Could you introduce yourself?
I studied at uu77 (BSc in Molecular Life Sciences and Chemistry, MSc in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease). Although trained in life sciences, I've worked in the Data Science department since 2021. I believe we need a better understanding of data to separate signal from noise in biological data. My research uses simulation models and AI to better understand biological processes, particularly cell movement. Because my field is interdisciplinary, I teach across various programmes. I give lectures on basic mathematical models in a Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences minor, and Master's students in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence know me from the Natural Computing course. There, we examine how simulating biological processes helps us better understand biology - and how this leads to algorithms applicable to broader problems, like evolutionary algorithms and swarm intelligence.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes it so interesting?
I've always found life sciences fascinating. During my studies, I observed that while technological developments provide increasingly complex data, extracting meaningful insights can be challenging. Contrary to the saying "measuring is knowing", data collection is just the first step towards new knowledge. Anyone researching human biology encounters this: crucial processes like cancer growth and immunity are incredibly complex. While technological advances allow us to measure more, this doesn't automatically translate to understanding how these processes work. That's why I work with simulation models: they help us systematically test our knowledge, better understand what data to expect, and make our research more robust.
What is your current research focus?
I'm currently focused on cell movement. Special microscopes can capture moving cells, but analysing the resulting videos is often challenging. In my current research, I combine simulations with AI to assist with this. For example, I investigate how cell movement simulations can help develop better AI tools for video analysis, and how AI can improve cell movement simulations. Want to learn more about my research? See this page about the above project, our group website, this about an earlier project, and this page if you'd like to know more about .