Profile

Education & Postgraduate Training

• 07/2023 – 04/2025: Postgraduate training in Molecular Immunology, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, University of Ioannina
  Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Akrivi Chrysanthopoulou
• 06/2022 – 04/2025: Postdoctoral research on "Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Clinical Phenotypes", Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina
• 09/2022 – 03/2023: Postgraduate training in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, Rheumatology Clinic, University Hospital of Ioannina
  (Decision of the 6th Regional Health Authority, Ref. No. 53108/31-8-2022)
  Supervisor: Prof. Paraskevi Voulgari
• 06/2022: 11th EULAR Course on Capillaroscopy and Microcirculation in RMDs, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2022: Postgraduate training in Nailfold Capillaroscopy, Laboratory for Capillaroscopy Research, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa, Italy
  Supervisor: Prof. Maurizio Cutolo
• 05/2021 – 12/2021: Training in Minor Salivary Gland Biopsies, Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)
  Supervisor: Prof. Michail Voulgarelis
• 20/12/2021: PhD Degree, University of Ioannina, Greece, Title: "Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Northwestern Greece"
  Supervisor: Prof. Alexandros Drosos
• 10/2017: 18th EULAR Postgraduate Course, Belgrade, Serbia
• 12/2016: 3rd International Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Course – Basic and Intermediate Levels, Athens
• 2005: MD Degree, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece

Title: “Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Northwestern Greece”, with distinction (Excellent), Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece
Supervisor: Prof. Alexandros Drosos
Date awarded: 20/12/2021

• 06/2025 – Present: Scientific Associate - Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, University of Ioannina
• 06/2022 – 02/2024: Head of the Rheumatology Clinic, University General Hospital of Ioannina
• 09/2019 – 06/2024: University Fellow, Rheumatology Clinic, University General Hospital of Ioannina
• 09/2017 – 09/2019: Clinical Researcher, Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School, NKUA
• 08/2013 – 08/2017: Resident in Rheumatology, General Hospital of Athens "Laiko"
• 2011 – 2013: Resident in Internal Medicine, “Metaxa” Cancer Hospital of Piraeus, Greece
• 02/2007 – 01/2009: Rural Medical Service, Remote Rural Health Clinic of Megalo Peristeri, Health Center of Metsovo

• 2024 – Present: Lecturer, undergraduate course “Molecular Immunology”, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies, University of Ioannina
• 2019 – 2024: Trainer of Rheumatology Residents, Rheumatology Clinic, University Hospital of Ioannina
• 2021 – 2024: Lecturer, 4th-year undergraduate students, “Molecular Immunology”, Medical School, University of Ioannina
• 2021 – 2023: Lecturer, 3rd-year undergraduate students, “Clinical Semiology I” and “Pathophysiology I”, Medical School, University of Ioannina
• 2021 – 2024: Lecturer, “History Taking and Physical Examination” as part of core modules, Medical School, University of Ioannina
• 2019 – 2024: Lecturer, “Postgraduate Rheumatology Courses”, University General Hospital of Ioannina
• 2014: Lecturer, “Inter-University Rheumatology Education Program”
• 2007: Lecturer, “Postgraduate Rheumatology Courses”, University General Hospital of Ioannina

Dr. Venetsanopoulou specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases, offering personalized care based on the latest medical advances.

Her core clinical focus includes inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic and reactive arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

She has extensive expertise in nailfold capillaroscopy, a non-invasive method used in the diagnosis and monitoring of Raynaud’s phenomenon, scleroderma, and other connective tissue diseases.

She also manages patients with systemic autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, inflammatory myopathies, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, and polymyalgia rheumatica—with a holistic approach focused on early diagnosis, individualized treatment, and quality of life.

A specific area of interest is the management of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced rheumatic complications, a rapidly expanding field in oncology and immunology.

She also treats more common conditions such as fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and crystal arthropathies (e.g., gout, pseudogout)

• 2024: KEPETZI Award for the work: “Cardiovascular involvement in rare vasculitides: The emerging role of cardiovascular imaging”
• 2022: KEPETZI Award for the work: “Epidemiology and risk factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis development”
• 2021: Scholarship from the Hellenic Society for Rheumatology, pilot study on “The role of capillaroscopy in evaluating patients with interstitial lung disease and autoimmune diseases”

Dr. Venetsanopoulou has authored 65 publications and 31 conference abstracts (as of Google Scholar, 20/05/2025: Citations: 1680, h-index: 19)

Selected recent publications:

• Venetsanopoulou AI, Ntinopoulou M, Papagianni E, Koletsos N, Voulgari PV, Chrysanthopoulou A. Neutrophil extracellular traps as immunofibrotic mediators in RA-ILD; pilot evaluation of the nintedanib therapy. Front Immunol. 2024 Oct 23;15:1480594.
• Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA. Optimizing withdrawal strategies for anti-TNF-α therapies in rheumatoid arthritis. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2024 Aug;24(8):815-825.
• Venetsanopoulou AI, Katsigianni I, Skouvaklidou E, Vounotrypidis P, Voulgari PV. Uncommon Coexistence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Psoriatic Arthritis: A Case-Based Review. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2024 Jun 13.
• Venetsanopoulou AI, Voulgari PV, Drosos AA. Investigational bispecific antibodies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2024 Jul;33(7):661-670.
• Venetsanopoulou AI, Anagnostou NE, Tziortzioti Z, Zikou A, Astrakas L, Argyropoulou MI, Voulgari PV. Long-term MRI findings in Ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with TNF inhibitors for a decade. Rheumatol Int. 2024 Nov;44(11):2583-2589.
• Venetsanopoulou AI, Goules AV, Vlachoyiannopoulos PG, Drosos AA, Tzioufas AG, Voulgari PV. The Role of Nailfold Capillaroscopy in Evaluating Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease Related to Connective Tissue Disease. Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2023 Aug 4;34(4):588-591.

• Hellenic Society for Rheumatology (ERE)
• Medical Association of Ioannina (ISI)
• Medical Association of Athens (ISA)
• Society of Rheumatic Diseases of Northwestern Greece
• European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)
• EULAR Study Group on Microcirculation in Rheumatic Diseases

Editorial Board Advisor: Nutrition, Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology

Dr. Venetsanopoulou’s research focuses on the pathophysiology and treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

From her student years, she studied long-term outcomes of biologics (e.g., infliximab) in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis with severe psoriasis. She also participated in epidemiological studies on the prevalence and demographic patterns of primary Sjögren's syndrome in Northwestern Greece.

During her training in the Laboratory of Pathophysiology (under Profs. H.M. Moutsopoulos and Ath.G. Tzioufas), she studied clinical, serological, and immunological features of autoimmune diseases, including autoantibodies in inflammatory myopathies.

She actively participated in the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project “HarmonicSS”, which aimed to establish a European cohort network for the improved management of Sjögren’s syndrome.

As a University Fellow (2019–2024), she was involved in major research collaborations with national and international rheumatology centers.

Research conducted at:

• Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School, NKUA (2013–2019)
• Rheumatology Clinic, University Hospital of Ioannina (2019–2024)
• Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Biological Applications & Technologies, University of Ioannina (2023–present)