CHAIRS

Tit Albreht

National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia

Prof. Tit Albreht, M.D., Ph.D. in Health Services Research at the University of Amsterdam, Head of the Centre for Health Care at the National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia, and member of the Scientific Committee of EUPHA. He served as President of the Slovenian Preventive Medicine Society (2016 – 2022) and was elected President-elect of the European Public Health Association for the term 2024-2026. His research and policy work has predominantly been on policies in health workforce, patient mobility, cancer control and cancer care. He was the scientific coordinator of three EU cancer policy projects, Joint Actions.

Mariluz Amador

Spanish Association Against Cancer

Dr Mariluz Amador, M.D., PhD., has been a Medical Director in AECC (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer) since September 2019. Dr Amador is a Medical Oncologist trained at Hospital Doce de Octubre, she holds a PhD from Complutense University in Madrid and has an extensive post-doctoral training which includes a Fellowship in New Drugs development in Oncology at Johns Hopkins University and a Graduate Program in Clinical Research at Bloombert School of Public Heath at The Johns Hopkins University. Member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) and Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). She has more than 15 years of experience working in pharmaceutical industry. She has extensive experience in clinical research, development and commercialization of new drugs in Oncology at global, regional and country level.

Beatriz Arranz

Spanish Association Against Cancer

Beatriz Arranz is the Youth Ambassadors Programme Coordinator of the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL). For the last five years she has also worked in design and implementation of health promotion programs at the Madrid Public Health Agency (Madrid Salud) and the Spanish Association Against Cancer. She is a nurse and holds a MSc in Research and Nursing Care for Vulnerable Populations from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Also, she has been an ECL’s Youth Ambassador since 2021.

Vidal Barchilón

GAT de semFYC

Dr. Barchilón is a family doctor and MPH, and is working at the primary care health setting “Rodríguez-Arias” San Fernando, Cádiz. He is currently the coordinator of Tobacco Addiction Group (GAT) of the semFYC (Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine). He is also chairing the working and research group in smoking cessation at SAMFyC (Andalusian Society of Family and Community Medicine), and GRAP (Primary Care Spanish Respiratory Group). He has been joining the IPCRG’s research subcommittee for 4 years, leading tobacco papers. He has been the director of the comprehensive smoking plan for the government of the Andalusia’s government for two years. çHe has been involved in the development of Spanish national guidelines in smoking cessation, publications in tobacco cessation, and educational activities.

Josep M. Borrás

Catalan Cancer Strategy

Josep M Borras (MD, Phd) is a physician with postgraduate training in epidemiology, Scientific advisor to the Catalonian Cancer Strategy at the Department of Health and full professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Barcelona, Spain. Previously, he was director of the Catalonian Cancer Institute (ICO). He studied medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and subsequently, he gained his PhD in Medicine at the same University. Also, he holds a Master in Methodology in Health Sciences (UAB).

Kristin Byrkje

Norwegian Cancer Society

Kristin Byrkje is a special adviser at the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS). Kristin Byrkje has almost 20 years’ experience in tobacco control, covering areas such as tobacco cessation, advocacy work, strategic planning and policy making, media work, project development and project management. She contributed to drafting a national tobacco control strategy (A Future Without Tobacco, 2013-2016) at the Ministry of Health and Care Services. Byrkje serves as vice president of the Smoke Free Partnership Board of Directors. She is active in the Nordic Tobacco Control Network and the Smoke Free Partnership Coalition.

Esteve Fernández

Institut Català d'Oncologia

Esteve Fernández, Director of the Department of Cancer Prevention & Control and the WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Control of the ICO and IDIBELL, in Barcelona, is also a Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the School of Medicine at University of Barcelona. He received his MD from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, as well as the Master of Public Health and Doctoral degrees. Dr. Fernandez’s main areas of research are primary prevention and early detection of cancer, with special focus on tobacco smoking.

Marcela Fu

Catalan Institute of Oncology

Marcela Fu is an associate researcher at the Tobacco Control Unit of the Catalan Institute of Oncology, WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco Control; a member of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute; and an associate lecturer at the Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Perinatal Nursing of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona. Her research interests include the epidemiology, prevention and control of tobacco and electronic cigarettes, and the measurement of second-hand smoke exposure.

