Meet the only neuro/anestesiolog in Sweden

Laleh Zarrinkoob, is one of the researchers who has just been awarded ALF project funding and Region Västerbotten's research funding for postdoctoral merit 2022. Tell us, what is your research about?

- The research is about vascular neurology, where we look at how our common drugs against blood pressure affect blood flow in the brain. We want to see if there is a connection between blood pressure and blood flow, says Laleh Zarrinkoob.

The research is carried out with a magnetic camera where in January they test 20 healthy people and how medicine can affect the flow. The idea is that they soon will have a preliminary analysis.

- This is exactly what the money is for, says Laleh.

Laleh attended medical school in Budapest at Semmelweis University. It was also where she met her husband Andreas. That it was precisely the doctor that Laleh would become was a matter of course.

We've always talked medicine at home

- I come from a doctor's family. We've always talked medicine at home. Everything else would have been weird, says Laleh.

Laleh came to Sweden from Iran in the 80's with her family. In Iran, the war raged and Laleh's relatives with a political background were forced to flee. Laleh spent her first years in Skellefteå before ending up in Umeå. Her father was a pharmacist, something she thought about for a while but it did not feel quite right. Instead, she became a neurologist, but eventually became addicted to anesthesia. Now she combines these two specializations, something that may not be part of the norm.

- I am probably Sweden's only neuro / anesthesiologist, says Laleh.

In 10 years, Laleh hopes that she is still working on IVA and surgery and is a good clinician. The goal is also to have achieved an associate professorship and run its own research group that continues to investigate the brain and anesthesia.

- The driving force, where do you get it from?

- It is to be able to work with what is fun and with people who are fun in an environment that you enjoy, says Laleh.

Have a plan as you approach your dissertation.

A tip for other young researchers is to have a clear plan immediately because it will be more difficult if a couple of years have passed. Decide if you want to do research or not.

- Have a plan when you approach dissertation, how should I take it further. And then work on that planning, says Laleh.