Dimitrios Trichopoulos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dimitrios Trichopoulos
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| Born | December 9, 1938 |
| Died | December 1, 2014 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Known for | —Mediterranean Diet expert —multi-factorial etiology of hepatocellular cancer, with emphasis on the interactive effects of hepatitis B and C viruses, tobacco smoking, and ethanol intake
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Oncology, cancer prevention |
| Institutions | University of Athens Medical School, 1963-2014 Academy of Athens (1997-2014) |
| Doctoral advisor | Brian MacMahon |
Dimitrios Trichopoulos (Greek: Δημήτριος Τριχόπουλος; December 9, 1938 – December 1, 2014) was a famous Greek scientist. He was an expert on the Mediterranean diet and studied the dangers of tobacco. He taught at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, where he focused on preventing cancer.
Trichopoulos spent his career researching and teaching about how cancer starts and how to stop it. He wrote over 1,000 scientific papers. His work showed that secondhand smoke (smoke from other people's cigarettes) can increase the risk of lung cancer. He also found links between hepatitis B virus, smoking, and liver cancer.
He made many important discoveries in cancer research. In 1990, he was the first to suggest that things a baby is exposed to before birth might play a big role in causing breast cancer later in life.
In 1981, he was also one of the first to report that secondhand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer. He studied 51 non-smoking women in Greece who had lung cancer. He compared them to other women their age who were in the hospital for different reasons. His research showed that the women with lung cancer were much more likely to have been around their husbands' cigarette smoke. Later studies confirmed these risks for children and non-smokers living near smokers.
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Early Life and Education
Dimitrios Trichopoulos was born in Volos, Greece, a city about 326 kilometers (203 miles) north of Athens. He began his medical studies at the University of Athens Medical School, earning his M.D. in 1963.
He continued his education in the United States, earning a Master of Science (S.M.) from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston in 1968. He later received his Ph.D. from the University of Athens Medical School in 1971.
Trichopoulos also studied different medical fields like Pathology, Microbiology, Public Health, and Epidemiology. He studied at universities in Athens, London, Oxford, and Harvard.
Career Highlights
Dimitrios Trichopoulos held many important teaching jobs throughout his career. He taught at the University of Athens Medical School from 1972 until 2014. He also taught at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, from 1998 to 2014.
At Harvard, he became a full professor in 1989 and led the Department of Epidemiology until 1996. From 1993 to 1997, he was also the head of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention. He worked with scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden on many projects.
Trichopoulos was also a member of the Athens Academy and led the Hellenic Health Foundation in Greece.
Key Research and Discoveries
Trichopoulos's research focused on understanding the causes of cancer and how to prevent it. He studied how different factors, like hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, tobacco smoking, and alcohol, can increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer).
His work on secondhand smoke was groundbreaking. He proved that even if you don't smoke yourself, being around others who smoke can harm your lungs. This research helped change public health policies around the world.
He also explored how early life experiences might affect cancer risk later on. His 1990 paper in The Lancet was the first to suggest that things a baby is exposed to before birth could play a big role in breast cancer.
Beyond cancer, he also studied how major stress, like an earthquake, could affect heart health. His paper on this topic was even listed among important medical writings that every health professional should read.
Mediterranean Diet Expert
Dimitrios Trichopoulos was a key figure in promoting the Mediterranean diet. In 1993, he helped lead the first international conference on Mediterranean diets in Boston. This is where the famous Mediterranean Diet Pyramid was first introduced.
His wife, Antonia Trichopoulou, is often called the "mother of the Mediterranean Diet" for her work in this area. Together, they helped show the world the health benefits of this way of eating.
Awards and Recognition
Dimitrios Trichopoulos received many awards for his important work. These include:
- An honorary doctorate from Uppsala University in Sweden (1994).
- The Smoke-Free America Award (1996).
- The Commander of Honor of the Greek Republic (1996).
- The Brinker International Award for Breast Cancer Research (2000).
- The Medal of Honor from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization.
He passed away on December 1, 2014, leaving behind a huge legacy in public health and cancer prevention.
