09th November 2025
October 2025 was a dynamic month for the Behavioral Science in Health – BSiH Lab at the Cyprus University of Technology, marked by international collaborations, invited talks, academic exchanges, and participation in key public health and mental health events. From Lisbon to Nicosia, Athens, and Surabaya, our team continued to advance research and dialogue at the intersection of behavioral science, health communication, and digital innovation. Below are some of the month’s highlights that reflect our growing network and commitment to impactful, evidence-based science.
🇵🇹 Lisbon – CO-OPERATOR Project Events
BSiH Lab was proudly represented at the CO-OPERATOR events in Lisbon, Portugal, where the team (Dr Athina Manoli and Dr Angelos Kassianos) contributed to discussions on strengthening cooperation and innovation in health systems. The event brought together European partners to exchange best practices and shape the next steps for promoting sustainable, citizen-driven health initiatives.
Read more about our participation here
🇨🇾 11th Annual Public Health Workshop – Nicosia
Lab members Dr. Laura Panagi and Dr. Maria Kyprianidou, both also part of the CO-OPERATOR consortium, represented the lab at the 11th Annual Public Health Workshop (7–8 October 2025) held at the University of Cyprus.
The workshop, themed “Building on Health-Promoting Schools and on Children’s Healthier Future,” provided an excellent platform for networking with public health professionals and for promoting the aims of the CO-OPERATOR project.
🇨🇾🇬🇷 Erasmus Academic Visit – Dr. Eirini Karakasidou
On 15th October 2025, Dr. Eirini Karakasidou, Assistant Professor in Counseling Psychology at Panteion University (Athens), visited the BSiH Lab under an Erasmus mobility. She delivered a guest lecture on Self-Compassion to MSc in Midwifery students in Dr. Angelos Kassianos’s course.
The visit fostered discussions on joint research initiatives, PhD student exchanges, book projects, and future collaborations between Panteion University and CUT. Dr. Karakasidou also met with members of the BSiH Lab and the Brain and Cognitive Science Lab, led by Dr. Nikos Konstantinou, to explore cross-lab synergies.
🧠 World Mental Health Day 2025 – Invited Talk
Dr. Angelos Kassianos was invited to speak at the World Mental Health Day 2025 Conference (11 October 2025) at the UNESCO Amphitheatre, University of Nicosia.
The event, co-organized by the Committee for the Supervision and Protection of the Rights of Mentally Ill Patients, the University of Nicosia Medical School, and the Cyprus Psychiatric Society, focused on “Access to Mental Health Services for People Exposed to Disasters and Other Emergencies.”
Dr. Kassianos presented on Artificial Intelligence in Psychology, highlighting opportunities and ethical challenges in digital mental health interventions.
🇮🇩 Visiting Fellowship – Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia
To continue the monthly activities, Dr. Angelos Kassianos completed a Visiting Fellow Program (20–24 October 2025) at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The visit included:
Guest lectures and applied workshops on Digital Mental Health and Behavior Change
Collaborative meetings with the PKPK, MIND Research Group, and Clinical and Health Psychology Research Group
Discussions on joint grants, publications, and student exchanges
A methodology session on Designing and Evaluating Behavioral Experiments in Psychology
This visit strengthened ties between the two institutions and opened pathways for future international research collaborations in behavioral and digital health.
🎓 Invited Lecture – Dr. Georgina Hosang (Queen Mary University of London)
To close the month, on the 29th October 2025, the BSiH Lab and the Department of Nursing had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Georgina Hosang, Reader (Associate Professor) at the Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London.
Her lecture, titled “Unpacking the impact of stress and trauma on bipolar disorder: the role of genetics,” explored how genetic and environmental factors, such as childhood trauma and stressful life events, interact to influence the onset and progression of bipolar disorder.
Dr. Hosang shared insights from her groundbreaking work on the gene-stress nexus, polygenic risk scores, and psychosocial risk factors for physical multimorbidity in severe mental illness.
Her talk underscored the importance of integrating genetic, psychosocial, and clinical perspectives in prevention, intervention, and management strategies for bipolar disorder. Undergraduate students who are taking the Mental Health Nursing course as well as Departmental staff attended the lecture and participated in a lively discussion.
Stay connected for more updates on our research, collaborations, and upcoming initiatives.