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Dr Sofia Llahana

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School of Health & Medical Sciences Department of Nursing and Midwifery

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About

Overview

As an NIHR Post-doctoral Clinical Academic, Consultant Nurse, and Tech Innovation Fellow, my expertise spans nursing, behavioural science, and user experience (UX) research, enriched by a broad experience across clinical, academic, and commercial fields. I pioneered the UK's first Consultant Nurse role in Endocrinology, blending clinical expertise, innovation, leadership, and a substantial record of impactful research and grants aimed at enhancing patient-centred care.

Internationally acclaimed, I founded and chaired the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) Nurse Committee, and was awarded the 2021 ESE Special Recognition Award for my significant contribution to endocrinology nursing in Europe, making me the first endocrine nurse worldwide to have receive this prestigious award. In 2019, I was also named by the ESE one of the five most influential women in Endocrinology in Europe, further distinguished by the 2022 Nikki Kieffer Endocrine Nurse Medal from the Society for Endocrinology, an accolade featured in their bicentennial Milestones in Endocrinology. My editorial leadership of “Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing”, a textbook adopted by global training curriculums for endocrine nurses with almost 200K downloads, underscores my impact in the field. I maintain active affiliations with numerous professional and patient advocacy organisations worldwide.

Areas of expertise and research interests include:

• Pituitary conditions, hypopituitarism and adrenal conditions

• Male health, male fertility and reproductive endocrinology

• Behaviour science with focus on improving self-management and adherence to treatment

• Development of e-health interventions utilising human-computer interaction design

• Advanced clinical practice

Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Leadership, Open University, United Kingdom, April 2017
  • Non-Medical Independent Prescribing (V300), London South Bank University, United Kingdom, September 2006 - March 2007
  • Post-graduate Award (MSc level) “Diabetes in the Elderly”, University of Warwick, United Kingdom, April 2003
  • Doctor of Nursing Science, University of Ulster, United Kingdom, October 1998 - May 2002
  • • Post-graduate Course (PGDip level) “Multi-professional Management of Diabetes", University of Ulster, United Kingdom, May 2001
  • MSc (with distinction) in Advanced Nursing, University of Ulster, United Kingdom, October 1998 - September 1999
  • BSc (Hons) in Nursing, National Technical University of Athens, Greece, October 1993 - September 1997
  • Registered Nurse, Nursing and Midwifery Council, United Kingdom
  • Non-Medical Independent Prescriber, Nursing and Midwifery Council

Postgraduate training

  • Clinical Academic Research Fellow, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, January - July 2018
  • NIHR Research Fellow, University College London, London, United Kingdom, May 2015 - April 2016

Employment

  • Zinc/NIHR Tech Innovation Fellow, ZincVC Zinc Venture Capital Company, United Kingdom, October 2023 - November 2024
  • NIHR ICA Post-doctoral Fellow, City, University of London, United Kingdom, January 2022 - present
  • Programme Director, MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice, City, University of London, United Kingdom, January 2019 - December 2021
  • Hon Consultant Nurse in Endocrinology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom, November 2018 - present
  • Senior Lecturer, Education and Research, City, University London, United Kingdom, October 2018 - present

Memberships of professional organisations

  • Chair of ESE Nurses Committee and member of ESE Executive Committee, European Society for Endocrinology (ESE)
  • Board member, Federation of International Nurses in Endocrinology (FINE)
  • Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Congress in Men’s Health, Postgraduate International School of Men’s Health (PRISM)
  • Member, Society of Endocrinology
  • Member of the Clinical Advisory Board, AdrenalNet
  • Member of the Clinical Advisory Board, World Association of Pituitary Organasations (WAPO)

Languages

Greek, Modern (1453-) (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review) and Italian (can understand spoken)

Research students

2ndsupervisor

Publications

Featured publications

  1. Llahana, S., Follin, C., Yedinak, C. and Grossman, A. (Eds.), (2019). Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing. Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.

Publications by category

Books (6)

  • Llahana, S. (2019). Part XIII: Advanced Practice Nursing in Endocrinology.
  • Llahana, S. (2019). Part V: The Adrenal Gland.
  • Llahana, S. and Conway, G.S. (2019). Part VI: Female Endocrinology and Reproduction.
  • Dwyer, A.A. and Llahana, S. (2019). Part VII: Male Endocrinology and Reproduction.
  • Llahana, S., Follin, C., Yedinak, C. and Grossman, A. (2019). Preface.
  • Llahana, S. (2005). A Theoretical Framework for Clinical Specialist Nursing An Example from Diabetes. Wiltshire, UK: Sofia Llahana. ISBN 1903877369.

