During the Young Stroke Physicians and Researchers (YSPR) session at ESOC 2023 in Munich, four early career stroke physicians and researchers will present their planned or ongoing projects and receive feedback from two renowned stroke experts, Prof Charlotte Cordonnier and Dr Bob Siegerink.
The session is open to all and will take place on Wednesday, 24 May at 8:30 in Room 13 a.
In this series of interviews, we are going to introduce the early career physicians and researchers who have been selected to present their research.
Today we introduce Lina Palaiodimou.
She completed her Neurology Residency Program at the Second Department of Neurology at the National and Kapodistrian University (Athens, Greece) in 2019. She currently works as a member of the stroke team and research assistant at the Attikon University Hospital (Athens, Greece) directed by Prof Georgios Tsivgoulis. During the last year, she has been attending a training program on Neurosonology offered by Prof Christos Krogias (Department of Neurology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Herne, Germany).
How did you get involved in stroke research?
The most important role in my involvement in stroke research was played by Dr Georgios Tsivgoulis, Professor and Chairman of Neurology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece, who showed me the way to evidence-based stroke science. In addition, he inspired me with his perseverance, organizational skills and teamwork. Hopefully, I will also be able to integrate these qualities into my professional life.
What have been the most difficult challenges regarding your research career so far?
The most difficult challenge for me so far has been maintaining a balance between my professional and personal life, which I think we all struggle with from time to time. For me, being with my loved ones, trying out new hobbies and gaining new experiences have given me the strength to come back to work focused and with new ideas. That is why I believe that personal and professional life are complementary and should not compete with each other.
Why did you choose this topic and how do you think this may have an impact on future stroke care?
The topic of my presentation is the investigation of potential predictors for clinical outcomes after symptomatic intravenous thrombolysis (sICH) for acute ischemic stroke. Several risk factors have been detected and incorporated into risk scores for predicting sICH post intravenous thrombolysis. However, when a sICH does occur, risk factors associated with adverse functional outcomes are less studied. During my current research project, we aim to investigate these factors with a specific interest on hematoma location. Does an extra-ischemic sICH vs. an intra-ischemic sICH have similar prognosis? And if not, should I also focus on risk factors predisposing on extra-ischemic sICH specifically?
What inspires you?
Stroke patients and their families, and the fight they face post-stroke, give me strength and inspiration to continue my own “fight” in stroke care and research.
What helps you clear your head after a hard day’s work?
When I need to reset, jogging will do the work! If I feel stressed or just want to clear my head after work (making room for new ideas), then I’ll just go for a quick run in the neighborhood.
