Dr George C. Fthenakis, Dip.ECAR, Dip.ECSRHM, is included among the top 2% of the more influential scientists internationally in the field of ‘Veterinary Sciences’. He is also the author with the most scientific papers on sheep and goats in Europe.
He is a graduate (DVM) of the Veterinary School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and has undertaken postgraduate studies (MSc, PhD) at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. He is a Diplomate of the European College of Animal Reproduction and the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management.
He is Professor and Past-Dean of the Veterinary Faculty (2016-20), Past-Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science (2019-21) and Past-Dean of the Faculty of Public Health (2023) of the University of Thessaly. He was the Foundation President of the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management (2008-11). He also served four terms as President of the Farm Animal Division of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society (2009-21). Currently (2020-today), he serves as the Chairperson of the Greek National Veterinary Medicines Licencing Board.
He has been invited and lectured in the veterinary schools of the Universities of Edinburgh, Guelph, Hannover, Liverpool, Thessaloniki and Zaragoza.
He has successfully supervised 12 PhD theses and one European Veterinary College specialisation programme.
He has managed 31 research grants, funded by the public (European Commission, Government of Greece) or the private (animal health industry) sector, among them the ‘Goshomics’ (budget: 1,788,500 €, 10 partners) and the ‘Academic experience for young scientists at the University of Thessaly’ (budget: 6,150,000 €) projects.
He has published 256 refereed papers (cumulative impact factor: 618.5). His publications have received over 6000 citations (h-index: 42). He has served as editor in Small Ruminant Research, BMC Veterinary Research, Journal of Dairy Research and Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society, and as guest-editor in Animal Reproduction Science, Pathogens, Veterinary Microbiology and Veterinary Parasitology. He has authored or edited four books.
He has presented talks in conferences world-wide (544 abstracts in conference proceedings), among them 81 invited/keynote presentations. He was the organiser of the 6th International Sheep Veterinary Congress (2005), the 1st European Conference in Small Ruminant Health Management (2011) and the 11th (2009) and 13th (2015) Greek National Veterinary Congresses.
Moreover, he has participated in various national or international committees, including the European Board for Veterinary Specialisation, the General Assembly of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, the Greek Veterinary Drug Formulary Board, the Council of the Greek Agricultural Academy, the Council of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society and the committee ‘Welfare of sheep’ of the European Food Safety Authority.
He has received an Honorary scroll from the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society (2005), the ‘Allan Baldry’ award from the British Sheep Veterinary Society (2006), a Meritorious award from the Karditsa Society for Animal Welfare (2008) and the ‘Konstantinos Tarlatzis’ prize of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society (2009). He was elected a Fellow of the Greek Agricultural Academy in 2010. He has received three Awards of Academic Scientific Excellence in ‘Veterinary Medicine and Science’ by the Greek Ministry of Education (2012, 2013, 2014), two Prizes by the Hellenic Veterinary Association for excellent academic and scientific achievements (2013) and for the sustained support of the veterinary profession in Greece, an Award of Clinical Excellence by the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management (2014) and a meritorious award by the organizing committee of the 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress for the significant contributions at the conference (2017).
His interests are focused on health management, diseases and welfare of small ruminants.