Dr Katsardis was born in Patras, Greece in 1950. He received his medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece (scholarship) in 1974. He specialised in Pediatrics at the NIMITS Hospital of Athens and at the Karamandaneio Children's Hospital of Patras. He also completed his PhD at the University of Patras. Dr Katsardis was a Research Fellow in Meakins Christie Labaratories, in the McGill University, Montreal, Canada (Heads of the Unit: Prof. J. Milic-Emili and Prof. Ch. Roussos) and Clinical /Research Fellow in the Respiratory Function Service, Research Institute, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Canada (Head of the Department: Prof. M. Bureau and Prof. A. L. Coates). Returning to Greece, he was a Consultant in the Pediatric Department at the University of Patras and later he was an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Pulmonology at University of Crete, Greece for three years. For more than 25 years, he has been the Head of the Pediatric Respiratory Function Service at the ELPIS General Hospital of Athens. Also, for more than 5 years, he served as a Director of Pediatric Respiratory Function Service, Allergy and Asthma Center, at the University of Athens' EYGENIDIO Hospital (Head of the Center: Prof. Ch. Roussos). He has extensive clinical and research experience in respiratory diseases, respiratory physiology and pulmonary function testing in children and he has published numerous papers and chapters related to the above issues.