Ask me anything: Giannis Zacharakis – ‘The ability to pursue questions that genuinely interest you is a privilege’

Giannis Zacharakis, a renowned biophotonics and biomedical imaging researcher, recently shared insights into his professional life in an interview titled "Ask me anything: Giannis Zacharakis – ‘The ability to pursue questions that genuinely interest you is a privilege’." Zacharakis, who serves as the CEO of the precision photonics spin-off Kymatonics, is also a research director at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (FORTH) in Greece. At FORTH, he leads the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging, where his primary focus is on developing enabling technologies for imaging biological processes in living systems.

Zacharakis has made significant contributions to the field of molecular imaging, having served as president and vice-president of the European Society for Molecular Imaging. His work has been recognized with a €2.1 million European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition Open grant, which will be used to advance the development and commercialization of Kymatonics' innovative wavefront-shaping objective lens. This grant highlights the company's potential to revolutionize the field of biomedical imaging.

When asked about the skills he uses every day in his job, Zacharakis emphasized the importance of both hard and soft skills. At the core of his work is the ability to ask questions and define the path to discovery through scientific knowledge and rigor. This involves breaking down complex physical and biological problems into manageable and measurable components under certain hypotheses. As a result, much of his day is spent engaged in analytical thinking and judgement, evaluating whether an observed effect is physically meaningful or an artifact of instrumentation or data processing.

Problem-solving is another critical aspect of Zacharakis's daily work, requiring creativity and the ability to think outside the box. Experiments rarely behave exactly as planned, so patience, persistence, and the ability to stay calm when instruments misbehave or data contradict expectations are essential.

Communication is also a central skill for Zacharakis. He frequently explains technical concepts to students, collaborators from other disciplines, and biologists or clinicians who may not share the same vocabulary. Translating physics into accessible language without oversimplifying the science is something he consciously practices, recognizing that it takes time and effort to achieve.

Interestingly, project management plays a surprisingly large role in Zacharakis's work. Coordinating research projects, managing resources, and ensuring the smooth progress of experiments are all crucial aspects of his responsibilities. This involves not only technical expertise but also the ability to lead teams and navigate complex organizational structures.

Zacharakis's career exemplifies the importance of curiosity, perseverance, and a willingness to tackle challenging problems in the field of biophotonics and biomedical imaging. His dedication to advancing these technologies has not only contributed to scientific discoveries but also opened new avenues for commercialization through Kymatonics. As he notes, the ability to pursue questions that genuinely interest you is a privilege, and his work serves as an inspiration to others in the scientific community.