Michael McAlpine is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Minnesota . He also holds affiliations with the Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments. His research focuses on 3D printing functional materials & devices , Nanoscale inks , Biomedical devices , Bioelectronics , and Flexible Microsystems . Research Interests : 3D Printing, Biomedical Engineering, Nanotechnology, Flexible Electronics, Microfluidics Labs : ME 361/363 Contact : mcalpine@umn.edu , (612) 626-3303, ME 117 Recent Research Trends include 3D Printed Biomedical Devices , Flexible Electronics , and Bioprinting Applications . His work spans from Spinal Organoid Formation to Programmable Drug Release Capsules . Scientific Award : Circulation Research 2020 Best Manuscript Award
James Briscoe is a Senior Group Leader at The Francis Crick Institute in London, where he leads a research group focused on developmental biology and morphogen signaling. He previously held positions at the Medical Research Council's National Institute for Medical Research, which later became part of the Francis Crick Institute. Education: BSc in Microbiology and Virology from the University of Warwick, UK PhD from Imperial Cancer Research Fund/King's College London Postdoctoral training at Columbia University with Thomas Jessell Dr. Briscoe's research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of graded signaling by morphogens and the role of transcriptional networks in cell fate specification. His laboratory employs a range of experimental and computational techniques using model systems including mouse and chick embryos and embryonic stem cells. His work has significant implications for understanding developmental processes and their relationship to disease. His recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on morphogen gradients, neural tube development, and computational approaches to understanding cell fate decisions. His research increasingly integrates single-cell technologies and computational modeling to unravel the complexities of developmental patterning. Scientific Awards and Honors: EMBO Young Investigator (2001) EMBO Gold Medal (2008) Elected to EMBO (2009) Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2019) Fellow of the Royal Society (2019) As Editor-in-Chief of the journal Development since 2018, Dr. Briscoe plays a significant role in shaping the field of developmental biology. His leadership extends to mentoring researchers and contributing to scientific policy discussions, as evidenced by his recent publication 'Science under siege: protecting scientific progress in turbulent times.' Dr. Briscoe's laboratory at the Crick Institute is well-equipped with access to advanced facilities including light microscopy, flow cytometry, genomics, and computational resources, enabling a multidisciplinary approach to developmental biology questions.
Kristian Helin is Chief Executive and President of The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and a Professor with affiliations at the University of Copenhagen and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He founded/directed the Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), Centre for Epigenetics, and Danish Stem Cell Center. His research focuses on epigenetic regulation, cancer biology, and stem cell differentiation. Education: Ph.D. Molecular Biology, University of Copenhagen (1991) M.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (1988) Research Interests: Helin's work deciphers molecular mechanisms in cancer, emphasizing epigenetic drivers (e.g., H3K4/H3K36 methylation), transcriptional control, and therapeutic targeting. His lab identified E2F transcription factors, linked epigenetic dysregulation to leukemia/lymphoma, and develops drugs targeting kinases/epigenetic enzymes. Research spans acute myeloid leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, and solid tumors using CRISPR screens and preclinical models. Publication Trends: Recent articles (2023-2025) focus on epigenetic therapy, chromatin remodeling, and kinase signaling in cancer. Key themes include targeting NSD1/KDM5C/RIOK2 enzymes, combination therapies (EZH2/DOT1L inhibitors), and metabolic regulation in leukemia. Studies bridge basic mechanisms (enhancer regulation, insulator accessibility) with translational applications. Awards: Anders Jahre Prize (2014), ERC Advanced Grant (2011), Novo Nordisk Prize (2008) Memberships: Academia Europaea, Royal Danish Academy, EMBO Leadership: Helin co-founded EpiTherapeutics (acquired by Gilead) and leads the Epigenetics and Cancer lab at ICR. His team investigates AML pathogenesis and chromatin complexes like HUSH/NURF. Grants include ERC funding and innovation prizes.
