Alumni Spotlight

What motivated you to undertake doctoral study?

I’ve been drawn to science since high school, and during my undergrad I was fascinated by the rise of AI and its potential across so many fields. What excited me most was its application to human health — working on medical imaging projects showed me how powerful this could be. That experience motivated me to pursue a PhD as a way to dive deeper and make even a small but meaningful contribution to advancing knowledge. The Biomedical AI CDT program was perfect fit in that regard, as it gave me room in the first year (MSc year) to explore different research areas before zeroing in on my PhD research direction.

What are you doing now career-wise, and how did your PhD prepare you for it?

I’m currently at Novartis, working on machine learning methods to support the early stages of drug discovery.

What’s one key skill or mindset you developed during your PhD that you still rely on today?

Resilience. PhD journey has lots of ups and downs— motivation dips, experiments fail, and sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Learning how to keep going, adapt, and push through those moments is something I carry with me every day.

What advice would you give to someone considering a PhD in biomedical AI?

I once read that a PhD is not a sprint but a marathon — and I’ve found that to be very true. It is important to pace yourself. You’ll face setbacks, but learning how to adapt, keep going, and stay curious makes all the difference. It also helps to build something that excites you and sparks interest in others. At the same time, don’t let research be the only thing in your life — having hobbies, friendships, and activities outside the lab keeps you grounded and gives you energy for the long haul. You don’t need to have everything figured out at the start; just take the first step, keep learning along the way, and new opportunities will open up.

What motivated you to undertake doctoral study?

I’ve always been passionate about science, learning new skills and challenging myself, which is why I was initially drawn to the idea of a PhD. In addition to this, I wanted a career where I could take the quantitative skills I developed in my mathematics degree and apply them to real-world problems in biomedicine. My PhD project offered me the perfect chance to merge those two worlds and build a career at the intersection between AI and biomedicine. 

What was a highlight (one or several) of your time as a doctoral researcher?

A major highlight of my PhD was volunteering at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London. This large-scale public engagement event provided the opportunity to communicate our research and its potential impact to a diverse audience of thousands, which ranged from young children to fellow scientists and even a member of the House of Lords.

What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge I had during my PhD was being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Addison’s disease after being admitted to hospital. It took a while for me to adapt to this and to get back into my PhD project, but I was supported well by my family, friends and the CDT. In addition to this, my diagnosis also gave me a completely new perspective on my work and further motivated me to build my career in biomedical AI.

What are you doing now career-wise, and how did your PhD prepare you for it?

I’m currently leading the AI and bioinformatics work at Biophoundry, a biotech startup focused on the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. My PhD in biomedical AI provided an excellent foundation for this position. Beyond technical expertise, it taught me to be a resilient and resourceful researcher, equipping me with the ability to adapt, learn quickly, and find solutions to complex problems. These are all skills I use in this role daily.

What’s one key skill or mindset you developed during your PhD that you still rely on today?

My PhD project helped me develop strong time management and organisational skills. With many competing tasks, I learned how to prioritise my work effectively. The PhD also significantly improved my communication skills, particularly when presenting my work to diverse groups of people. These skills are all essential in my current role.

What advice would you give to someone considering a PhD in biomedical AI?

One key piece of advice would be to find a project that you are passionate about and a PhD supervisor you get on well with. Both are incredibly important for your motivation and success throughout the PhD. I would recommend reaching out to students who have previously worked with a supervisor and ask them what their experience was like.