Meet our Team

We are an innovation hub dedicated to exploring and developing breakthrough systems biology tools and ideas. Come and meet our team!

Sanja Vickovic, PhD

Core Faculty Member @NYGC

Assistant Professor at Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (@CUBME) and Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics (@IICD)
Wallenberg Academy Fellow at Uppsala University
SciLifeLab Fellow at Science for Life Laboratory
PhD in Genetics from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Wallenberg Fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

I love all things tech and all things hockey. Developer of Spatial Transcriptomics (Visium 10X Genomics), High-Definition Spatial Transcriptomics, SM-Omics and Spatial Host-Microbiome Sequencing.

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Molecular Biology

Aging

Research Scientist, Technology Innovation @NYGC
PhD in Neuroscience from University of Barcelona
My research interest is focused on identifying novel mechanisms underlying neurological disorders, aimed to find innovative approaches to detect and early diagnose these conditions.

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Research Scientist, Technology Innovation Lab @NYGC
PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Penn State University
I am a molecular biologist with a strong interest in exploring transcription regulation mechanisms. My current research aims at developing spatially resolved multi-omics assays for functional genomics.
I love sports and outdoor activities. I enjoy a bluebird day as well as a few nice rallies on the badminton court. Making progress in sports is as exciting as that in science.

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Drug Development

Postdoctoral Fellow at Sanjana Lab @NYU @NYGC and Prof. Vicković Lab @UU @SciLifeLab
Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from Karolinska Institute
I am interested in developing novel phenotypic screening strategies that integrate chemical and genetic interventions with multiomic and spatial analyses. My work aims to uncover novel therapeutic targets and unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying complex neurological disorders.

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Neuronal Circuits

PhD Candidate @Columbia BME
Visiting Researcher with Prof. Vicković @NYGC
MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University
My core interest is developing AI-assisted transcriptomic engineering tools for cell-type-specific perturbation in complex tissues. My work spans computational design through experimental validation via in vitro and in vivo RNA-based screening platforms.

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GitHub

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Cancer Progression

PhD student, Columbia University
Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies
BA, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA BA
I am interested in building a spatially resolved roadmap of cancer evolution and the potential to shape disease trajectory through genetic perturbation. My work focuses on understanding how tumor–microenvironment interactions drive cellular plasticity, and leveraging technologies like CRISPR screening and spatial transcriptomics to identify context-specific vulnerabilities.

Postdoc, Vickovic Lab @Uppsala University
Doctor of Natural Sciences from Max Planck for Molecular Genetics awarded at the Freie Universität Berlin
The epigenome has been well characterized in bulk samples from normal and cancerous tissues; however, the epigenetic landscape remains incompletely understood at single-cell resolution. My goal is to develop spatially resolved technologies to map the landscape of epigenetic variation in healthy tissues and to decipher how the interplay between epigenetic heterogeneity and genetic mutations contributes to cancer progression.

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Scholar

Research Scientist, Technology Innovation Lab @NYGC
PhD in Biology from NYU
My research focuses on understanding the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of cancer evolution. I develop new methods to study cancer evolution and cellular interactions in genetically diverse cancer cells within spatial contexts.

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Research Scientist, Technology Innovation Lab @ NYGC
PhD in Biochemistry from MIT
I am interested in how variations in spatial genome organization and modifications impact cellular behavior and shape distinct therapeutic responses. My goal is to utilize knowledge in the epigenomic landscape to refine disease treatments.

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Biomedical Engineering and Technology Development

Senior Research Engineer, Technology Innovation Lab @NYGC
PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of Maryland, College Park
My interest are in developing subcellular spatially resolved multimodal omics methods. Innovating hardware, writing code, and adapting chemistries.

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Light Microscopy Engineer, Technology Innovation Lab @NYGC
PhD in Systems Biology from IST Austria
I am interested in understanding how individual cells modify their internal state in response to changes in their environment and how these changes manifest at different scales of biological organization. To reach this goal, I develop and implement methods and instruments for extracting biological knowledge from large-scale microscopy data.

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Scholar

Research engineer
MSc in Forensic science from Uppsala University
My research interests include tumor microenvironment, especially the cross-talk between tumour cells and immune cells. I am especially fascinated by how these processes affect tissues locally and how we can study pathology through spatial methods. I also enjoy the problem solving aspect of tech development.

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Machine Learning and AI in Biology

Computational Scientist in Spatial Transcriptomics
PhD in Computer Science from Oxford University
My research interests are focused on computational modeling of tissue structure and spatial gene expression patterns across large, diverse experimental cohorts. I employ both deep learning and Bayesian statistics to the paired tasks of data integration via common coordinate registration and analysis of covariate-driven changes in tissue composition and function.