Professor Scott Sisson is Director of the UNSW Data Science Hub (uDASH) and Professor of Statistics and Data Science at the University of New South Wales, School of Mathematics and Statistics. His research focuses on computational statistics, particularly solving 'intractable' statistical problems through Bayesian methods, big data techniques, simulation algorithms, and extreme value theory with environmental applications. Education includes a PhD in Statistics from Bristol University (2002), MSc in Environmental Statistics from Lancaster University (1997), and BSc in Mathematics and Statistics from Lancaster University (1996). Research interests span: Bayesian statistics and uncertainty quantification Big data analytics and scalable algorithms Machine learning integration with statistical methods Extreme value modeling for climate/environment Computational techniques for intractable problems Recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate strong emphasis on Bayesian computation, spatiotemporal modeling, and interdisciplinary applications in materials science, oncology, quantum computing, transportation policy, and ecology. Methodological innovations include likelihood-free inference, modular Bayesian analyses, and symbolic data modeling. Awards and honors: 2020 Service Award (Statistical Society of Australia) 2017 ARC Future Fellowship 2015 G. N. Alexander Medal (Engineers Australia) 2011 Moran Medal (Australian Academy of Science) 2010 J.G. Russell Award (Australian Academy of Science) 2010 Queen Elizabeth II Research Fellowship As Director of uDASH, he leads data science initiatives across UNSW. He maintains sustained ARC funding and supervises students in computational statistics, Bayesian methods, extreme value theory, and machine learning. Professional service includes editorial roles for Statistics and Computing and past presidency of Statistical Society of Australia.
Sharat Chandran is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), where he has been actively engaged in teaching and research for several decades. His office is located in Room KR102 (also known as A202) in the Rekhi Building on the IIT Campus in Mumbai, India. His primary research interests span two major areas in computing: Computer Graphics and Computer Vision . He has extensively worked in these fields with his students and research staff, producing various publications, talks, and research projects over the years. His current teaching focus includes Math for Visual Computing (CS 740), a course designed for postgraduate students new to the IIT system who may have some apprehension about mathematics. Professor Chandran has supervised numerous PhD students whose work covers diverse topics including 3D modeling, efficient computing with tomographic measurements, vision for drones, cancer prognosis, hierarchical visibility, projector-camera systems, arterial pulse analysis, and optimization algorithms for motion factorization. His teaching portfolio is extensive, having offered courses such as Basic Freshman Programming, Software Systems, Parallel Programming Paradigms, Graphics I & II, Multimedia Systems, Computer Vision, Digital Image Processing, Algorithms, and Spatial Data Structures. He has held multiple administrative and service roles at departmental, institutional, and external levels. Departmental roles include PhD Faculty Advisor, Awards Committee Chair, Faculty Search Chair, and Web Team Chair. At the institutional level, he served as Founding PMRF Coordinator, Head of the Application Software Centre, and IIT Research Fellowship Initiative Coordinator. Externally, he has coordinated the DST India Digital Heritage Project and served as Program Co-Chair for conferences like Mysore Park Vision Conference and ICVGIP. Professor Chandran is actively involved in campus community activities including Sanskriti @ IITB, Taekwando @ IITB, and serves as Secretary for Kendriya Vidyalaya PTA. His office hours are from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and he emphasizes using Piazza rather than email for student communications.
Dr. Vakil Takhaveev is a Lecturer at ETH Zurich's Department of Health Sciences and Technology, within the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health. His research focuses on DNA damage mechanisms, aging, cancer, and neurodegeneration, with particular emphasis on developing novel DNA-damage-sequencing methods like click-code-seq and TRABI-Seq . He investigates anticancer drug action (e.g., trabectedin), aging clocks using DNA oxidation profiling, and stress-induced carcinogenesis. His work integrates multi-omics approaches and advanced sequencing techniques. Research Directions: Novel DNA-Damage-Sequencing Methods: Developed click-code-seq and TRABI-Seq for genomic mapping of DNA lesions and repair dynamics. Anticancer Drug Action: Explored mechanisms of trabectedin and other chemotherapeutics, linking DNA repair vulnerabilities to therapy resistance. Aging Clocks: Created DNA oxidation-based biomarkers for biological aging using genome-wide profiling in human and mouse models. Stress-Induced Pathologies: Studies metabolic and DNA damage links to early tumorigenesis and neurodegeneration. Awards & Recognition: 2025 Public Award Winner in PIs of Tomorrow competition 2024 ETH Zurich Career Seed Award Best presentation awards (Swiss Chemical Society, American Chemical Society) Grants & Collaborations: Impetus grants for aging clock development Swiss Chemical Society and American Chemical Society fellowships Labs & Teams: Leads research on DNA damage and aging mechanisms at ETH Zurich, collaborating with international groups in oncology and toxicology.
