Dr. Zoe Garoufalia is currently a Clinical Fellow in Minimally Invasive Colorectal Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida, under the guidance of Director Steven D. Wexner (August 2023 to August 2025).
Prior to that, Dr. Garoufalia worked as a Colorectal Research Fellow at Cleveland Clinic, delving deep into the intricacies of colorectal surgery from July 2021 to July 2023, while completing her PhD in Medicine (2023) from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, focusing on the wound healing effects of IGF-1. Her journey began to take shape earlier at Laiko Hospital in Athens, Greece, where she served as a General Surgeon from December 2020 to July 2021. She previously completed her general surgery residency in the same Department (Second Department of Propaedeutic Surgery) and also spent time in the Colorectal Surgery Department of Addenbrooke’s Hospital as an Honorary Clinical Fellow.
Beyond her clinical pursuits, Dr. Garoufalia is deeply involved in shaping the future of surgical practice. As the Chair of the Y-ESCP (Young European Society of Coloproctology) since September 2023, she leads strategic initiatives aimed at nurturing the next generation of surgical talent within the European Society of Coloproctology. She is heavily involved in various committees and societies, including the European Society of Coloproctology and The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Dr. Garoufalia holds editorial and reviewer roles in leading journals such as Colorectal Disease Journal, International Journal of Colorectal Surgery, and Frontiers in Surgery. Currently, she has co-authored over 120 international publications and presented over 100 posters and podium presentations in national and international meetings.
