Data Champions Search

Ali is Senior Data Scientist and public-health/transport modeller in the Public Health Modelling (PHM) group at the MRC-Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge. He is interested in active travel, specifically cycling research. 

Coming from a Computer Science background, with a focus on modelling in his PhD, for over a decade, he has been doing data-driven research and development. This includes Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), Statistical Modelling (or Machine Learning), Interactive Visualization, all with a focus on collaborative, transparent and reproducible research. In addition, he leads in project management and managing, training, guiding, and teaching of junior staff in his Unit. His work can be seen on GitHub at https://github.com/usr110.

After completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I spent several years working within the NHS and the charity sector, before moving into clinical research (Department of Oncology) in 2011. During this tenure I worked as a research assistant and latterly senior data manager, working across a variety of research and clinical systems (including OpenClinica, Achiever Medical and EDGE), gaining valuable experience in data approaches to research and governance. During this time I also completed a MSc in Psychological Research Methods. My knowledge and understanding of NHS systems was furthered during a secondment to the eHospital team, which facilitated the transition of Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust to a fully electronic medical health record system (EPIC), the first of its kind in the UK.
   
   I joined the Department of Clinical Neurosciences in 2020, bringing a wealth of experience in the collection and management of clinical data from my time in Oncology. I currently work with the clinical and laboratory teams and external stakeholders to design, create and deliver streamlined methods for the prospective collection of high quality clinical and sample data.

I provide Bioinformatic support for a few research groups in the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. For the most part I deal with the analysis of single cell sequencing data, storage management of such data and the deployment of data processing pipelines into HPC environments.

I have worked at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences unit since 2002 and we transferred to the University in July 2017. I have experiences of dealing with various issues in regards to Open Access, Open Science and Research Governance due to the differing funding and regulatory conditions between the University and the MRC that we must abide to. I am also Secretary of the Cambridge Library Group and have been since 2011.