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Postdoctoral Fellow, Vicković Lab @UU @SciLifeLab
PhD in Bioinformatics from Uppsala University
My research interests focus on developing and applying bioinformatics approaches to explore cell functions in diseases. I utilize interpretable machine learning and regulatory networks to mine omics data, aiming to uncover insights into complex biological questions.

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PhD Student Researcher, Vicković Lab @NYGC @CUBME
MSc in Systems Biology from Cambridge University.
I’m interested in integrating advances in spatial transcriptomics technologies with novel computational and statistical methods to dissect how spatial patterning arises in biological tissues and how spatial organization influences development and disease.

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Applied Math

Computational Research Engineer @UU @SciLifeLab
MSc in Applied Mathematics from Columbia University
My interests span the theory and applications of dynamical systems, computational genomics, and emergent artificial intelligence, all of which manifest in my ongoing research with self-organizing systems and artificial life. I am also passionate about using these themes to showcase the artistic capabilities of differentiable programming.

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Research associate @NYGC focused on spatial reconstruction algorithms.
Ishaq grew up in Rochester, New York, and enjoys playing sports and building keyboards and computers. He's an avid Los Angeles Lakers fan and enjoys watching the Premier League, and tennis as well. He is currently pursuing his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University and previously attended Oberlin College, where he studied Mathematics.
Ishaq's interest in genomic research is fueled by his passion for data science and engineering, he looks forward to combining these skills to solve problems in the medical field.

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Software Engineering

Intern
MEng in Biomedical Engineering from Imperial College London
I’m interested in using machine learning models to solve problems in biomedical research, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. I am currently working on predicting sites of base editing in RNA.

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Lab management and Operations

Program Manager, Technology Innovation Lab @NYGC
PhD in Computer Science from University of Zagreb
My research interest focus on hyper-heuristics, evolutionary algorithms and application of machine learning algorithms to real-world problems. At NYGC I will liaise with inter-institutional teams at NYGC and Columbia to coordinate and manage the activities between a network of collaborators while also overviewing day-to-day management of computational collaborative projects.

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Summer Interns

BME BSc Student @ Columbia University
Student Researcher @ Columbia BME and NYGC
I am interested in combining wet lab experiments and computational analysis to develop genetic therapies to remediate and prevent aging.

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Intern / Bsc in Neuroscience at Stony Brook University
My interest lies in developing RNA-based tools to perturb genes in a cell-type dependent manner. I hope this work will expand our ability to precisely study and modulate cellular function across diverse biological contexts.

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Research Scholar @ Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Columbia University

Summer Intern @ New York Genome Center, Vickovic Lab
École Polytechnique, Engineer's degree, Bioinformatique
I am interested in leveraging machine learning and RNA language models to develop computational tools for spatial transcriptomics, with a current focus on designing advanced probe technologies to map cellular architectures in the brain.

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Summer Intern @ Vickovic Lab and Knowles Lab, New York Genome Center
MS in Computer Science student at Columbia University.
BA from the University of British Columbia in Computer Science
My current research focus is in developing machine learning methods for spatial transcriptomic data to better understand spatial organization of cells within tissue. I am also interested in the theoretical foundations of Computer Science, focusing on algorithm development and complexity formalization.

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Biochemistry at Columbia University
Research Assistant @ Columbia BME and NYGC
I am interested in expanding my molecular biology skill set with a focus on RNA biology and translational regulation, particularly RNA-protein interactions in mammalian cells. Previous research experience spans molecular diagnostics, recombinant protein expression, and improving healthcare access at the point-of-care.

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Undergraduate Research Assistant @Vickovic Lab
Combined Plan Student
BA in Biology, Augustana University
BS in Biomedical Engineering (Expected 2027), Columbia University
I am interested in transcriptomic engineering and its potential to treat genetic disorders and other complex diseases. Beyond this area, I enjoy playing sports which has led me to explore biomechanics and the study of human movement, especially how engineering principles can be applied to better understand and optimize performance.

Computer Science MSc student @ University of Zagreb
Summer Intern @ New York Genome Center, Vickovic Lab
My research focuses on developing machine learning algorithms for biomedical applications, particularly at the intersection of machine learning and neuroscience. I am also interested in explainable artificial intelligence and computational methods for biomedical data analysis.

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NY Bioforce Student Researcher @ HYPOTHEkids, Columbia University
Queens College, B.A. Physics
I am interested in applying artificial intelligence and computational methods to environmental and public health challenges. My work focuses on developing data-driven technologies to predict and mitigate the impacts of combined sewer overflows and urban flooding. I am passionate about leveraging emerging tools in machine learning and environmental science to build smarter, more resilient cities.

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IICD Undergraduate Research Intern

B.A. Candidate in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder
I am interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie cellular function and cancer. My current research focuses on the development of spatial whole-genome sequencing technology to study clonal heterogeneity and cancer evolution.