Wengong Jin is an Assistant Professor at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, and a visiting research scientist at the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center at the Broad Institute. He holds a PhD from MIT CSAIL, advised by Prof. Regina Barzilay and Prof. Tommi Jaakkola. Research Interests: His work focuses on geometric and generative AI models for drug discovery, biology, and chemical engineering. Key areas include equivariant neural networks (e.g., FAFormer), diffusion models for binding energy prediction, antibody/enzyme design (RefineGNN, SurfPro), and molecular design through graph neural networks (Junction Tree VAE). He also explores domain generalization and systems for autonomous molecular discovery. Publications: His research has been published in top venues like NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, Nature, Science, and Cell. Recent breakthroughs include discovering novel antibiotics using explainable AI and designing synergistic drug combinations for cancer treatment. Awards: He has received the BroadIgnite Award, Dimitris N. Chorafas Prize, and MIT EECS Outstanding Thesis Award for his contributions to computational biology and AI-driven drug discovery. Teaching: Currently teaches a PhD seminar on AI for Science, focusing on integrating machine learning into scientific discovery processes.
Andrew Spakowitz is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and by courtesy, Applied Physics and Chemistry at Stanford University. He currently serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs and holds the Tang Family Foundation Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering. His academic career at Stanford spans from Assistant Professor (2006-2014) to Associate Professor (2014-2020) and now Professor since 2020. Dr. Spakowitz earned his PhD in 2004, MS in 2001 from the California Institute of Technology, and his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1999. He completed postdoctoral training in Molecular and Cell Biology and Biophysics at UC Berkeley from 2004-2006. His research focuses on theoretical and computational approaches to understanding biological processes and complex materials. The Spakowitz lab addresses fundamental chemical and physical phenomena through four main research themes: chromosomal organization and dynamics, protein self-assembly, polymer membranes, and charge transport in conducting polymers. His group employs diverse theoretical and computational methods including analytical theory of semiflexible polymers, polymer field theory, continuum elastic mechanics, Brownian dynamics simulation, equilibrium and dynamic Monte Carlo simulations, and reaction-diffusion modeling. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on epigenetics and chromatin dynamics, with significant work on DNA methylation patterns, nucleosome clustering, and chromosome organization. His research also extends to polymer physics applications in biological systems, particularly in respiratory diseases, water purification membranes, and bacterial phage interactions with human mucus. Tang Family Foundation Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering Professor Spakowitz mentors several graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in the Chemical Engineering and Materials Science departments. His lab members work on diverse projects spanning from chromatin dynamics to polymer membranes for water purification. He teaches multiple courses including CHEMENG 120B (Energy and Mass Transport), CHEMENG 340 (Molecular Thermodynamics), CHEMENG 466 (Polymer Physics), and CHEMENG 467 (Physics of Biomacromolecules). The Spakowitz lab operates from Clark S295 at Stanford University, conducting theoretical and computational research that bridges chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering disciplines to address complex problems across multiple length and time scales.
Min Hu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics, Philosophy, and Political Science at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus. He holds an adjunct position at Dalhousie University's School of Health Administration. His primary research focuses on Health Economics, Applied Microeconomics, and Labour Economics, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations in Canada, Indigenous health, income inequalities, and cancer economics. He teaches courses in Microeconomics, Health Economics, and Statistics. Education: PhD in Economics (2019), Dalhousie University; Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health Economics (2019–2020), Dalhousie University. Previous degrees include an M.A. (2014–2016) and B.A. in Economics from Dalhousie University. Research interests include the socio-economic determinants of health disparities, particularly among Indigenous peoples and immigrants, and the economic impacts of cancer-related policies. He employs applied econometric methods to analyze labor market outcomes and social policy effectiveness. His recent articles explore sustainable biomass utilization, energy policies, and environmental engineering innovations. Key themes include biomass supply chain optimization, CO₂ reduction strategies, and waste-to-energy technologies. Scientific Awards: Recipient of SSHRC New Frontiers Grant (2023–2026), CIHR Team Grant (2024–2026), and multiple UBC startup grants. His work is supported by SSHRC, CRDCN, and Indigenous Services Canada. He advises students in Economics and Global Studies (IGS) programs. Grants and funding span health economics, Indigenous well-being, and sustainable energy systems. Collaborations include interdisciplinary teams in health administration and environmental policy. Labs/Teams: Engaged with UBC's Okanagan Sustainability Initiatives and Dalhousie's Health Economics Research Group. Affiliated with professional organizations like the American Economic Association and Canadian Health Economics Study Group.
