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Erta Beqiri

  • Alumni
  • Italy, Albania
  • 2020 PhD Clinical Neurosciences
  • Churchill College
Erta Beqiri

Erta Beqiri

  • Alumni
  • Italy, Albania
  • 2020 PhD Clinical Neurosciences
  • Churchill College

Having graduated from the medical school in Padua I just specialized in anaesthesia and intensive care residency at the University of Milan. I see research to be an integral part of my development as a clinician. For this reason I undertook a research placement at the Brain Physics Lab at Cambridge University, where I assumed duties as a local coordinator of the COGiTATE clinical trial. I got involved in several analytical projects on cerebral blood flow autoregulation (CA) monitoring and intracranial pressure waveform analysis for which I have been awarded with a scholarship by CENTER-TBI. A need for personalized medicine is increasingly acknowledged. In particular, individualized management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on continuous monitoring of CA has attracted a lot of attention in the neuro-critical care community. My PhD project will aim to improve measurement, understanding and visualisation of the dynamic profile of CA at the bedside, integrated with assessment of its determinants, ultimately facilitating better informed recommendations for individualised management of TBI potentially leading to improvement of outcome in this group of patients.

Previous Education

Universita Degli Studi di Milano Anestesia e rianimazione 2020
University of Padova Medicina e Chirurgia 2013

Paul Bergen

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2013 PhD Pathology
  • Churchill College
Paul Bergen

Paul Bergen

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2013 PhD Pathology
  • Churchill College

I work as a management consultant with a focus on healthcare, mostly in life sciences. My work uses a variety of data sources to understand customer needs and improve my client's efforts toward patient centricity in the products and services they offer. I'm a passionate believer that analytics and human-centered design should inform strategy.

I also am a leader in my firm's internal think-tank, focused on tackling big topics that impact people's healthcare. We leverage a variety of data sources and market research from around to world to study topics in public health, healthcare disruption, digital transformation, and medical development.

Previous Education

Auburn University BS Microbiology/ BA German 2012

Anais-Marie Berkes

  • Scholar
  • Germany
  • 2023 PhD Computer Science
  • Jesus College
Anais-Marie Berkes

Anais-Marie Berkes

  • Scholar
  • Germany
  • 2023 PhD Computer Science
  • Jesus College

“How can AI be used to combat climate change and save the natural world?” I first thought about this as an undergraduate computer science student, conducting research for both ETH Zurich and Cambridge. I studied AI’s role in the transition to clean energy and the adoption of distributed solar production technologies in residential housing.It is my mission to fully leverage the potential applications of AI in the fight against climate change. I will explore how the predictive capabilities, reliability, and multi-variable pattern recognition power of AI can be used to preserve and protect the natural world. My academic focus is informed by my initiatives in sustainable development, notably, employing my ongoing research into the provision of solar energy to schools in Indonesia. As a global ambassador for AI’s potential in environmental protection, I aim to aid economies in their transition into a greener future, actively participate in informing policy-making, and encourage greater cooperation between academia and industry leaders. The possible impacts and applications of my research, and its ability to inspire future generations to fight for a better world, make me incredibly excited to pursue my Ph.D.

Previous Education

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Computer Science 2023

Adam Berman

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2018 PhD Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute PhD Programme
  • Homerton College
Adam Berman

Adam Berman

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2018 PhD Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute PhD Programme
  • Homerton College

After growing up in San Antonio, Texas, I undertook my undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where I am completing a degree in computer science. During my studies at Princeton, I discovered computational biology, and began working under Professor Mona Singh. My independent work revolves around constructing a computational pipeline capable of leveraging cancer genomic and transcriptional data to identify metabolites closely associated with breast cancer. These cancer-associated metabolites, or "driver metabolites," could prove key for understanding the metabolic alterations that form a hallmark of cancer development. At the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, I aim to continue my exploration of cancer metabolism and cancer evolution. In particular, I would like to explore structural and network-based models for understanding metabolic pathways important to cancer. These two areas should greatly refine my pipeline, improving its ability to uncover driver metabolites. It is my hope that augmenting our understanding of cancer metabolism and driver metabolites will open up new venues for cancer drug development and treatment.

