Meet the students – Bioinformatics Centre - University of Copenhagen

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Bioinformatics Centre > Education > Meet the students

 

Meet the former students


  • Stinus Lindgreen
    - computer scientist, now pursuing a PhD in RNA structure prediction


  • Sine Zambach
    - biochemist, now doing a PhD in informatics at Roskilde University


  • Anders Albrechtson
    - mathematician, now doing a PhD focused on ancient DNA


  • Troels Marstrand
    - biologist, postdoc at Princeton University

  • Sanne Nygaard
    -biologist, postdoc at the Centre, assembling the first ant genome

  • Anders Jacobsson
    - computer scientists, now pursuing a PhD in microRNA biology
 

  • Stinus Lindgreen

    I finished my Bachelor's degree at the Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen (DIKU), in the summer 2003. During my years at DIKU, I had become interested in algorithmics - especially when applied to areas outside the realm of computer science itself. Since I have always been interested in biology as well, it was an obvious choice for me to do my Bachelor's project in computational biology. I did a project on multiple alignment and phylogeny, and since the Master's programme in bioinformatics was just being started at the other side of the park, it quickly caught my interest. I contacted some of the people from bioinformatics, went to their open house arrangements, and in September 2003 I enrolled in the Master's programme. This was definitely the right choice for me. Here, I've done various projects covering e.g. Self Organizing Maps, codon usage and structure prediction.

    The field of bioinformatics is still quite young which gives you the possibility of being at the forefront of an exciting inter-disciplinary education. At the centre we have a lot of cutting-edge researchers, and already as a student you can get involved in real-life projects. Since I started with a background in computer science I have had to build a better biological foundation by taking additional courses. One of the things that appeals to me about bioinformatics, though, is that people come with different backgrounds: Computer scientist, biologists, chemists and physicists are working together, which makes you realize the strengths and weaknesses of the different fields - in particular your own. This ability to work together with people from different educational backgrounds is extremely useful. Additionally, you get to work with some interesting biological problems where you can actually make a difference. I can't think of a more exciting field to work in.

    Presently I am working as a Ph.D student at the Bioinformatics Centre. My research interests include RNA secondary structure, multiple alignment and algorithmics. I have taught algorithmics at computer science and I am also more or less responsible for the course Introduction to bioinformatics.
    My homepage


  • Sine Zambach:

    After a few years at the biochemistry program, I realized that the I was more captivated by the theoretical than the practical part of the syllabus. So, I searched for the more math-and physics-orieted courses and found that bioinformatics was both interesting and needed by employers. Also, the teacher team seemed young and dynamic. The program has not dissappointed me - it has been tough but exiting. I used one semester in the US within the program and found that the field is a s new and un-explored there as in onther places. My master thesis was about making system that can mine vast databases of microarray data, to find data set with which to compare new data with. This might be a part of the development of personalized medicine, designed to match the individual patient.


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    Anders Jacobsen

    I started the BINF bioinformatics masters programme with a bachelor in computer science and sports science. When I tell people about this weird combo they usually look startled. Nevertheless, bioinformatics is a actually a perfect cross disciplinary compromise combining the best from both worlds. I graduated from BINF in summer 2005 with a thesis concerning miRNA gene regulation in A. thaliana. Following this, I was told to spend four months as a conscientious objector at the department of Epidemiologic research at "Statens serum institut". Starting march 2006, I obtained a PhD stipend at BINF in the miRNA group. My primary research area is miRNA gene and target discovery.

     


  • Anders Albrechtsen

    After studying molecular biology and mathematics at Roskilde University Center I decided that I wanted to try something else before doing my master thesis. So a few days before the deadline I was at the Roskilde festival and in the mist of piss and alcohol I called my sister and made her enroll me the bioinformatics master’s programme. However this wasn’t just a random act. While studying at RUC most of my project either contained mathematical biology or bioinformatics. So I figured it would be fun to try to study in a place where people shared my particular fetish. After half a year studying bioinformatics I was contacted by a group at the Steno diabetes Centre who offered me some money for writing my thesis with them. While working there I got into association mapping where the goal is to find genetic variants or combinations of genetic variants that affects common diseases like obesity, hypertension and diabetes. For me this was a nice combination of computational methods using mathematics, genetics and statistics. After finishing my master’s I continued to work with association mapping first as a research assistant at Steno, then as a research assistant at the department of biostatistics and now as at PhD student in biostatistics and pharmocogenomics with a strong connection to bioinformatics and evolutionary biology.

    For more information on the projects I am working with now check out my homepage.


  • Troels Marstrand

    I started the bioinformatics masters programme with a bachelor in biology. During my masters I took several courses in computer science and statistics. This has proven very helpful in understanding current bioinformatical approaches as well as developing new ones. I graduated from BINF in summer 2005 with a thesis on "Prediction of Transcription Start Sites in the Human Genome", and finished my PhD in 2009. I was then practically head-hunted to a postdoc position at Princeton University.


  • Sanne Nygaard

    After getting my Bachelor's degree in biology, I decided to move to the field of bioinformatics. On the computer, you can adress a number of biological questions, that can not be answered in the lab. Bioinformaticians often work on large-scale problems, looking at general, overall processes in the cell. This 'birds-eye' perspective on biology suits me better than working on one specific gene or pathway for years. Bioinformatics is a very cross-disciplinary field, and collaborations with people from other backgrounds have given me a much greater appreciation of the many different aspects of science. My Master thesis dealt with host-pathogen interactions in malaria parasites, and starting November 2005. I have just finished my PhD: I now work with assembling ant genomes(!).