Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
Charlotte Bunne is an Assistant Professor at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with dual affiliations in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) and the School of Life Sciences (SV). She leads the Prof. Bunne Group at the Artificial Intelligence in Molecular Medicine (AIMM) unit and is a member of the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC). PhD in Computer Science, ETH Zurich Postdoctoral work at Genentech and Stanford University Her research integrates machine learning with large-scale biomedical data to advance personalized medicine , focusing on optimal transport and generative AI for biomedical discovery. Recent publications highlight applications in single-cell omics , spatial proteomics , and chemical reaction modeling . Scientific awards : Fellow of the German National Academic Foundation Recipient of the ETH Medal Best paper awards She has contributed to teaching courses on foundation models, generative AI, and biomedical applications at EPFL's interdepartmental teaching units (SIN-ENS, SSC-ENS, SSV-ENS). Her interdisciplinary work bridges computer science , biomedical research , and computational biology .
Sebastian Munck is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of KU Leuven , affiliated with the Department of Neuroscience and the Molecular Neurobiology Research Group at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain Research. He is a member of the KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI) and the KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO) , with a focus on neurodegeneration, microscopy, and 3D imaging. Active promoter in Flanders BioImaging (2023-2026) Co-promoter in cryo-electron microscopy projects for structural biology applications Key contributor to bioimaging core facility development and reproducibility standards His research spans neurodegenerative diseases , calcium channel imaging , and biomedical imaging innovations . Recent collaborations emphasize 3D imaging workflows , exosome biology , and cross-disciplinary technology development . Publications highlight his expertise in integrating light and electron microscopy and spatial multi-omics analysis . While no specific awards are listed, his work has shaped bioimaging infrastructure and disease diagnostics via organoid modeling. Munck leads initiatives like 3SURE MIND (2022-2026) for super-resolution to cryo-electron microscopy applications in neurodegenerative research and contributes to deep space communication-inspired data analysis frameworks. His lab work includes astrocyte biology , synaptic organelle regulation , and beta-arrestin dynamics in Alzheimer's disease .
Afshin Beheshti, PhD , is Professor of Surgery and Computational & Systems Biology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine , Director of the Space Biomedicine Program , and Associate Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine . He additionally serves as Visiting Researcher at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and remains an active investigator at NASA Ames Research Center through the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. Education & Training: PhD in Physics, Florida State University (2002) Postdoctoral training in cancer research, systems biology, space biology, and radiation biology Research Focus: Dr. Beheshti’s work sits at the intersection of space biomedicine, regenerative medicine, and systems biology . He investigates how the space environment—microgravity, radiation, and altered circadian cycles—affects human physiology at molecular, cellular, and systemic levels. Core themes include microRNA-mediated gene regulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, radiation countermeasures, and precision diagnostics using label-free optical imaging combined with multi-omics. Recent Scientific Impact: In 2024, Dr. Beheshti co-led the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA) , the largest international compendium of space biology data to date, published across Nature and companion journals. His portfolio also spans COVID-19 and Long COVID investigations through the non-profit COVID-19 International Research Team (COV-IRT) and democratized AI development via the Kwaai Personal AI initiative. Honors & Awards: NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal ISS Research & Development Award – Compelling Results in Biology KBR Award for Excellence NASA Outstanding Service Award – Ames Safety Award Program II Funding & Collaborations: Dr. Beheshti has secured continuous funding from NASA, Department of Defense, and other federal agencies to advance countermeasure development against space radiation and microgravity-induced pathologies. His teams integrate wet-lab experiments, animal models, clinical data from astronauts, and advanced computational pipelines to deliver translational insights for both space exploration and terrestrial medicine. Laboratory & Outreach: At Pittsburgh he is establishing a next-generation Space Biomedicine Laboratory outfitted with multi-modal imaging, single-cell multi-omics, and AI-driven analytics. Parallel outreach programs target K-12, undergraduate, and graduate trainees to cultivate the next generation of space life scientists.