David John Procter is a Professor of Organic Chemistry and Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Manchester. His career includes academic roles at the University of Glasgow (Lecturer, Senior Lecturer) and a Readership at the University of Manchester, where he became a Professor in 2008. His research focuses on developing new synthetic methods, catalysis, and materials chemistry, with applications in drug discovery, biocatalysis, and organic electronics. Education: BSc Chemistry (University of Leeds, 1992), PhD (1995, supervised by Prof. Christopher Rayner). Postdoctoral work: Florida State University (Prof. Robert Holton, Taxol analog synthesis). Research interests include samarium diiodide-mediated reactions, metal-free coupling processes, and sustainable synthesis methods. He leads projects funded by EPSRC, Industry (30 grants), and international collaborations. Awards include the EPSRC Established Career Fellowship (2015–2020), Bader Prize (2014), and Young Heterocyclic Chemist Award (2015). Key contributions: Total synthesis of natural products (e.g., pleuromutilin), development of copper-catalyzed multicomponent couplings, and innovative methods for organic materials. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to affordable and clean energy and responsible consumption. Collaborations span academic and industrial partnerships in chemistry, physics, and biology. He supervises 60+ students and contributes to the Organic Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC). His group’s research is detailed at proctergroupresearch.com .
Anastasia Semykina is a Professor of Economics and Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at RMIT University's School of Economics, Finance & Marketing. She holds a PhD from Michigan State University (2006) and previously served as Charles and Joan Haworth Professor of Economics at Florida State University. Her expertise spans theoretical and applied econometrics, with a focus on panel data models, missing data estimation, and their application in labor economics, education economics, transition economies, and economic psychology. She teaches advanced econometrics and microeconomics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Research Interests: Theoretical and Applied Econometrics Labor Economics Economics of Education Transition Economies Economics and Psychology Health Economics Her recent publications address topics such as panel data methodologies, healthcare cost-effectiveness analysis, and educational policy evaluation. She is actively involved in supervising PhD and Master's research students in econometrics and applied economics.
Jacky Bourgeois is an Assistant Professor of Data-Centric Design at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE), leading the Data-Centric Delft Design Lab. His work bridges Human-Computer Interaction, Data Science, and Participatory Design, focusing on methods like data donation to empower collaborative data exploration. He holds a computer science background, previously researching ubiquitous technologies for domestic energy practices of 'energy farmers' (solar households). Key projects include the PROMISE study on patient-led oncological care and the Data Donation initiative promoting ethical data practices. Education: Background in Computer Science; academic focus on sustainable design engineering and IoT. Teaching includes courses like 'Data-Centric Design for...' (2024) and 'Digital Product Development' (2023). Research Interests: Data as subjective inquiry material, data intimacy, data commons, and human-data interaction in home contexts. Notable contributions include PAIRcolator for collaborative data reflection and Tangi for 360° video insights. Awards include Best Paper at CHI 2025 and DIS '24 Best Paper. Grants & Collaborations: NWO-funded research on hospital sounds (2024), IoT Rapid Proto Labs for industry-academia partnerships, and ancillary role as a scientific employee at The Open University (2025–2027). Labs & Teams: Director of the Data-Centric Delft Design Lab; collaborates with the HCI Data & Design SIG. Current projects address ethical frameworks for data donation and patient-centered healthcare systems.
