Emeritus Professor Vassilis Papageorgiou has been the Head of Chemical Engineering Department and the Dean of School of Engineering of AUTh. He has also been member of the AUTh Governing Body for 15 years. In 2006, he was nominated as Honorary Doctor of the School of Medicine, AUTh.

He has gained further experiences by working in the College of Pharmacy of Kentucky (Lexington) University. He has published more than a hundred and thirty research papers, some of them after the Editor's invitation, while two of his papers were cover pages in well known international scientific journals. He is the co-author in seven academic books and some of his monographs have been incorporated in international scientific books. His research papers are the subject of many patents in USA, EU, Canada, and elsewhere. He has also cooperated with the well-known American Research Corporation for the development of anticancer medicines. His published work has been widely accepted by the international community, as it is apparent from the large number of citations. Since 1980 he has established the isohexenylnaphthazarins as a new class of drugs. He is member of many international organisations and companies, member of Editorial Boards and reviewer of international journals. He has also been a scientific advisor of many large chemical and pharmaceuticals companies.

In 1992 Professor Vassilis Papageorgiou, together with other researchers, was honoured by the Academy of Athens for his research in the chemotherapy of cancer. Also, in 2001, he received an award by General Secretariat for Research and Technology from the Ministry of Development, and the Industrial Property Organisation (OBI), for his outstanding innovation in discovering chemical compounds (alkannins and shikonins) which act as wound-healing and regenerating agents of human and animal tissues. These compounds constitue the active ingredients of approved medicines which he developed.