Dr. Elisabeth Kemter is a postdoctoral researcher at the Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Her work focuses on xenotransplantation, diabetes research, and genetic engineering using pig models. Her research explores xenogeneic vascularized islet organs, beta cell replacement strategies, and immunoprotection mechanisms. Recent studies address complement regulation in genetically modified pig endothelial cells, biofabrication of vascularized endocrine pancreas, and multi-omics analysis of diabetic complications. Key article trends include cross-species bioengineering (human-pig systems), in vivo imaging for graft monitoring, and computational modeling for vascular network optimization. Collaborative efforts with the Wolf research group emphasize translational applications for Type 1 diabetes. Current affiliations: Gene Center Munich Department of Biochemistry, LMU Labs and teams: Wolf Research Group Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Jonathan Flint is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. A pioneer in psychiatric and behavioral genetics, he has made significant contributions to understanding the genetic underpinnings of major depressive disorder, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental conditions through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), mouse models, and human population genetics. His work bridges computational biology, epigenetics, and clinical applications, including development of diagnostic tools for intellectual disability screening. Flint's research focuses on: Genetic architecture of complex psychiatric traits Mouse models for behavioral and neurodevelopmental studies Development of statistical methods for QTL mapping Integration of multi-omics data for depression subtyping Privacy-preserving AI for behavioral diagnostics His 15 most recent publications (2023-2024) demonstrate expertise in genome-wide association studies, voice pitch genetics, epigenetic stratification, and computational approaches for mental health. The work spans behavioral biomarkers, neurogenetics, and translational applications in psychiatric care.
Professor Matthew Pickering is a Professor of Rheumatology at Imperial College London , Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Medicine, and the Academic Director of the Imperial Lupus Centre . He is also a Consultant Rheumatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust . Education: PhD – University of London, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine MB BS – Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, London BSc with First Class Honours – University of London Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training – Specialist Training Authority of the Medical Royal Colleges (UK) MRCP (UK), FRCP (UK), F Med Sci – Royal College of Physicians and Academy of Medical Sciences Research Interests: Professor Pickering is a world-leading expert in the complement system and its role in autoimmune and renal diseases . His work has elucidated the mechanisms by which uncontrolled complement activation leads to kidney injury, particularly in C3 glomerulopathy , CFHR5 nephropathy , and lupus nephritis . His translational research integrates genetic studies , in vitro models , and novel animal models to identify therapeutic targets. He has led the development of C5 inhibition therapy for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and established C3 glomerulopathy as a recognized disease classification globally. Scientific Contributions & Awards: Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (F Med Sci) Led the first international consensus on C3 glomerulopathy Pioneered therapeutic use of C5 inhibitors in complement-mediated renal disease Clinical and Translational Impact: Professor Pickering’s work bridges bench-to-bedside research, with active clinical roles in rheumatology and nephrology . He leads multidisciplinary teams at the Imperial Lupus Centre , focusing on systemic lupus erythematosus , complement deficiencies , and rare renal diseases . His leadership in international clinical trials, including VALIANT and pegcetacoplan studies , has advanced precision therapies for complement-mediated kidney diseases. Research Labs & Teams: He heads a translational immunology research group at Imperial College, integrating clinical cohorts , biobanking , and molecular immunology to study complement regulation in human disease. His team collaborates globally with nephrologists, geneticists, and pharmaceutical partners to develop novel complement therapeutics .
Dr. Mostafa Bakhti serves as Group Leader of the Beta Cell Development and Regeneration research group at the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research (IDR), part of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center within Helmholtz Munich. His work focuses on uncovering molecular mechanisms of insulin-producing β-cell formation and function to develop novel diabetes therapies through regenerative approaches. His academic background includes a Bachelor in Biology from the University of Isfahan, a Master in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Tehran, and a PhD in Cell Biology from the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine in Göttingen. Bakhti's research integrates developmental biology, endocrinology, and stem cell technologies to investigate pancreas development, islet biology, and human endocrinogenesis. His team employs mouse genetics, 3D organoids, confocal microscopy, multi-omics, and gene editing to decipher molecular programs governing endocrine differentiation and morphogenesis, aiming to translate discoveries into diabetes treatments and tissue engineering solutions. His publication portfolio demonstrates consistent innovation in beta cell regeneration, with key contributions including the discovery of Synaptotagmin-13's role in islet morphogenesis, CD81 as a beta cell maturation marker, and pharmacological strategies for diabetes remission. These works emphasize single-cell technologies and 3D modeling to advance understanding of pancreatic development and disease. Notable recognitions include: DZD NEXT Young Talent Program (2022) DZD NEXT grant (2018) Paula and Richard von hertwig Award (2018) Iranian National Institute of Elites membership (2007) Bakhti secures competitive funding through the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), including the DZD NEXT Young Talent Program which supports postdoctoral researchers for beta cell regeneration projects. He actively collaborates within the Helmholtz Diabetes Center and DZD networks to advance translational diabetes research. His laboratory at Helmholtz Munich's Campus Neuherberg operates as a specialized unit developing cutting-edge methodologies for studying pancreatic endocrinogenesis, with ongoing projects focused on human stem cell differentiation, islet morphogenesis mechanisms, and regenerative therapy development for diabetes.
