Dr. George Bakhturidze earned his Master's degree in Health Promotion in 2010 and completed his PhD in the same field in 2017, both from the University of Bergen in Norway. In addition to his international education, he also holds Master's degrees in Biomedicine and Law from Kutaisi State University in the Republic of Georgia.

Dr. Bakhturidze boasts an impressive career spanning approximately 25 years, primarily focusing on health promotion policy advocacy and health education. His expertise encompasses various domains, including tobacco control, health law formulation, and the prevention of NCDs. Dr. Bakhturidze has been actively engaged in negotiations related to WHO FCTC since 2000. He has represented both the government and local non-governmental organizations during these negotiations.

Dr. Bakhturidze played a pivotal role in the development of Georgia's initial National Tobacco Control Law, which was adopted in 2003. Subsequently, he crafted amendments to align the law with the WHO FCTC, which were adopted in 2008. In 2017, he contributed significantly to the creation of comprehensive amendments to tobacco control legislation, which were successfully adopted by the Georgian Parliament on May 17th. His and his colleagues outstanding contributions in the field led to the creation of a special documentary by the WHO's Office for Europe, titled “Uphill Battle,”

Dr. Bakhturidze also proposed the establishment of a specialized scientific-consultative body under the healthcare committee of the Georgian Parliament. This proposal was accepted, and he actively participates as a member of the council, periodically delivering presentations on topics related to tobacco control and other public health challenges.

Furthermore, Dr. Bakhturidze has forged collaborations with decision-makers, professional associations, and international and donor organizations, both in Georgia and globally. His work has involved partnerships with organizations such as the WHO, WB, Bloomberg Initiative, USAID, The TFK, UNION, IUHPE, ENSP, STOP, GATC, and others, on issues related to tobacco control and public health.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to public health in Georgia, Dr. Bakhturidze received the Golden Honorary Award from the Polish Health Promotion Foundation in 2008. He has also been honored with special awards from the Parliament of Georgia, the National Centre for Diseases Control of Public Health of Georgia, and the Georgian Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention Association in the years 2018 to 2021 for his significant contributions to the development of preventive medicine and tobacco control in Georgia.