I am a professor in the Department of Computer Science with a joint appointment between the Department of Computer Science and the College of Sciences to support the Bioinformatics Research Center (BRC) at NCSU. I studied mathematics and biology at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. I received my Ph.D. while working at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) under the supervision of Martin Vingron and Joerg Hoheisel. After postdoctoral research with Pavel Pevzner at UCSD, I joined NCSU in 2003. My research interests include data-driven storytelling, algorithm design and nature-inspired computation, gene transcription, alternative splicing, and translation.

Honors and Awards

• Carol Miller Graduate Lecturer Award – 2018 and 2013
• Thank a Teacher Recognition Letter – Fall 2016 (2 nominations), Spring 2015 (3 nominations), Fall 2014, Fall 2013, Spring 2013
• IBM faculty award, 2008
• One of the “RASS” Top Ten Papers Advancing the Science of Risk Assessment, 2007
• Best Paper Award, ACMSE, 2007
• Faculty Research and Professional Development Award, NCSU, 2006
• Travel Award, ISCB, 2002
• Best Poster Award, DKFZ Poster Presentation, 2000
• Diploma passed with distinction, 1995
• Baccalaureate exam passed with distinction, 1987
• 1st Place, Baden-Wuerttemberg Mathematics Contest, 1986