Minos Palace Resort in Crete, Greece, has revealed the scientific board members behind the development of its Nao Longevity Hub.

The 1,100sq m Nao longevity spa opened earlier this year after a €5 million (US$5.2 million, £4.2 million) overhaul of the 150-key resort.

The concept is built on four core pillars: nutrition, sleep, self-mastery and movement. The evidence-based approach targets hallmarks of ageing, such as cellular senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Every guest's journey begins with detailed biometric and genetic diagnostics to inform the rest of their treatment. These protocols have been designed by the scientific board, whose collective knowledge spans public health, endocrinology, precision medicine and advanced nutrition.

Dr Evi Hatziandreou, director of Nao and its scientific board, said, “Our aim wasn’t to follow the wellness trend but to set a new benchmark for it. We have created a space where evidence-based science serves something deeply personal that extends long after guests' experience at Nao."

Members of the scientific board

Dr Evi Hatziandreou – public health and longevity policy

Dr Hatziandreou is a Harvard-trained health policy expert with experience at the US Department of Health and Human Services. She brings a systems-level perspective to longevity – shaping Nao’s foundations in prevention, resilience and innovation.

Elena Panzeri – omics-based nutrition and clinical practiceElena is transforming the guest dining experience into a nutritional strategy for longevity, using her 25 years of experience in nutrigenetics and microbiome therapy.

Dr George P Chrousos – endocrinology and stress biology

Dr Chrousos is a clinical scientist at the forefront of research on the key elements involved in healthspan and wellbeing – biology of stress, metabolism and immune dysfunction.

Dr Constantine Stratakis – genomics and precision medicineDr Stratakis is a medical geneticist and endocrinologist who specialises in personalised medicine and molecular diagnostics.

Minos Palace Resort will be hosting a series of on-site events and talks focused on different scientific wellness specialisms throughout the year. These will cover topics ranging from genetics and stress to longevity. All scientific board members will be participating as lead speakers in these events.

The scientific board supports the spa remotely but on a daily basis the hub has an in-house doctor, a nutritionist, a life coach and a personal trainer, in addition to spa therapists.

Read more about the resort and its Nao longevity spa, designed in collaboration with spa consultant Nigel Franklyn of Moss Wellness Consultancy and Stones and Walls architects here.