Chapters (9)

  • Llahana, S. (2021). Sofia Llahana, The role of nurses in supporting self-management for patients with hypopituitarism . In Jürgen Honegger, Martin Reincke and Stephan Petersenn editors: Pituitary Tumors, UK: Academic Press, 2021, pp. 157-171. Jürgen Honegger, Martin Reincke and Stephan Petersenn editors: Pituitary Tumors, UK: Academic Press, 2021 Elsevier. ISBN 9780128199497.
  • Llahana, S. (2021). The role of nurses in supporting self-management for patients with hypopituitarism. Pituitary Tumors (pp. 157-171). Elsevier. ISBN 9780128199497.
  • Llahana, S., Zopf, K., Mitchelhill, I. and Grossman, A. (2019). Prevention and Management of Adrenal Crisis in Children and Adults. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 1183-1205). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Llahana, S. (2019). Role Development and Performance Facilitators in Advanced Practice Nursing. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 1303-1319). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Llahana, S., Dwyer, A.A. and Yedinak, C. (2019). Conceptualization, Definition, and Competencies of Advanced Practice Nursing with a Focus on Endocrinology. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 1281-1302). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Llahana, S. (2019). Testosterone Therapy in Adult Men with Hypogonadism. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 885-902). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Holden, F., Akers, C. and Llahana, S. (2019). Diagnosis and Management of Erectile Dysfunction in Men. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 925-941). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Llahana, S., Marland, A., Pantovic, M. and Popovic, V. (2019). Hypopituitarism and Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 469-494). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.
  • Llahana, S., Mitchelhill, I., Yeoh, P. and Quinkler, M. (2019). Diagnosis and Management of Adrenal Insufficiency in Children and Adults. Advanced Practice in Endocrinology Nursing (pp. 705-736). Springer International Publishing. ISBN 9783319998152.

Conference papers and proceedings (13)

  • Doyle, L.M., Ahmed, S.F., Elford, S., Elhassan, Y., James, L., Lawrence, N.... Krone, N. Service evaluation suggests variation in clinical care provision in adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia in the UK and Ireland. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2018). The role of endocrine nurse in running a nurse-led service in men’s health: a model of Advanced Practice. International Congress in Men’s Health, October 6 – 7, Vienna, Austria. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2017) Paediatric to adult transition for patients with Klinefelter syndrome. Invited Speaker, PRISM-ICMH Global Symposium on Men's Health, October 6 – 7, Warsaw, Poland. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2017) Developing a European Position Statement for the role of the Endocrine Nurse in Adrenal Insufficiency. Invited Speaker, European Congress of Endocrinology, May 19 – 22, Lisbon, Portugal. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2016) Patient education, treatment concerns and non-adherence: the need for change in Adrenal Insufficiency. Invited Speaker, British Society for Endocrinology Annual meeting, November 7 – 9, Brighton, UK. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S., Philips D., Webber J., Chapman S., Carroll P., McBride P., Horne R. (2016) Development and evaluation of the acceptability of new materials to address individualized needs to support self-management for patients with adrenal insufficiency. Poster presentation, British Society for Endocrinology Annual meeting, November 7 – 9, Brighton, UK. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2016) Personalised Medicine and Adherence to Treatment in Men. Invited Speaker, PRISM International Congress on Men's Health, November 4 – 5, Berlin, Germany. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2016) Support needs for patients with adrenal insufficiency. Invited Speaker, New Insight in Adrenal Insufficiency, 1st Expert European Summit by Shire International, January 22 – 23, Berlin, Germany. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2015) Bringing Endocrine Nurses together: the development and role of the European Society for Endocrinology (ESE) Nurses Network. Invited speaker, European Specialist Nurses Organizations (ESNO) Summit 2015, November 5 – 6, Brussels, Belgium. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S., Mumuni, A., Osz, M., Baber, M., Baldeweg, S., Gannon, G. & Conway, G. (2015) A care service model for cost effective and structured individualised treatment choice for GH replacement therapy. Poster presentation, British Society for Endocrinology Annual meeting, November 2 - 4, Edinburgh, UK. .
  • Hood, G.A. and Llahana, S.V. A meeting report from the Federation of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND). .doi:10.1002/edn.123
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S., Conway, G., Mumuni, A., Baldeweg, S., Osz, M., and Horne, R. (2018). Patients’ beliefs and concerns about growth hormone replacement therapy are associated with their satisfaction with treatment, medication side effects and quality of life. Accepted for Poster Presentation, abstract ID: 911. 18th International Congress of Endocrinology, December 1 – 4, Cape Town, South Africa. .
  • Llahana, S. Llahana, S. (2018) Transition of patients with hypogonadism from paediatric to adult care service. Invited Speaker, European Congress of Endocrinology, May 20-22, Barcelona, Spain. .

Journal articles (40)