Leadership 100 Chairman Emeritus George D. Behrakis led a discussion with two renowned medical specialists on the subject of “Health and Wellness: Improving our Quality of Life” at the Health Forum on Thursday, February 21, 2019.The participants included George Dangas, MD PhD, Professor of Medicine, Cardiology and  Professor of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, and a leading authority in Interventional Cardiology and  Harry T. Anastopoulos, MD, Gastroenterologist, Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, who is affiliated with its teaching hospital at Beth Israel, Deaconess  Medical Center.

Both Dr. Dangas and Dr. Anastopoulos illustrated their talks with graphic charts illustrating the major factors in heart disease and gastrointestinal disorders, respectively.

The presentation also included an overview on the major causes of death and disease by Behrakis, a prominent businessman and pioneer in the pharmaceutical industry and medical research, who has devoted his life to philanthropy since his retirement in 1998. In recent years, he has provided funding and personal involvement along with Harvard University towards a national anti-smoking campaign in Greece, alongside the Hellenic Cancer Society and Panagiotis Behrakis, MD, a well-respected pulmonary physician there and Behrakis’ first cousin.

After an extended question and answer period, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Leadership 100 Chairman, Argyris Vassiliou, along with Behrakis presented Dr. Dangas and Dr. Anastopoulos with the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Achievement Award.

Because of the great interest in the presentation, consideration is being given to making the Health and Wellness Forum led by George D. Behrakis an annual event at Leadership 100 Conferences, featuring physicians and other health care professionals from different specialties and fields.

With more than 25 years of medical experience, Dr. Dangas has worked in multiple roles for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, including as a professor of vascular surgery since 2012, a professor of cardiology since 2010, and a director of cardiovascular innovation at the Mount Sinai Medical Center since 2010.

Prior to this appointment, he held the position of program director for the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital from 2004 to 2010, associate professor of medicine for the Division of Cardiovascular Disease at Columbia University Medical Center from 2004 to 2010, and the director of postgraduate training in the Division of Cardiology for the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at Columbia University Medical Center from 2004 to 2010. Additionally, Dr. Dangas served as an attending staff member for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital from 2004 to 2010 as well as the Cardiac Cath Lab for the New Milford Hospital of the Western Connecticut Health Network from 2005 to 2008.

Dr. Dangas previously held the roles of clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine from 2002 to 2004, the associate program director for the Section of Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Therapy and attending staff for the Section of Interventional Cardiology and Endovascular Therapy with the Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute in New York from 2000 to 2004.

Dr. Anastopoulos specializes in gastroenterology. He is a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is affiliated with its teaching hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,  in Boston, Massachusetts.

A graduate of Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Anastopoulos completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology at the New England Deaconess Hospital, which merged with Beth Israel Hospital in 1996.

Dr. Anastopoulos is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology). His clinical interests include:

• General Gastroenterology

• Hepatology

• Colorectal Cancer Screening

• Colon Polyps

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

• Celiac Disease

• Pancreatic Diseases

• Ulcerative Colitis

Dr. Anastopoulos, MD is primarily located in Boston, MA, with other offices in Boston, MA and Wellesley Hills, MA . He has 35 years of experience. Dr. Anastopoulos is also affiliated with Beth Israel Hospital- Needham, Mount Auburn Hospital,  New England Baptist Hospital and Brigham And Women’s Outpatient Pharmacy.