Pleased to meet you
I have a background in experimental (neuro)-biology but I am now a Data Scientist and bioinformatician with more than years of experience in the analysis and integration of multiple types of data, mostly -omics. I get a kick out of data visualization and creating plots to communicate results.
Even though it has been a while since I last donned a lab coat, My previous experience at the bench is quite useful when communicating with collaborators, be it wet lab scientist or management. I very much see my job as translating research and business goals into testable hypothesis, and ultimately interesting and novel findings. I sometimes work at the interface of machines, biology and humans as a software product owner and lead dev. I even help with experimental design (as it should be).
My academic research focus was RNA biology and regulation of gene expression, it has been a long time ago but I am still fascined by questions in those fields. Above all I have a curious mind for all sorts of data and crave challenges.
How I came to data science
I used to do a lot of pipetting. Like 96-well plate PCR ‘a lot’. Early during my postdoc, I decided that I wanted to have control over analysis of the data generated by high-throughput experiments. Mistakes happen and will always happen, but I would rather be able to detect and fix them myself and that is easier with code than with a test tube. So I started learning coding and suddenly the time spent on the computer analyzing data became longer and, despite all the frustrations compiling libraries, more enjoyable.
The pipette lost. Long live the keyboard.
Why this site?
This blog is a collection of tips, hints, and ramblings that detail my journey from qPCR and cell culture to R scripting and bedtools. A journey to the dark side from the perspective of a bench biologist. It is intended primarily as personal notes for future reference.
Food
I like eating, cooking and sharing recipes so I created a food blog: Food For the People. Most of them are paleo and low-carb inspired, but there is also a lot of traditional Portuguese cooking. Have a look and enjoy.