Health Sci Samar Elsheikh Job history 2021–Present Postdoctoral Research Fellow Pharmacogenetics Research Clinic, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada 2020 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Cape Town 2019–2020 Tutor African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
Academic history 2015–2019 PhD in Bioinformatics University of Cape Town 2013–2014 MSc in Mathematical Sciences University of Ghana 2012–2013 MSc in Statistics University of Khartoum 2006–2011 BSc in Statistics University of Khartoum
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Describe your job – what do you do?
What is the next thing you want to learn?
I recently joined the Pharmacogenetics Research Clinic (PGxRC) as a post-doctoral fellow in the field of bioinformatics and pharmacogenetics. I work on developing mathematical models and analysis pipelines that integrate various clinical, genetic and psychosocial characteristics to elucidate the underlying biological mechanism of depression. Specifically, my work focuses on understanding why people respond differently to antidepressants.
As I am continuing to do my postdoc for a few more years, I would like to focus more on getting additional training towards translational research in the fields of neuroscience and bioinformatics, as well as to apply my skills and new knowledge in understanding brain-related diseases. As much as I can, I am also keeping my opportunities open to both Academia and Industry careers.
Currently, I am engaged in and leading research projects that aim at developing predictive machine learning models to understand the effect of genes on antidepressant remission in late-life depression with a special consideration on understanding the effects of medical comorbidities associated with the emerging neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular changes (e.g. Dementia and Stroke) on the response to treatment.
How do you see bioinformatics evolving? The field of bioinformatics is rapidly evolving and expanding as technologies develop. The biologist now generates a tremendous amount of datasets, and therefore, new research methods and ways to deal with these data are quickly changing. To keep up with all that, one needs to continuously expand their knowledge in the field, be adaptable to this changing environment and acquire the essential computational skills and specifics