Cynthia Ronkowski
Cynthia Ronkowski is an experienced Bioinformatics Analyst who has been a valuable member of Dr. Mangul’s laboratory since Fall 2021. She holds a Biology B.S. degree with a Bioinformatics Minor from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she completed her senior thesis on the taxonomic profiling of marine microbial populations with amplicon sequence data. With over 1.5 years of experience as a Bioinformatics Analyst at the University of Southern California (USC) Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cynthia has cultivated skillfulness in both bioinformatics and teaching. Of the latter, she has played a crucial role in educational efforts in which she delivered presentations, provided mentorship, offered hands-on instruction, and created tutorials to introduce computational biology research to students with little or no computer science background. Cynthia’s in-depth understanding of these students’ needs further enhances her ability to serve as an educator for this initiative.
Walter Wolfsberger
Walter Wolfsberger is a Bioinformatician who holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Uzhhorod National University and an M.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Puerto Rico. He is currently a PhD candidate at Oakland University specializing in bioinformatics and genomics.Walter has gained experience working as an IT department engineer, Head of E-learning department, and instructor for the department of Computer Sciences at Uzhhorod National University, Ukraine. He volunteered as a bioinformatics trainer for over 30 Puerto Rican biology students at the Caribbean Genome Center of the University of Puerto Rico, where he was involved in research that impacted the conservation efforts of endemic species. His current research involves performing population analysis of genomic information on the Ukrainian population, as well as other underrepresented populations, with the goal of improving access to genetic diagnostics, therapies, and personalized medicine, which resulted in the first publicly available publication on genome diversity in Ukraine.
Pooja Jaiswal
Pooja Jaiswal is a graduate student at the University of Southern California currently pursuing a Masters in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics. She also has an MS degree in Pharmaceutical Analysis from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, India. She has been deeply engaged in computational research and is an active member of Mangul Lab since 2022. Currently, she is involved in a project focusing on evaluating the reproducibility of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire data. Her expertise lies in working with Linux environments and High-performance computing. She is proficient in Python, and R and has a good understanding of handling NGS data with emphasis on TCR-seq data analysis. She has actively contributed to the academic institution including grading and leading bioinformatics lab for the courses under the guidance of Dr. Mangul. She is well-equipped with a solid foundation in bioinformatics methods and has a strong dedication to research.
Yu Ning Huang
Yu Ning Huang is a PhD student in Dr. Serghei Mangul’s lab at the University of Southern California Mann School of Pharmacy. He began his bioinformatics research in Dr. Mangul’s lab during his master’s program at USC in 2020. He specializes in bioinformatics and immunogenetics research, with a focus on the analysis of T cell receptor repertoire sequences. He is interested in leveraging computational skills in solving real world immunogenetics questions. In addition to his computational skills, he also has a comprehensive background in data science. Apart from his computational expertise, he is a licensed pharmacist in Taiwan and has undergone clinical pharmacist training.
Dottie Yu
Dottie is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned a BS in Quantitative Biology. Throughout her academic journey, she has been deeply engaged in computational research, particularly during her two-year tenure as a member of the esteemed Mangul Lab. Currently, she is involved in a pivotal project focused on benchmarking HLA typing algorithms. Her expertise lies in working within a Linux environment and proficiently utilizing programming languages such as Python, R, and C++. She possesses a comprehensive understanding of handling NGS data, with a specific emphasis on RNA-seq data analysis using alignment and quantification tools. Furthermore, she has actively contributed to various aspects of academic instruction, including lecture development, grading, office hours, and leading bioinformatics labs for courses under the guidance of Dr. Mangul. Equipped with a solid foundation in quantitative and bioinformatics methods, she brings a versatile skill set and a strong dedication to supporting research endeavors in the field.
Matvii Mykhailichenko
Matvii Mykhailichenko is an aspiring bioinformatics scholar with a unique educational journey shaped by resilience and adaptability. Beginning his studies at Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Matvii’s path took an unexpected turn due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading him to continue his education at the University of Wroclaw. Despite these challenges, he deepened his expertise in bioinformatics through attending numerous workshops and collaborating with researchers in Wrocław, contributing significantly to various articles.
Driven by a profound understanding of the struggles faced by Ukrainian bioinformaticians, Matvii took a proactive role in aiding his peers at Bioinformatics for Ukraine Initiative. He plays an active role in the initiative, managing courses, conducting hands-on sessions, and creating educational materials. His teaching style, refined through personal experience, emphasizes the practical application of bioinformatics, making it accessible to a diverse student body. Matvii’s journey is not just a story of academic pursuit, but also of dedication to community support and the advancement of bioinformatics in challenging circumstances.