John Paisley is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and a member of Columbia's Data Science Institute (DSI). He holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Duke University (2004-2010), followed by postdoctoral research in Computer Science at Princeton University and UC Berkeley. His research focuses on Bayesian models, posterior inference techniques for Big Data, and applications in data analysis, recommendation systems, information retrieval, and compressed sensing. He has pioneered methods like Bayesian Gaussian Process ODEs and Double Normalizing Flows, with recent work emphasizing uncertainty quantification in environmental modeling and neuroimaging analysis. His collaborative workflows (e.g., bneR ) address air pollution exposure and PM2.5 concentration uncertainties, combining Bayesian nonparametric ensembles with geospatial data. He has also developed frameworks for neural network interpretability, image denoising, and compressed sensing MRI. Paisley's work bridges statistical theory and applied machine learning, with applications in healthcare, environmental science, and geophysics. His academic contributions include over 50 publications since 2016, spanning topics like deep metric learning, adversarial learning, and variational inference optimization. He maintains an active research group and serves on editorial boards for machine learning and signal processing journals.
Shasha Chong is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology and a Ronald and JoAnne Willens Scholar. She earned her B.S. from the University of Science & Technology of China (2008) and Ph.D. from Harvard University (2014). Her research bridges chemistry, physics, and biology to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes, focusing on intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in transcription proteins. Research Focus: IDRs in transcriptional regulation, cancer biology, liquid-liquid phase separation, and single-molecule imaging techniques. Grants & Awards: CCE Innovation Award (2024), ALSF Innovation Grant, Mallinckrodt Research Grant, Margaret E. Early Medical Research Trust Grant. Collaborations: Caltech-City of Hope Biomedical Research Initiative Grant (2025). Teaching: Co-instructor for courses like Biochemistry Laboratory (Ch 11) and Advanced Topics in Biochemistry (BMB/Bi/Ch 174). Labs & Teams: Leads the Chong Laboratory at Caltech, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches combining single-molecule imaging, genome editing, and bioinformatics.
Weiping Tang is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, holding the Janis Apinis Professorship in the School of Pharmacy and the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship. He also serves as Director of the Medicinal Chemistry Center at the School of Pharmacy and maintains a faculty appointment with the Department of Chemistry in the College of Letters and Science. Janis Apinis Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Director of Medicinal Chemistry Center Faculty Appointment with Department of Chemistry Dr. Tang received his B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University in 1997, M.S. in Chemistry from New York University in 1999, Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Stanford University in 2005, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Medicinal Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery at Harvard University in 2007. Dr. Tang's research program focuses on drug discovery for cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders through three interconnected areas: Organic Synthesis (advancing glycoscience through novel carbohydrate synthesis technologies), Medicinal Chemistry (developing small molecules that selectively remove disease-associated proteins), and Chemical Biology (dissecting biological pathways using novel small molecule probes). His group operates as an interdisciplinary team where chemists and biologists collaborate closely on drug discovery projects, with particular emphasis on developing novel degraders for disease-causing proteins. Analysis of Dr. Tang's publication record reveals a significant shift toward targeted protein degradation technologies, particularly PROTACs and molecular glues, while maintaining strong foundations in carbohydrate chemistry. His most impactful recent work includes developing degraders for extracellular and membrane proteins (previously considered 'undruggable'), creating rapid synthesis platforms like Rapid-TAC and Rapid-Glue, and advancing understanding of ternary complex formation for novel PROTAC design. His research spans both chemical methodology development and therapeutic applications across multiple disease areas. Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship Janis Apinis Professorship Numerous high-impact publications in leading chemistry and pharmacology journals Editor's pick and hot paper designations for significant contributions Dr. Tang mentors a diverse team of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff scientists with expertise spanning synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, computational chemistry, biochemistry, and cell biology. His group has developed innovative platforms for the rapid synthesis of protein degraders and has made significant contributions to understanding the mechanisms of action for these novel therapeutics. Current research includes developing selective degraders for cancer targets like RIPK1, BRD4, and CARM1, as well as advancing delivery systems for clinical translation. The Tang Research Group maintains state-of-the-art facilities within the School of Pharmacy at UW-Madison, equipped for comprehensive chemical synthesis, compound characterization, and biological evaluation. The group actively collaborates with researchers across campus and with industry partners to advance discoveries toward clinical applications, with particular focus on cancer therapeutics and protein degradation technologies.
