Paola Scaruffi, PhD

Senior embryologist, San Martino Hospital Genoa, Italy

“I worked as a molecular biologist for 17 years, studying neuroblastomas, and even spent a year in the US to get training in microarray technology. However, during this entire time, I never had a permanent position, and always had to go from one short-term contract to the next. In 2010, I won a permanent position as an embryologist in a public hospital. Initially, I was worried I was throwing away all of my experience in molecular oncology, but I accepted the job offer to have some more stability. Fortunately, I have been able to combine clinical work with research: I perform all the steps in the embryology lab, but I also get to lead several different projects all about reproductive medicine. At the end of the day, I am very happy that I found this perfect match of job security while still being involved in research as an embryologist.”