Previous Education

Princeton University

Bianca Berman

  • Scholar
  • United States
  • 2025 MPhil Sociology
  • Pembroke College
Bianca Berman

Bianca Berman

  • Scholar
  • United States
  • 2025 MPhil Sociology
  • Pembroke College

I attended Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where I completed a Bachelor’s in Foreign Service with a focus in International Politics and an accelerated Master’s in Security Studies. Following graduation, I gained experience in both the non-profit and private sectors researching hate crimes, misinformation and disinformation, and emerging threats to international security. Throughout my academic and professional career, I developed a particular interest in the overlap between sociology, security studies, and media studies, examining the role film can play in shaping audiences’ perceptions of social issues. Through the MPhil in Sociology of Media and Culture at Cambridge University, I aim to investigate instances in which visual media are used to exacerbate social divisions and promote hate against targeted communities, with the long-term goal of identifying strategies to effectively challenge divisive and harmful narratives.

Previous Education

Georgetown University International Politics
Georgetown University Security Studies

Vitor Bernardes Pinheiro

  • Alumni
  • Brazil
  • 2001 PhD Biochemistry
  • Churchill College
Vitor Bernardes Pinheiro

Vitor Bernardes Pinheiro

  • Alumni
  • Brazil
  • 2001 PhD Biochemistry
  • Churchill College

I am an Associate Professor at KU Leuven (Belgium) associated to the Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences and the Rega Institute for Medical Research. I am also the Vice-dean for International Affairs for the Faculty.

My group focuses on the development of novel molecular biology tools and in harnessing directed evolution approaches to study and create novel biological systems. Previously, I worked at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, first as a Career Development Fellow (2006-2009) and later promoted to Investigator Scientist (2009-2013). Throughout that period, I worked with Dr. Phillip Holliger on the directed evolution of DNA polymerases and synthetic nucleic acids. I did my PhD in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Cambridge working with Professor David Ellar on the molecular evolution of Yersinia pestis (2001 – 2006) following my undergraduate training at the University of Cambridge in Natural Sciences (Biochemistry; 1997 – 2001).

Links

https://pinheirolab.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitorpinheiro

Alexander Bernhardt

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2002 MPhil MPhil Management Studies
    2003 PhD Management Studies
  • Darwin College
Alexander Bernhardt

Alexander Bernhardt

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2002 MPhil MPhil Management Studies
    2003 PhD Management Studies
  • Darwin College

Aaron Bernstein

  • Alumni
  • United States, Canada
  • 2019 PhD Public Health and Primary Care
  • Darwin College
Aaron Bernstein

Aaron Bernstein

  • Alumni
  • United States, Canada
  • 2019 PhD Public Health and Primary Care
  • Darwin College

Oncology research has always been a passion of mine. Throughout my undergraduate study at Penn State, I made a point of exploring the full spectrum of biomedical research, from basic gene regulation work to clinical studies of chemotherapeutic toxicity. While I began in wet-bench basic and translational science, intending to work as close to the fundamental mechanisms of cancer as possible, I ultimately found that I preferred the research methodology and the universal applicability of epidemiology and biostatistics. To me, cancer risk prediction and risk stratification is the ideal fusion of genetics, clinical significance, and statistical methodology, allowing me to utilize my broad skillset to assist patients through cancer prevention, when interventions are by far the most effective. My ultimate goal is to become a physician-scientist with a specialty in oncology and a research focus on cancer epidemiology. To me, a PhD in Cambridge’s Department of Public Health and Primary Care is the perfect complement to my medical ambitions, allowing me to integrate my research directly into the clinic and help inform patient treatment around the world.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Epidemiology 2019
Pennsylvania State University Pre-Medicine 2018

Rebecca Berrens

  • Alumni
  • Germany
  • 2012 PhD Biological Science
  • Trinity College
Rebecca Berrens

Rebecca Berrens

  • Alumni
  • Germany
  • 2012 PhD Biological Science
  • Trinity College

My name is Rebecca Berrens and I am a molecular biologist studying the role of transposable elements in early mammalian development. I did my undergraduate at the University of Heidelberg. I did my Bachelor thesis at EMBL in the lab of Matthias Hentze and studied miRNAs and was fascinated by the function of these small RNAs in the cell. I then did my Master's at CSHL in Greg Hannon's lab and learned the first time that in our genome there are transposable elements which can jump in the genome. During my PhD in Wolf Reiks lab at the Babraham institute in Cambridge I studied how the genome controls transposable elements by epigenetic modifications in early development. Now as a postdoc at CRUK-CI I am studying how transposable element expression controls gene expression during cell fate decision. This study will help to unravel the intricate relationship between the selfish jumping genes and our genome.

