Life after GIGA #21 Georgios Antonopoulos

Georgios Antonopoulos come from Greece. After a workshop of the Coma Science Group during his master in electronics and information processing in Patras (Greece), he decided to change his career path and move towards the study of human brain. He joined Liège and the Coma Science Group to apply image processing techniques and machine learning in medical images of brain lesioned patients to diagnose their level of consciousness. He is currently doing a postdoc in Germany at Juelich Research Center.

Life after GIGA", a series that you find every other Friday on our facebook page or our instagram account. The purpose of these portraits is to hear from the "old timers" but also to show the diversity of careers after a time at GIGA You will be able to read the interview of people now working abroad (temporarily or permanently), people working in other universities or in the private sector. To start this academic year again, it's Georgios (pronounced Yorgos) Antonopoulos who shares his testimony on the GIGA. Thank you Georgios for starting this new "season"!

Georgios, can you introduce yourself and explain your current function? 

Hello! My name is Georgios (Yorgos) Antonopoulos, I hold a PhD in Neuroscience and with focus in Machine Learning for Medical imaging. At the moment, I am post-doctoral researcher in University and University Clinic of Dusseldorf and the Juelich Research center in Germany. In my current position I mainly focus in brain aging of healthy subjects and on how to use this knowledge for further understanding neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. For that we apply statistical analysis methods as well as machine learning in large datasets of medical image. 

What has been your background so far ?

I started with a bachelors in Electronics and Computers in Greece, were I specialized in robotics. After a big break, I started a master’s program in Electronics and Information Processing in the University of Patras. That was my first contact with medical images, image processing and data analysis. My master’s thesis was designing and implementing hardware for image processing and machine learning. During the last semester of my masters I attended a mini workshop/demonstration on Brain Computer organized by the Coma Science Group. It is since then that I decided to change my career path and move towards the study of human brain and luckily we agreed with the director of the Coma Science Group to have my PhD under his supervision. Few months later I completed my masters program and immediately moved to Liege. During my PhD I applied image processing techniques and machine learning in medical images of brain lesioned patients to diagnose their level of consciousness. Next, I went as a post-doctoral researcher in Germany where I am still working.

Is your current job a continuation of what you did at GIGA?

Yes and no. Conceptually I am doing different things. The “questions” in my current research are not related to those of my PhD, however the means to answer those questions are overlapping a lot. Tools and techniques I learned during my PhD, remain fundamental part of my current work. Additionally, there are still connections with my previous colleagues and other people I was working during my PhD, with whom we are collaborating in new projects. My current position provides more space for creating and leading my own projects

How is your experience at GIGA useful to you today?

During my PhD in GIGA I developed many skills. Those are technical skills such as techniques and tools, general skills like being independent and flexible, but also social skills like intercultural communication. Additionally to that, I got an insight view of how some processes in research work, from funding applications to office organization.

What do you keep as a souvenir/positive points of GIGA?

For me GIGA is associated with very positive feeling. Having an everyday life there was not a burden and the general ambient was very pleasant. Could be that the Wallonian mentality is very sound around GIGA. Open, friendly people help you escape from work problems mostly during a coffee break or often be a beer break. Additionally, the view from the lounge and the balcony of the 5^th floor is amazing and provides a very nice chill area.

You have worked in several countries. In what Germany is different from Belgium?

Belgium and especially Liege has a very open and social people. From the other hand in Germany people are more introverted. Additionally, in Germany there is more hierarchical structure compared to what I experienced in Belgium. In Germany from the other hand, things are much more organized. However, good organization is something far away from what I experienced in my origin country so all was good for me in Liege.

How do you see yourself evolving in the coming years?

There are not concrete plans. Certainly, I would happily move back to Liege where the mentality matches better to mine. Unfortunately, being a researcher means that your life depends a lot on factors that you cannot decide. So, regarding my future “the only I know is that I don t know anything”.

Did you like this interview? Find a new portrait every second Friday! , I'll meet you on september 23rd for portrait #22!
You have also been through GIGA and would like to testify? Contact me !