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Meet Ioannis Sechopoulos, Professor at Medical Imaging and working at the Radboud University Medical Center since 2015. He is involved in the research programs Breast Cancer and Advanced Imaging.
If you weren't a scientist, what do you think you would be doing today?
I don’t know what I would be doing, but I know one thing: I would be terrible at it. I can’t really imagine doing something else than science.
What's the most unusual or surprising hobby or interest you have that most people here might not know about?
I have the usual hobby: sports; I regularly run, bike, and play water polo. But the one that people are surprised about and many people have never even heard about is plastic modeling. Since the corona lock-down I started building plastic models again; I used to do that when I was a kid, and I loved it. So, when corona kept us at home, I started again. Cars, spaceships, things like that. Having to cut, paint, and glue all those little pieces together, it’s a really great way to stop thinking about work for a few hours.
What is something you've always wanted to learn or try, but haven't had the chance to yet?
I think I want to go on a hot-air ballon ride. I think I would really enjoy it, and I can’t really imagine the feeling. But I’m not 100% sure I wouldn’t be really scared, and if it turns out I am? I’ll be stuck up there! So, I’m still debating with myself if I should try it or not.
If you had a time machine and could travel to any period in history, where would you go and what would you do?
Of course I’m biased, but I’d go to ancient Athens. What did it really feel to live there and then? What did all those monuments and amazing buildings really look like in their full glory? How did they make one feel when you walked by and in them? That would be amazing to see and feel.
What unique tradition or ritual in your lab do you think contributes to its success and camaraderie?
Maybe it’s not a tradition or ritual per se, but if I had to pick one thing that I think contributes to our success and camaraderie it is sharing. We share ideas, code, data, results, lekkers during lab meetings, feedback, knowledge, experiences. I expect everyone to be open to the others and to all help each other in our common goal; doing good, relevant, new science. There should be no competition within a lab, no need for duplicated effort because one person doesn’t want to share their code with another, or stuff like that. I think that allows us to not only advance quicker and better, but also brings people together and makes the lab feel like a safe place, which is very important for camaraderie.
Can you describe a research project you are particularly proud of, and what impact you hope it will have?
I am trying to take some of the knowledge I have gained over the years back to Uruguay, where I grew up and where half of my family is from. I am working with the government there to help improve their breast cancer screening, with some hospital radiology departments to determine what impact AI can have in the reading of mammograms in their clinical reality, and in helping introduce the need for medical physics in their radiologic environments. I want to give back to the country that gave me a safe and happy childhood by helping improve their healthcare system. I can’t think of a better way to have an impact.