Anne Berry

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2001 MPhil Economics
  • Wolfson College
Anne Berry

Anne Berry

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2001 MPhil Economics
  • Wolfson College

After leaving Cambridge, I went to Washington DC to work at the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House, where I worked as a staff economist, and then economist.

Sytske Besemer

  • Alumni
  • Netherlands
  • 2008 PhD Criminology
  • Jesus College
Sytske Besemer

Sytske Besemer

  • Alumni
  • Netherlands
  • 2008 PhD Criminology
  • Jesus College

Before coming to Cambridge I studied psychology and criminology in Leiden and Amsterdam. For my PhD I investigated mechanisms explaining the intergenerational transmission of violent and criminal behaviour. Why do children of criminal/aggressive parents have a higher risk of showing similar behaviour? I contrasted several explanations for this intergenerational continuity such as social learning, official bias against certain families, and the transmission of risk factors. I investigated this in England as well as in the Netherlands. By doing this I hope to contribute to knowledge about the development of aggression and criminal behaviour, which can help to design interventions against such behaviour. I am fascinated by human development of which these types of behaviour are just one part. During my post-doc at UC Berkeley I continued this line of research and also looked at the opposite: how does children's problem behavior impact on parenting practices? I then transitioned into industry as a ux researcher and after Uber and Facebook I now work at a startup called Cradle (cradle.bio), where we want to use machine learning to make it faster,easier and cheaper to design proteins.

Elvis Beytullayev

  • Alumni
  • Ukraine
  • 2001 PhD International Studies
  • Wolfson College
Elvis Beytullayev

Elvis Beytullayev

  • Alumni
  • Ukraine
  • 2001 PhD International Studies
  • Wolfson College

Ishaan Bhadoo

  • Scholar
  • India
  • 2025 PhD Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics
  • Trinity College
Ishaan Bhadoo

Ishaan Bhadoo

  • Scholar
  • India
  • 2025 PhD Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics
  • Trinity College

I was born in Meerut and completed my schooling in Delhi. I studied mathematics at the Indian Statistical Institute, where I developed a strong interest in probability theory, especially in how randomness interacts with geometry in models like percolation and random walks. I’m currently pursuing Part III of the Mathematical Tripos (MASt) at Cambridge and will soon begin a PhD in mathematics. I look forward to being part of the Gates Cambridge community.

Previous Education

Indian Statistical Institute Bangalore Mathematics
University of Cambridge Mathematics

Apoorva Bhandari

  • Alumni
  • India
  • 2008 PhD Biological Science
  • Darwin College
Apoorva Bhandari

Apoorva Bhandari

  • Alumni
  • India
  • 2008 PhD Biological Science
  • Darwin College

I am interested in understanding the architecture of the brain and how it contributes to making us the way we are. I believe that increasingly, discourses in education will be based on a science of learning rooted in our understanding of brain function. My goal is to establish a productive laboratory to pursue research in the neural mechanisms of higher cognition. I hope to build bridges with the education and EdTech community and fulfil the promise that neuroscience holds for education.

