Development Economics and International Relations from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, a B.Sc. in Business & Economics from the American College of Greece, and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Athens.

Nikos Katsaounis is a Greek-born media entrepreneur, systems thinker, and documentary filmmaker whose work explores the intersection of ritual, psychedelics, and cultural transformation. With academic foundations in philosophy and anthropology, Nikos has spent the past two decades documenting sacred ceremonies, indigenous knowledge systems, and emergent spiritual movements across Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

Through storytelling and immersive media, he investigates how altered states, myth, and collective rites can reawaken shared meaning and ecological awareness in a fragmented world. His films and projects illuminate the timeless role of dance, drumming, and plant medicines as technologies of wholeness — tools to restore memory, purpose, and connection.

Beyond his artistic work, Nikos advises early-stage ventures at the intersection of culture, technology, and consciousness. He draws on experience as a creative strategist and investor to help mission-driven teams build initiatives that are regenerative by design. A graduate of Tulane University and The New School, he bridges narrative craft with system innovation to support personal and collective evolution.

Experienced and self-motivated interdisciplinary researcher with dual M.Sc. degrees in Agricultural Engineering and Pharmacognosy, specializing in the Chemistry of Natural Products. Possesses over five years of hands-on experience in analytical and biological laboratories, as well as in R&D settings across universities, research institutions, and the pharmaceutical industry. His research focuses on psychoactive natural products, with an emphasis on indole alkaloids and cannabinoids. His work integrates phytochemistry, biotechnology, and ethnobotany, aiming to bridge ancient psychopharmacognosy with modern scientific understanding. He is currently developing his research into a PhD thesis titled “Development of methods for the analysis of indole alkaloids with emphasis on substituted tryptamines and ergoline derivatives of natural origin and evaluation of their pharmacological activity and toxicity

Dr. Vangelis Mitsis is a Greek physician and multidisciplinary researcher specializing in natural products, with a strong focus on cannabis and entheogens. He holds a degree in General Medicine from the University of Padua, Italy, and has led pioneering work in applied biotechnology, phytochemistry, and pharmacognosy. As founder of Ekati Alchemy Lab SL (Spain), and co-founder of Ekati Biotech (Greece) and Entheogen Biotech (Canada/Jamaica), Dr. Mitsis has contributed extensively to the development of novel therapeutic applications. His cannabis research includes in vitro micropropagation, molecular marker profiling, and patented innovations in cannabinoid derivatives. His current work with Entheogen Biotech explores psilocybin-producing mushrooms for the treatment of depression and addiction through environmentally controlled bioreactor cultivation and cross-continental academic collaborations with institutions in Greece, the USA, Canada, and Jamaica. Through a combination of clinical expertise, laboratory innovation, and international scientific engagement, Dr. Mitsis stands at the forefront of translational research in plant- and fungi-based medicines.

Isis Rita Anzel Koutrouli is a preclinical researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health (NUDZ) and a PhD candidate at the 3rd Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague, working under the supervision of Dr. Tomáš Páleníček at the Psychedelic Research Center. Her research investigates the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in drug addiction through multi-level approaches.

She studied Biology and earned an MSc in Neurosciences in Athens, Greece, building a solid scientific foundation in cellular signalling and molecular pharmacology. Her previous work as a Medical Advisor for leading pharmaceutical companies gave her firsthand experience at the intersection of science, medicine, and industry. Drawing from this background, she is exploring how basic research can inform clinical perspectives. Particularly interested in the intersection of neuropharmacology, altered states of consciousness, and the molecular signatures of psychedelics, she aims to help bridge these areas through her research.

She has been co-organizing psychedelic conferences and workshops and is an active member of uniMIND in Prague. As a participant in both local and international psychedelic communities, she contributes to discussions that bridge neuroscience research with emerging topics in the psychedelic field. Isis is committed to fostering dialogue between the Greek scientific community and the global psychedelic movement. Through her work and public engagement, she hopes to contribute to reclaiming Greece’s intellectual heritage while supporting the development of a rigorous, ethical paradigm for psychedelic science.

Affiliated Researcher | PhD Candidate in Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London

Joanna Artemis Vamvakopoulou is a Greek clinical researcher and PhD candidate in neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London. She holds a BSc in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Translational Neuroscience from Imperial, where she focused on emotional processing and the role of dopamine D3 receptors in cocaine and alcohol addiction.

Her early research career included clinical placements at the University of Cambridge, where she investigated habit formation in chronic users of cannabis and alcohol. She later worked with methadone-maintained individuals with opioid use disorder before shifting her focus to youth mental health. Joanna went on to design and lead a study on a novel cognitive-behavioral therapy approach for young people who self-harm—an experience that ultimately led her to her current doctoral research on psychedelic-assisted therapy for self-injuring youth.

Alongside her academic work, Joanna has been an active public educator and harm reduction advocate. She has volunteered with Drug Science in the UK, supporting student-led efforts to promote evidence-based approaches to psychoactive substances and to educate the public about psychedelic-assisted treatments for depression, anxiety, anorexia, and OCD.

As an Affiliated Researcher with EPOPTEIA, Joanna contributes her expertise in clinical research design, youth mental health, and science communication. She supports the center’s efforts to promote harm reduction, public education, and the development of a rigorous research ecosystem in Greece.

Advisor | Neuropharmacologist & Integrative Health Strategist

Stephanie Karzon Abrams is a clinical neuropharmacologist and founder of Beyond Consulting, where she leads scientific strategy and operational development for organizations working at the intersection of psychedelic medicine, integrative care, and cultural transformation. She brings a unique blend of clinical expertise, systems thinking, and narrative design to emerging health ecosystems.

With a background in neurology, intensive care, and medical device development at Johnson & Johnson, Stephanie has contributed to some of the most forward-thinking models of healing across sectors. She holds multiple certifications in psychedelic-assisted therapy, including prescriber status for MDMA and psilocybin under Canada’s Special Access Program, and currently serves as Research Director at the Microdosing Collective.

Her work bridges neuroscience, women’s health, plant medicine, and the therapeutic power of music. A writer, musician, and public speaker, she curates spaces that bring together community, meaning, and innovation.

At EPOPTEIA, Stephanie advises on clinical neuropharmacology, care systems design, and translational research strategy, helping ground the organization’s scientific vision in practical, ethical, and regenerative frameworks.

Affiliated Researcher | Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for the Psychedelic Renaissance, University of Exeter

Dr. Eirini Ketzitzidou-Argyri is a Greek psychologist and postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for the Psychedelic Renaissance at the University of Exeter, UK. Her research explores the intersections of embodiment, trauma, and altered states of consciousness, with a focus on how psychedelic experiences can facilitate healing in relation to body image, gender, and emotional regulation.

Eirini holds a PhD in Psychology and brings a deeply interdisciplinary approach to her work, drawing from clinical psychology, feminist theory, and somatic psychotherapy. Her current projects investigate how psychedelic-assisted therapies can support the reintegration of disembodied or marginalized aspects of the self, particularly in populations affected by trauma or social conditioning around the body.

As an Affiliated Researcher at EPOPTEIA, Eirini contributes to the center’s research frameworks around gender, embodiment, and culturally sensitive care. Her expertise supports EPOPTEIA’s commitment to integrative science that honors both psychological complexity and cultural context.