BRIEF
BIOGRAPHICAL RESUME
********************************
Michael C. Geokas,
M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Emeritus
Professor of Medicine and Biological Chemistry
University of California Davis, School of Medicine, U.S.A.
Tel:
925\946-0180 FAX: 925\946-1987 email: geokas@msn.com
*******************************************************************
Professor Geokas is an American citizen of Greek
origin. He is married to Barbara Branson-Geokas,M.D. a graduate of Harvard College and Hahneman Medical College, a Board Certified Rheumatologist,
and Director of a Hospitalist Group at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek
CA. Dr. Geokas obtained his M.D. degree from the
National University in Athens in 1951 and was an Intern, Resident and Chief
Resident at Evangelismos Medical Center (1951-1957).
He received further Clinical training in Canada and United States (1958-1963) and attended Graduate School at McGill University in Canada, for his M.Sc.
and Ph.D. Degrees. Subsequently Professor Geokas, served as Assistant and Associate
Professor of Medicine, at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los
Angeles (1966-1970) and as Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chairman of the
Department of Medicine at U.C.L.A School of Medicine (1970-1974), and as
Professor of Medicine (1974-1990) and Biological Chemistry (1981-1990) at UC,
Davis School of Medicine, at Davis,California.
For
twenty years (1970-1990) he served concomitantly as Director of Medical
Services, as Program Director in Internal Medicine and Subspecialties and as
Director of an Enzymology Research Laboratory, at two
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, Affiliated with U.C.L.A. and
UC, Davis Schools of Medicine, respectively.
Dr. Geokas has published extensively in
Clinical and Basic Sciences Peer-Reviewed Journals (112 full papers and 50
abstracts) and has served as Reviewer for many American and British Scientific
Journals and has been a member of the Federation of American Societies for
Experimental Biology, of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA),
the Population Association of America and many other Scientific
Organizations.
His most
well known and famous Research contribution has been the development of Radioimmunoassays for the determination of Human Pancreatic
Enzymes in Blood, similar to the work for Hormones in blood, by one of his
Mentors, the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Rosalyn S. Yellow (nick-named “The Mme
Curie from the Bronx” NY). Dr. Geokas is also internationally known for
his pioneering work concerning the Biochemistry of the frequently lethal, Acute
Hemmorhagic Pancreatitis in
man.
Moreover
since 1993, he has embarked into comprehensive Research, regarding the
Demography of European Union, including Greece and that of the Islamic Nations,
especially those of the Middle East (including Turkey) and North Africa. Dr.Geokas has lectured extensively in the United States, and in Greece and has published several Essays on
the Demographic Problem, in the Press.
On April
2, 1997 was invited, to speak at the European Parliament in Brussels on the
International Migration Crisis[Journal of Political
and Military Sociology 1997, Vol 24(Winter):353-362],
and by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Republic of
Greece, twice, for a series of lectures on the Demographic Problem and on
Strategic Demography and National Defense.
He is
known in the United States as a successful Medical Executive, Educator and
Researcher, and has submitted a bold Proposal to the Greek Government
concerning a Pronatalist Program for boosting
Population Growth in Greece due to its very low Fertility Rate (TFR 1.2, with
2.1 the replacement level).
He is a
strong believer in the "Can Do" American approach and in the significance
of financial support, in combination with "Brain Power", for solving
contemporary problems of
concern. He also considers compromise and consensus building to
be essential in this respect.
Dr. Geokas is the Founder and President of
DEMOKRITOS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (DSA), a THINK-TANK, of University Professors and
Students, Professionals, Executives and Researchers, in the United States, who
are united by their strong support of the following:
a) “The
Constitution and the Laws of the United States, the Democratic imperative
around the World, International Peace, the Rule of Law, Human Rights, and the
respect for International Treaties; and,
b) By
their strong Opposition to any kind of Prejudice, Discrimination, xenophobia
and racism, and,
c) By
the promotion of Philhellenism in America, coupled with support for the
rightful causes of Hellenism in Eastern Mediterranean, so as to promote the
interests of the United States of America and its allies, in that part of the
world”.
Dr. Geokas has published about 72 Essays on
Issues of contemporary interest and some of them can be found in the WEB:
WWW.DEMOKRITOS.ORG. He is the only American Professor with Research work on the
Demographic Problems of Greece, including the Low Fertility issue and the aging
of European societies, as well the legal and illegal immigrants and asylum
seekers.
Furthermore,
during the last five years, he has embarked in significant research on the
relevant issue of Traffic Safety, due to its impact of death and disability on
the world’s population.
He is
President of a permanent Task-Force on Traffic Safety, which includes experts
from UC, Berkeley, the California Highway Patrol and the Texas Transportation
Institute (and A an M University). A group of experts
from the Task Force visited Greece to the invitation of the Government
in June 2001 for a one-day Conference and a ten-day study of Traffic Safety
within and outside Athens, the capital.
As an
aside, the issue of Traffic Management and Safety during the Olympic Games of 2004, was studied in detail with a published comprehensive
Essay on the issue, based on the American experience from the Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles (1984) and in Atlanta (1996). This essay was made
available early on to the Athens 2004 Olympics Committee and to the Ministries
of Public Order and Transport of Greece and can be found in our WEB site.
On December 14, 2000, Dr. Geokas was appointed Science Advisor to
the CHP-Commissioner State of California. Following a Catastrophic Accident
at Tempi in Greece (near Mountain Olympus), involving a School Bus and a
Commercial Vehicle, pulling two flatbed trailers, with an inadequately secured
Cargo, a comprehensive study of the problem was undertaken and the results
provided to the Highway Patrol of the Republic of Greece.
These
study results were published in the Press, in US and in Greece, under the title: “The Need For Strict Control of Commercial Vehicles in Greece” and can be found in our WEB Site.
A proposal has been submitted to the Government of Greece concerning advanced training of
Highway Patrol Officers at the CHP Academy in Sacramento, for the next four years.
Additionally,
work is in progress with the Ministry of Greek Merchant Marine to the effect
that Greek Coast Guard Officers will receive training at Coast Guard facilities
in the US, to include advanced interdiction techniques and in other areas, of
expertise to be applied across the Aegean and Ionian Seas (forCombating-illegal
Immigration, Drug Smuggling, and Terrorist infiltration).
Finally,
Dr. Geokas has now identified two new areas of need and opportunity
and is working on the following projects: in cooperation with the California
Governor’s Office for the development of direct Commercial activity between the
State of California and the Republic of Greece, and with the Ministry of
Tourism of Greece related to the development of a Strategic Plan aimed at
boosting the number of American Tourists to Greece, for the purpose of
increasing that country’s earnings, by $5 billion per year.