Pedro Baldoni
Pedro Baldoni is a postdoctoral researcher in the Smyth Lab at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI). He travels to the Biostatistics Department to be an assistant professor. His research interests primarily involve analyzing and interpreting bulk and single-cell epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomics data. He is passionate about developing new statistical methods and creating efficient bioinformatic tools to aid researchers in data analysis. The Biostatistics Department’s rich tradition of pioneering public health methods and extensive interdisciplinary opportunities attracted Pedro to join the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on data-driven approaches, particularly in causal discovery for biomedical data and modeling infectious diseases. He looks forward to integrating his projects with ongoing departmental studies and fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, while contributing to the vibrant academic community at Pitt.
Soumik Purkayastha
Soumik Purkayastha is a native of India and is thrilled to join the department as an assistant professor after completing his MS in 2021 and PhD 2024 at the University of Michigan. The department's distinguished history of contributing to public health research and policy was a significant draw for him. During his graduate studies, Soumik worked on causal discovery for biomedical data and modeling infectious diseases. He explains he is eager to continue learning about causality by integrating his research projects with ongoing departmental studies and fostering interdisciplinary partnerships. He is also thrilled to be part of such a vibrant community of students, staff, and faculty. The warm and welcoming atmosphere he encountered here assure him of a smooth transition from graduate student to assistant professor.
Qiong Wu
Qiong Wu is a former postdoctoral researcher in the biostatistics program at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a PhD in statistics from the University of Maryland. She is joining our department as an assistant professor this fall. Her research interests span statistical modeling and inference for high-dimensional and complex structured data (such as neuroimaging and network data), multi-source data integration (including transfer learning and federated learning) in large, distributed research networks (e.g., OHDSI, PEDSnet, and OneFlorida), and causal inference using real-world data (e.g., electronic health records). The supportive atmosphere and rich opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration at the department are greatly attractive to her. She is enthusiastic about continuing her methodological pursuits driven by leveraging real-world data to address pressing scientific and clinical inquiries, collaborating on ongoing projects within the department, and contributing to the university's research goals.