Christina Karatzaferi

Christina Karatzaferi is a Full Professor at the University of Thessaly, affiliated with the School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences and the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences. She serves as Director of the MSc in Lifestyle Medicine program and leads the Experimental Physiology & Myology Lab (CREHP). Her research is deeply embedded in muscle physiology and clinical exercise interventions, particularly in chronic disease populations.

• PhD, Experimental Physiology & Myology Lab (CREHP), Department of PE & Sports Science, University of Thessaly
• Visiting PhD Researcher, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1998–1999)
• Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, Department of Physical Education, Sport and Leisure Studies, University of Edinburgh (1999–2001)

Her research focuses on skeletal muscle physiology, with an emphasis on muscle fatigue, atrophy, redox status, and functional impairments in chronic kidney disease. She investigates how exercise and lifestyle interventions can mitigate muscle dysfunction and improve wellbeing. Her work spans from molecular mechanisms in single muscle fibers to clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients.

The recent publications reveal a strong trend in intradialytic exercise training, hybrid exercise protocols, cold dialysis, and muscle quality assessment using imaging. Her studies explore fatigue, autonomic function, insulin sensitivity, and emotional wellbeing, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to patient rehabilitation.

Christina Karatzaferi serves as Associate Editor for Frontiers in Physiology, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, and Advances in Physiology Education, highlighting her academic leadership.

• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Physiology
• Associate Editor, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
• Associate Editor, AJP Advances in Physiology Education

She has supervised numerous researchers and students, including Ilias Ntoumas, Stefania Grigoriou, and Christoforos Giannaki. Her lab, the Experimental Physiology & Myology Lab (CREHP), operates within the University of Thessaly and collaborates extensively with clinical and research teams in Greece and internationally.