Agorastos Agorastos

Agorastos Agorastos is an Associate Professor and Senior Physician at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. He holds an MD from Medical University of Vienna (2006) and a medical doctorate (Dr. med.) from the Center of Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS) at UKE. His academic career includes postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and habilitation in 2015 on heart rate variability in stress-related diseases.

Research Profile: Agorastos specializes in stress neurobiology with focus on psychoneuroendocrinological, neurophysiological, and immunological aspects of PTSD and depression. He investigates biomarkers like cytokines, copeptin, and neuroendocrine function in stress pathophysiology, autonomic-cardiovascular interactions, and predictive markers for antidepressant response. His work spans interdisciplinary collaborations between UKE and UCSD.

Clinical Expertise: He treats stress/trauma disorders (PTSD, postpartum depression), anxiety, treatment-resistant depression, and psychosomatic emergencies. He leads the Psychiatric Outpatient Services Unit since 2016.

Scientific Awards:

• Maudsley Forum Fellowship (2008)
• EPA Young Researcher Award (2009)
• APS Fellow Travel Award (2012)
• ECNP Summer School Fellowship (2013)
• SOBP International Travel Award (2015)
• B. Braun Educational Fellowship (2015)

Publications: His 48+ works include peer-reviewed studies on neuroimmunology, stress biomarkers, and clinical trials. Key trends involve HPA-axis dynamics, autonomic-cardiovascular interactions in mental illness, and immunological correlates of depression.