Prof. Dr Lina (Stavroula) Pallada – Associate Professor in Applied Nuclear Physics, Medical Physicist & Radiation Protection Expert – University of Applied Sciences and Arts-Geneva
Originally from Thessaloniki, Lina Pallada embodies the power of interdisciplinarity.
“My dream was always to work at CERN. Until then, I didn’t know there were opportunities connecting particle physics with medicine. By chance, I came across a PhD call for a new, groundbreaking research program at CERN with applications in biology, chemistry, and medicine,” she recalls.
Starting from Physics and Medical Physics in Greece and passing through CERN, she built an international academic career linking particle physics with medical diagnostics and radiation protection.
“Visualize the destination — the path will reveal itself”
Today, as a professor in Geneva, she trains the next generation of scientists in radiation protection, nuclear medicine, and nuclear energy — fields critical to the future. Her research on combining nuclear medicine with MRI technology aims to enable faster, more accurate diagnostics with maximum safety. In the coming years, this work will result in a portable diagnostic system suitable for hospitals, clinics, and even ambulances.
Her journey was not without obstacles. She faced gender stereotypes, internalized misogyny — even among female colleagues — and the loneliness of migration. Instead of becoming discouraged, she chose collaboration, mutual support, mentoring, and the power of questioning as tools for growth.
Her message to young women is deeply human: envision yourselves without limitations and do not listen to voices telling you what does not “suit” a woman. Science, she emphasizes, needs more empathy — and that comes when more women stand at its center.
“When someone knows where they want to go, believes in it, and envisions it with passion, their efforts — and even life itself — eventually guide them to the right place. The most important thing is to know the destination. The path always reveals itself along the way.”