Marcos García

Plan Integral de Tabaquismo de Andalucía (P.I.T.A)

Dr. Marcos García is Director of the Andalusian Integrated Smoking Plan (P.I.T.A) at the Andalusian Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. A specialist at the Regional Hospital of Malaga, his main objective is to reduce the number of smokers, especially among young people. He holds a degree as a Doctor of Medicine, University of Malaga. He also has a Master’s degree in smoking from the University of Seville, University Expert in Smoking from the University of Granada, University Expert in Smoking from the University of Las Palmas, SEPAR Expert in Smoking.

Mervi Hara

Action on Smoking or Health

Mervi Hara has been the Executive Director of Finland’s ASH since 1990. During her professional career she’s published numerous publications on tobacco policy, tobacco marketing, cancer, smoking and communication. She has got a large experience in the tobacco control field while participating in many activities such as the planning, promotion and develop of the national tobacco control policy, the strategic planning of various national projects and being a consultant on tobacco policy and health.

Regina Izquierdo

Clinica Izquierdo

Regina is the Medical Director of the dental clinic “CLINICA IZQUIERDO”. She has a degree in Dentistry and a postgraduate in Periodontology from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of Valencia, where she is an Associate Professor of Periodontology. She is a Specialist Full Member of the Spanish Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA) and member of director’s board.

Astrid Knudsen

Danish Cancer Society

Astrid Knudsen is an analysis and development consultant at The Danish Cancer Society (DCS). Knudsen has more than 12 years of experience in the field of tobacco control with specific focus on strategic planning, policy development, professional networks, capacity building and the development of prevention strategies on novel products, tobacco environmental issues and the UN SDGs. She has been project leader and country focal point of the Danish WHO Capacity Assessment, has contributed to the advocacy work leading up to the Danish National Action Plan Against Smoking among Children and Young People in 2019 and coordinates The Nordic Tobacco Control Network.

Adelaida Lozano

FAECAP

Dr. Adelaida Lozano is a Public Health Nurse in the Health Promotion and Education Service of the General Directorate of Public Health and Addictions. She is the coordinator of the Smoking Group of FAECAP and SEAPREMURS, the former vice-president of the National Committee for the Smoking Prevention (CNPT) and current Territorial Delegate in the Region of Murcia. Her research and experience focuses mainly in the field of tobacco control, where she has been the principal investigator in three different lines of research.

Toma Mikalauskaitė

Association of European Cancer Leagues

Toma Mikalauskaitė is Senior Policy Officer – Access to Medicines and Advocacy Coordination at the Association of European Cancer Leagues. Before that, she was Policy Adviser of Energy and Environment at Orgalim. She got her Political Science bachelor’s degree at Linköpings University.

Helena Morales

CEOE

Helena Morales has a degree in Law and International Relations from the Comillas Pontifical University (ICADE) and a Master’s degree in business management from the Antonio de Nebrija University in Madrid. She has worked as a labor lawyer in different law firms. Since 2015, she has belonged to the occupational risk prevention area of ​​the CEOE Department of Employment, Diversity and Social Protection, for which she is responsible. She is also a Patron of the State Foundation for the Prevention of Occupational Risks on behalf of business organizations.

Iveta Nagyova

Pavol Jozef Safarik University

Dr. Iveta Nagyova is the Head of the Department of Social and Behavioural Medicine and a Senior Research Leader at Pavol Jozef Safarik University. She is also the President of the European Public Health Association (EUPHA), and a member of several advisory groups at the WHO. Her research interests are in biobehavioural and psychosocial innovations in chronic condition prevention and management, non-pharmacological interventions, behaviour change, improvements in functional status and quality of life in persons with a chronic disease and their implications for integrated care.

María José Peña Mateo

Sociedad Española de Médicos Generales y de Familia (SEMG)

María José Peña is a Medical Doctor specialized in Family and Community Medicine. She has worked as a professional at the Institut Català de la Salut for more the 13 years. Dr. Peña is also a member of the Spanish Society of General and Family Doctors. She obtained her Medicine’s degree at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Verónica Pérez

SEMERGEN

Psychologist degree with demonstrated experience in psychological care for elderly, in Neumology Services with asthmatic patients and smokers with chronic disease and in the use of new technologies in the psychological treatments also. I have acquired these experiences both in Spain as in Japan where I’ve been working during the last three years. This multi-country and multicultural experience has allowed me to be fluent in three languages, Spanish (mother tongue), English (bilingual) and Japanese (bilingual) and understand different cultures and ways to see disease.