Lance D. Miller is a Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding genetic determinants of cancer progression and anti-tumor immunity through integrative genomic approaches. BS, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1992) MS, East Carolina University (1995) PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2001) The Miller Lab investigates cancer biomarkers, druggable targets, and tumor-immune dynamics using next-generation sequencing technologies like whole-exome sequencing, bulk RNA-Seq, and single-cell RNA-Seq. Key findings include immune-mediated survival associations in breast cancer linked to cytolytic CD8+ T cells and plasma B cells, as well as immunosuppressive mechanisms involving TGF-beta and TREM-1 signaling. Recent publications highlight work on epigenetic drivers of metastasis, single-cell data integration algorithms, and molecular diagnostics for precision oncology. Collaborative projects include studies on brain metastasis outcomes, KRAS-mutant lung cancer, and appendiceal cancer subtyping.
Francesco Paneni is a Professor and Group Leader in Cardiovascular Epigenetics at the Department of Cardiology , with a focus on understanding how environmental factors interact with epigenetic mechanisms to drive cardiovascular disease. His research spans heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), diabetes-related CVD, aging, and metabolic disorders. Academic Rank: Professor Department: Department of Cardiology Key Research Areas: Cardiovascular Epigenetics, HFpEF, Diabetes and CVD, Aging in Cardiovascular Pathology His group investigates chromatin remodeling, BET protein inhibition, and epigenetic inheritance in cardiometabolic diseases. Recent publications highlight novel therapeutic strategies targeting SETD7 , BRD4 , and SIRT1 to reverse pathological pathways. Ongoing projects include identifying epigenetic biomarkers and developing interventions for perivascular adipose tissue dysfunction. His research aligns with translational approaches, bridging laboratory findings to clinical applications. Funding sources include the Swiss National Science Foundation and EU Framework Programme. His team comprises postdocs, PhD students, and research assistants working on epigenetic mechanisms in cardiovascular health.
Jon Christopher Aster is a Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on Notch signaling in cancer, particularly its role in T cell development and transformation, using genomic approaches like ChIP-Seq and collaborations across structural biology, bioinformatics, and animal modeling. Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Research interests include: Notch signaling in leukemia and T cell malignancies Transcriptional regulation via genome-wide approaches Post-translational modifications in signaling pathways Immune interactions in tumor microenvironments Recent articles span Notch-related cancer mechanisms, immunotherapy applications, and collaborative multi-omics studies. Scientific awards and honors are not explicitly detailed in the provided text.
Takahiro Mimori is a Researcher at the Faculty of Science and Engineering , Waseda University. His work focuses on Life, Health and Medical Informatics with extensive contributions to genomic data analysis , phylogenetic inference , and computational methods for healthcare applications . Current affiliation: Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering Previous roles: RIKEN (2019-2025), Tohoku Medical Megabank Project His research spans algorithms for structural variant detection , HLA typing , and multiomics integration , particularly in maternal and cancer studies. Recent work includes computational frameworks for microdroplet barcode design and hyperbolic phylogenetic tree embeddings . Key tools developed: HLA-VBSeq, STR-realigner, AP-SKAT, iSVP Major projects: Tohoku Medical Megabank, Maternity Log Study His publications demonstrate expertise in machine learning applications to medical diagnostics and genomic variant analysis , with over 29 peer-reviewed papers and 796 Scopus citations.
Ruli Gao serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, leading a research laboratory focused on cancer evolutionary models and cell fate transition trajectories during cancer progression and therapeutic responses. Dr. Gao holds an MS (2013) and PhD (2014) from the University of Florida. Their research program develops novel long-read single cell sequencing technologies and computational tools, with key contributions including the punctuated copy number evolution model (Nature Genetics, 2016), bi-mode chemoresistance evolution model (Cell, 2018), COPYKAT algorithm (Nature Biotechnology, 2021), and scNanoGPS technology (Nature Communications, 2023). The laboratory's current work integrates same-cell multi-omics to co-project tumor cell genetic evolutionary lineages, cell fate transition trajectories, and adaptive immunological remodeling during cancer metastasis and recurrence. Recent publications demonstrate strong activity across cancer genomics, immunology, and cardiovascular applications, with particular emphasis on same-cell genotype-phenotype analysis in human tumors. Dr. Gao serves as Scientific Advisory Board Member for the Pathology Core Facility at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (2024-present) and has developed multiple influential computational tools including COPYKAT for calculating single cell copy number clonality. The laboratory actively expands applications of their novel methodologies to diverse human disease models including heart aging, heart failure, and transplantation rejection. The Gao laboratory maintains active research programs in tumor evolution modeling, single-cell technology development, and translational applications across oncology and cardiovascular medicine, with recent work featured in Nature Genetics, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Nature Communications.
