Dr Georgios-Ioannis Tsianos has diverse professional roles in medicine and science.
He received his Bachelor’s degree (BA) from the University of California Berkeley and specialised in human performance. He then studied for a Master's degree (MSc) at King's College London on human physiology under the extreme conditions of cold, heat, altitude, air flight, space flight, and diving; his thesis dissertation was on cold water hypothermia and human adaptation. He pursued a Doctorate degree (PhD) at the University of Glasgow focusing on the human physiological responses when exposed at high altitude and cold environments; he conducted research in climatic chambers and completed field studies in the Scottish Highlands, the European Alps, the Tibetan and Nepalese Himalayas. He then studied and received a Medical degree (MD) from the University of Ioannina Greece. He is certified in Organization and Management of Health Services from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and certified by the European Lifestyle Medicine Organisation in Lifestyle Medicine.
Georgios has worked and trained in various medical specialties gaining experience in South Africa, USA, Scotland, England and Greece; he is a qualified General Practitioner. He is certified in expedition and travel medicine, and these days he primarily practises medicine in rural and remote areas.
He continues to be active in research and teaching; concomitantly, he undertakes public speaking.
He is professionally based in Scotland and Greece.
Growing up, Georgios was involved in competitive swimming. Nowadays, he explores the limits of human potential by putting his body and mind to the test through ultra-endurance sporting challenges.
He was a Greek national swimming champion, record holder, and member of the Greek national swim team at world championships level.
In the year 2000 he swam the English Channel, the distance between England and France.
In 2004 he climbed to the summit of Everest from the northern side route in the Tibetan Himalayas.
In 2011 he swam non-stop from the mainland of Greece to the island of Crete, covering a distance of 101km.
In 2015 he run the 7-day 250km Marathon des Sables ultra-marathon in the Sahara desert.
In 2015 he became the first person in history to complete the Ice Water Fire challenge.
In 2019 he summited Everest for the second time.
In 2023 he swam in Antarctica.
Georgios has climbed in the Himalayas, the Rocky Mountains, the European Alps, the Atlas mountains, the Scottish Highlands and the mountain ranges across Greece. He has swum around the world and completed crossings and races in oceans, seas, rivers and lakes. Presently, he cycles and runs in the Scottish Highlands, and swims in the cold Scottish lochs or the warm Greek seas.