Previous Education

University of Edinburgh M.Sc. Neuroscience 2008
National Centre for Biological Science, India Biology (no degree) 2004
St. Xavier's College, Gujarat University, India B.Sc. Biochemistry 2003

Maheetha Bharadwaj

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2016 MPhil Genomic Medicine
  • Clare College
Maheetha Bharadwaj

Maheetha Bharadwaj

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2016 MPhil Genomic Medicine
  • Clare College

Passionate about delivering quality health care to all, I came to Stanford with the intention of taking up a career in health care . Pursuing a bachelor’s in biology, a master’s in biomedical informatics, and genomics research equipped me adequately to understand the role of genome mutations in disease processes. At the McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University, I searched sequencing and expression data for patterns in tumor suppressors and oncogenes that caused cancer. At Stanford, I studied translational allelic-specific expression in human lymphoblastoid cells. The complexity of our genome fascinated me, and I garnered a desire to understand ways in which genome could be modified disease processes. With increasing availability of sequencing data, it is important to gain the skills to analyze and interpret this data meaningfully for a future of genetics-driven, preventative, personalized medicine. Thus at Cambridge, I will pursue a Masters of Philosophy in Genomic Medicine exploring ways to incorporate sequencing data and technologies directly into patient care delivery. After Cambridge, I plan to do an MD/Ph.D, which will enable me to deliver health care in innovative ways to my local community and bring personalized medicine to bedside globally. Outside academics, I am the founder of Stanford Music and Medicine, an organization that recruits Stanford students to use music as a form of therapy for nursing home residents. I also work for a non-profit that develops arts-based science supplemental lesson plans for middle school students in East Palo Alto. In my free time, I love singing in the shower, hiking, and horror films.

Previous Education

Stanford University

Vaibhav Bhardwaj

  • Alumni
  • Zimbabwe
  • 2012 PhD Plant Sciences
  • Magdalene College
Vaibhav Bhardwaj

Vaibhav Bhardwaj

  • Alumni
  • Zimbabwe
  • 2012 PhD Plant Sciences
  • Magdalene College

I studied for my PhD in Cambridge from 2012-2016.

I work for Benchling as a scientist. We have developed software for Life Sciences companies involved in cutting edge biotechnology. In my role I work to develop solutions to assist in streamlining lab processes to increase efficiency of data capture and speed up the analysis of data to help drive research forward.

Shagun Bhargava

  • Scholar-elect
  • India
  • 2026 PhD Criminology
  • Peterhouse
Shagun Bhargava

Shagun Bhargava

  • Scholar-elect
  • India
  • 2026 PhD Criminology
  • Peterhouse

During my stint as a litigating lawyer in the courts of Delhi, the very first case I argued was an appeal filed by an inmate challenging the unfair denial of parole, a form of temporary prison leave in India. This, and other similar cases, exposed me to the arbitrary nature of temporary prison leave decision-making in India, an area that has received little empirical or theoretical attention. In order to explore this further, I undertook an MPhil in Criminological Research at the University of Cambridge. My master’s dissertation was the first study from India to empirically analyse socio-legal factors influencing parole decisions in Delhi. During my PhD in Criminology, I will build on my MPhil to examine how penal authorities make decisions related to furlough – another crucial form of temporary leave. My ultimate goal is to ensure that convicted prison populations are given a fair and equitable chance to stay in touch with their loved ones, which is crucial for their successful reintegration back into society. I am excited to be a part of the Gates Cambridge community and hope to further the values that it stands for with my work.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Criminological Research 2024
NALSAR University of Law Law and Social Sciences 2021

Anisha Bhat

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2015 MPhil World History
  • Downing College
Anisha Bhat

Anisha Bhat

  • Alumni
  • United States
  • 2015 MPhil World History
  • Downing College

Born in India, but raised in Chicago, I have always felt caught at the crossroads of cultures. Thus, as an undergraduate studying History at Pomona College, narratives of cross-cultural interaction and diaspora in the Indian Ocean world naturally captivated me. I curated an exhibit entitled “Navigating Culture: Islam and Encounter in the Indian Ocean World” that highlighted the historical role of Islam in exchanges between Africa and Asia. My undergraduate thesis, which I will further develop during my MPhil in World History at Cambridge, is on the Siddi people, or the African diaspora in India. My research examines the Siddi’s cultural entanglements with Europeans, Marathas, and Mughals in the period immediately preceding the colonial era. I am motivated to study the Siddi because I believe that the representation of marginalized groups in history is directly linked to the worldviews that govern their welfare today. Therefore, it is my goal to locate the voices of marginalized diasporas within the historical record, and to illustrate their often crucial role in shaping global events.

Previous Education

Pomona College