Computational and Systems Biology ProgramGraduate student in the lab of John Chodera (choderalab.org)I use Bayesian inference to improve molecular models used in drug discovery. This involves automation the generation of relevant quantum mechanical data, fitting free parameters using a probabilistic programming language (Pymc3, Pyro, Edward) and propagating model uncertainty to drug-like properties. In addition, I analyze single molecule fluorescence data in collaboration with Xiaohui Qu to illuminate the kinetics of translation initiation in the ribosome. This work involves time series analysis, change point detection, hidden Markov models (HMMs).

Courses taught: * Chemistry in Today's World* Biology for Non-majors

Chemistry DepartmentAdvised by Mark KobrakInvestigated theoretical models of confined electrolytes. Electrolytes confined in porous domains of charged interfaces occur in many biological systems. Understanding ionic fluctuations of these systems and how to account for it is important when modeling biological systems. In this project I worked on modeling the ionic gradient of such systems.

Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyKirk W Deitsch labInvestigated the mechanism of resistance in malaria parasite. Malaria is a highly adaptive disease, and we sought ways to understand its resistance mechanism. I used molecular cloning, enzymatic activity assays, quantitative PCR and other techniques to better understand resistance of malaria to antifolate drugs.