David Abraham is a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at University College London (UCL), Faculty of Medical Sciences, specializing in inflammation research. He serves as the head of the research department of Inflammation and Director of the Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases (Scleroderma, Systemic sclerosis) at UCL's Royal Free Campus. Additionally, he holds adjunct and honorary professorships at Xi'an Jiaotong University (since 2013) and Aarhus University (since 2022), respectively. FRSB (Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology) (2011) FRCP (Hon) from Royal College of Physicians (2021) Adjunct Professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University (2013-present) Honorary Professor at Aarhus University (2022-present) Professor Abraham's research focuses on connective tissue diseases, particularly scleroderma and systemic sclerosis. His work spans five major areas: biomarkers for disease including autoantibody profiles; novel pro-inflammatory and fibrotic mediators; the origins of fibroblasts and myofibroblast differentiation; molecular genetics of disease sub-sets; and development and study of pre-clinical models. His laboratory maintains extensive patient sample banks including serum, plasma, tissue, cell lines, and nucleic acids from over 4,000 patients. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on macrophage biology in systemic sclerosis, sex-specific differences in disease manifestation, multi-omic approaches to understanding disease progression, and novel therapeutic targets including PD-1 pathway engagement and LAG-3 signaling. His work consistently bridges basic science with clinical applications. Senior Research Fellow - ARC (2024) FRCP (Hon) from Royal College of Physicians (2022) FRSB (Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology) (2011) As an educator, Professor Abraham teaches in the Applied Medical Sciences BSc program (Molecular Basis of Human Disease), Human Tissue Repair MSc (Principles of Inflammation), and Drug Discovery MSc (Advances in therapeutics for Inflammation and autoimmune diseases). He has led the 'Molecular Basis of Disease' module for second-year undergraduate students since 2016. His research laboratory focuses on understanding basic disease mechanisms in connective tissue disease and fibrosis, utilizing both inflammatory and non-inflammatory driven animal models affecting multiple organ systems. His work has successfully translated several therapeutic targets (Endothelin, PDGF, TGFbeta and IL-6) into clinical trials through industrial collaborations.
Mitro Samuli Miihkinen is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Supervisor in the Doctoral Programme in Integrative Life Science at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Finnish Institute of Molecular Medicine. His research spans computational biology, biomedical informatics, and cancer research with a focus on drug repurposing, spatial transcriptomics, and statistical modeling. Institution: University of Helsinki Collaborations: Active in iCAN - Individualized Cancer Medicine Finland flagship program His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining mathematical modeling , bioinformatics , and molecular medicine . Key contributions include developing tools for drug repurposing ( RepurposeDrugs ) and spatial cell type identification ( ScType ). Research activities from 2022-2025 show engagement in computational oncology, with 6 publications and participation in 2 projects. He presented at the iCAN retreat 2024 conference as a speaker.
Zhuang Zhu is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Umeå University's Department of Molecular Biology, working in Maria Fällman's research group at the Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) laboratory. His current research investigates Yersinia pseudotuberculosis adaptation mechanisms to human neutrophils using RNA sequencing to decipher bacterial responses to innate immune pressure. Education PhD, University of Copenhagen (2022): Focused on bacterial outer membrane vesicles and vaccine development applications. Research Interests Dr. Zhu's work spans bacterial pathogenesis , immunology , and wound healing , with emphasis on non-coding RNA dynamics in tissue regeneration. He employs single-cell transcriptomics and multi-omics integration to dissect host-pathogen interactions and skin repair mechanisms, bridging infection biology with regenerative medicine. Publication Trends Analysis of Zhu's 15 most recent publications (2021-2025) reveals dominant focus on wound healing and RNA biology , particularly circular/long non-coding RNAs in skin regeneration. His methodology heavily utilizes single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, while earlier work (2016-2018) demonstrates expertise in agricultural genomics and SNP array design for poultry science. Research Environment Zhu operates within Maria Fällman Lab at MIMS, a leading infection biology center investigating Yersinia virulence strategies through molecular, cellular, and genomic approaches to understand host-pathogen dynamics during infection.
