Dr. Fotopoulou is a distinguished figure in the field of gynecologic oncology, renowned for her exceptional surgical and scientific expertise. Being Greek – German, having lived and worked in Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom she has a deep knowledge of the regional variations in practice, mentality and healthcare recourses across the different countries in Europe and has therefore fought and strived for the standardization and homogenization of surgical oncological care internationally.
She is the Professor of Gynaecological Cancer Surgery in the Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine of Imperial College London, UK and the Deputy director of the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre at Imperial College. She still holds a honorary chair in the Gynaecology Department at the Charite’ University of Berlin, where she was trained and then later took the role of the Vice Director of the Gynaecological Department.
She and has been an elected member of the ESGO- council and is also a member of the German AGO- Ovarian Cancer Group. In her role as the Chair of the guidelines committees of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS) and of ESGO (European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology) she has established national and international guidelines for the treatment of gynecological cancers with the aim to homogenize and standardize care in Europe and beyond. Moreover, she has been part of the core group to develop and establish quality indicators for the international accreditation of gynecological cancer centers towards a centralization of oncological care.
As an expert adolescent gynecological surgeon, she has published on surgical techniques regarding uterovaginal reconstruction. She has served as mentor for young gynecological oncologists and women in the field and has co-developed mentorship programs to minimize gender disparities in gynecological cancer surgery. Sharing her expertise in the training of numerous gynecological oncologists from all over the world, she has significantly impacted the treatment landscape throughout Europe, especially in the UK.
Her scientific expertise focuses on profiling of ovarian cancer heterogeneity and integration of tumor biology factors with surgical effort under the umbrella of individualization of surgical care. Her efforts in unraveling the diverse genetic and biological characteristics of these tumors and recognizing that each patient’s unique tumor biology should be woven into the surgical strategy have earned her the IGCS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Gynecologic Oncology Surgery.
In a world where medical science continues to advance at an incredible pace, Dr. Fotopoulou stands as a testament to the power of specialization, innovation, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of those she serves while representing a role model for upcoming gynecological oncologists. Her work exemplifies the potential for progress when surgical and scientific expertise converge in the pursuit of better care and outcomes for patients with gynecological cancer.
