Meet Dragana Vuckovic: Lecturer in Computational Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Dr Dragana Vuckovic has joined the School of Public Health as Lecturer in Computational Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

I caught up with Dr Vuckovic to find more about her and her research.

Can you tell us a bit about your research?

"I am passionate about analytical, data-driven approaches to solve problems in healthcare. My expertise is in mathematical modelling and statistics for genetics, working on very large cohorts (up to 500k participants with millions of variables each). The ultimate goal of my work is to provide robust quantitative evidence for dissecting the mechanisms of a complex trait. For example, during my Postdoc I was focused on determining the genetic components of blood traits in healthy people and in people with blood disorders. I am currently interested in the physiological process of ageing and how we can model age-related phenotypes, such as sensory impairment and the accumulation of somatic mutations in cells, to predict and prevent age-associated disease and disability. Last but not least, in my current position I aim to work on data integration problems across the exposome for example by developing new machine-learning approaches."

Where were you before joining the School of Public Health?

"I was a PostDoc at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge."

What excites you about joining Imperial and the School of Public Health?

"I am very excited about joining a vibrant environment with excellent scientists and about teaching brilliant students."

How have you/and or your work been affected by the current COVID-19 outbreak?

"I have been working from home for the past 3 months. I worked from home in the past and I quite like it, so I believe my work has not been badly affected by COVID. My husband is a doctor in intensive care, so it has been a bit scary to face the reality of severe COVID cases and the increased risk of infection for both of us. Although the situation is better now, we are still extra careful about isolating ourselves from friends and family."

What do you like to do outside of work?

"I like long walks with my dog Abby and I love to cook. I also enjoy "treasure hunting" at flea markets and car boot sales. I am passionate about reading, especially non-fiction, but I always feel like I am not reading enough!"