Nicolas Philippou

Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends

Nicolas is the CEO of the Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (PASYKAF) since January 2010. As a patient representative, Nicolas has been actively involved in the fight to control cancer through the promotion of prevention and early detection of cancer in the general public and the improvement of health and quality of life for all citizens. Currently, he serves as the Vice President of ECL – Association of European Cancer Leagues. Nicolas also serves as Board Member of European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) since December 2022.

Carlos Rábade

Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR)

Dr. Carlos Rábade holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Santiago de Compostela and is an Expert in Tobacco Use from the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) where he is currently Coordinator of the Smoking Area, as well as Deputy Director of the journal Prevención del Tabaquismo (Smoking Prevention). Dr. Rábade has authored several publications in indexed journals with impact level on: Smoking, COPD, pleura, interstitial lung diseases, pulmonary thromboembolism or COVID-19, among others.

Cornel Radu-Loghin

European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP)

Cornel Radu-Loghin is the General Secretary at European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP), where he has worked at for more the 14 years. Mr. Radu-Loghin is an experienced Team Leader in establishing and running projects especially in IT and Health related fields. He’s also got experience in working with NGO’s, local authorities, governmental and European institutions with abilities to create synergies between team members, project beneficiaries and donor organisations. His specialties are project management, IT& Telecom, NGO management and Tobacco Control.

Francisco José Rodríguez Lozano

European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP)

Dr. Francisco Rodríguez Lozano is a Medical Doctor, Specialist in Dentistry and Magister in Tobacco Control. During his professional career he has held different positions such as: the president of CNPT, the vicepresident of CED and board member of SEDET, among others. He has done lobby work with Spanish parliamentarians, union representatives and journalists for the latest Spanish Tobacco Law (2010) and its maintenance and lobby work with Spanish MEPs for the latest Tobacco Products Directive (2014).

Francisco Javier Ruiz

Spanish Heatly Cities Network

Francisco Javier Ruiz is the technical secretary and coordinator of Spanish Heatly Cities Network. During 17 years, he’s been university professor of Political and Administration Sciences at University Carlos III of Madrid, and later Professor of Spanish Politics and European Politics and Director of the Hispanic Studies section at St. Petersburg Polytechnic University of Peter the Great.

Lucienne Thommes

Director of the Fondation Cancer Luxembourg

A medical doctor (GP) by training, Dr Thommes is the Director of the Fondation Cancer Luxembourg (FC) since January 2016. Lucienne is a Board Member of the Scientific Committee in the Association of European Cancer Leagues – selecting cancer research projects to be funded by the FC – and acts as the representative of FC in the European Network on Smoking Prevention. She also participates in the ECL’s Access to Medicines Task Force and serves in multiple working groups of the National Cancer Plan as cancer patients advocate.

Rosa Urbanos

Complutense University Madrid

Rosa M. Urbanos has got a degree in Economics (UCM) and Political Science (UNED), a master’s Degree in Public Finance and Economic Analysis from the Institute of Fiscal Studies and her PhD in Economics from the Complutense University (Extraordinary Prize, Doctoral Thesis Award of the Institute of Fiscal Studies). She is currently a professor of Applied Economics at the UCM and member of the Health Advisory Council. She has participated as a speaker or guest lecturer in more than a hundred courses, conferences and seminars.

Wendy Yared

European Cancer Leagues (ECL)

Dr Wendy Yared is the Executive Director of the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), a pan-European alliance of national and regional cancer leagues. Dr Yared has over 30 years’ experience in international public health and cancer policy, most of which is in Europe. Professional roles include the World Health Organization, the European Parliament, Johns Hopkins University, the United States Public Health Service, and with the US government in sub-Saharan Africa.

Joseba Zabala

Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council

Joseba Zabala Galán is an emeritus Public Health Doctor of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country, with a master in Drug Addiction. Has worked as a promoter of socio-educational measures in minors as alternatives to the sanction of young offenders for drug use in the application of the Drug Laws. He was the Director of the Pedro Anitua Center in Vitoria-Gasteiz in preventive work with vulnerable youth. In his health advocacy work, he has been one of the promoters of the Spanish and Basque Tobacco Laws with the achievement of smoke-free stadiums and sports centres, as well of the Citizen Initiative XQNS for the defence and improvement of the Tobacco Law in Spain, and together with National Committee of Tobacco Prevention CNPT, he received the Reina Sofía Award for drug prevention. He co-founded the ÉVICT Project – a Working group for studying Tobacco-Cannabis knot evidence in cannabis joints.