Professional experience

 

Researcher, PostDoc, 

German Primate Center, Sensorimotor Group of Alexander Gail,

Göttingen, Germany

12 / 2022 - present   

 

• Leading the project "Full-body actions beyond walking," collaborating with machine vision experts to develop a machine learning-based tracking system for free-roaming monkeys.

• Established robust data management and analysis infrastructure tailored to novel data types.

• Mentored students and presented research findings at international conferences.

• Conceptualised and executed an innovative experiment with freely moving rhesus macaques

• Successfully trained and recorded from rhesus macaques with 128-channel wireless electrophysiological recordings.

 

 

Researcher, PhD Student

German Primate Center, Sensorimotor Group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Gail

Göttingen, Germany

August 2018 - December 2022

 

Project 1:

• Led the project "Constructing a novel environment for freely moving rhesus macaques," advancing systems neuroscience.

• Designed and implemented an in-house camera acquisition system using Python for synchronised recordings.

• Seamlessly integrated diverse recording systems into laboratory software.

• Led a dynamic team of 7 scientists within a larger interdisciplinary group of 15 experts.

• Contributed to a large-scale scientific collaboration securing €12.5 million in funding.

• work in progress: publishing in peer-reviewed journals

 

Project 2:

• Led the project “Neural correlates of action effect anticipation” and development of a paradigm for chair-seated rhesus macaques.

• Developed a specialised software solution for touchscreens and conducted data analysis with Matlab.

• Trained rhesus macaques and conducted 256-channel electrophysiological recordings.

• Analysed data and wrote detailed written reports of research findings and conclusions

 

Project 3: 

• Led research, development, and construction of an innovative haptic device for freely moving rhesus macaques

• Designed and programmed an innovative task for a European project with €4.2 million in funding.

• Led an interdisciplinary team of 4, spanning various fields and skills.

• Trained rhesus macaques and conducted wireless neural recordings with 192 channels.

• Analysed data and wrote detailed written reports of research findings and conclusions

• work in progress: publishing in peer-reviewed journals

 

Project 4:

• Part of the interdisciplinary and European project “Deep Movement Diagnostics (DeMoDiag)” developing computer vision-based diagnostic tools for movement disorders.

• Designed a modular experimental room with synchronised cameras for precise marker-less tracking.

• Conducted a pilot study involving 13 subjects, validating the diagnostic tools.

• Utilised Python-based machine learning algorithms for data analysis.

• Analysed data and wrote detailed written reports of research findings and conclusions

• work in progress: publishing in peer-reviewed journals

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Internship

German Primate Center, Sensorimotor Group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Gail

Göttingen, Germany

October 2017 - August 2018

 

• Developed a novel method for custom-fitting and designing cranial implants used in systems neuroscience.

• Created an open-source pipeline for custom design and fitting of implants.

• Published research in a peer-reviewed journal and provided a comprehensive GitHub repository.

 

 

Quality and Project Manager

H+H Maslanka

Tuttlingen, Germany

March 2015 - September 2015

 

• Conducted quality assessment and improvement for process engineering methods.

• Gained hands-on experience in precision mechanics, soldering, and lathe work.

• Executed endurance tests and analysed results for endoscope components.

• Conducted research and testing of novel materials for endoscopy quality improvement.

 

 

Project Manager

Karl Storz Endoscopy

Tuttlingen, Germany

September 2013 - February 2014

 

• Conducted market analysis for competitive products

• Designed and executed experiments using novel materials.

 

Product Manager

Karl Storz Endoscopy

Schaffhausen, Switzerland

March 2013 - September 2013

 

• Developed an application tip for a holmium laser light guide for use in Otorhinolaryngology.

• Designed and executed experiments using novel materials.

 

 

Education

 

PhD Candidate

German Primate Center, Sensorimotor Group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Gail

Göttingen, Germany

August 2018 - December 2022

 

• Degree: Dr. rer. nat.

• Thesis Title: "Neural correlates of action effect anticipation - towards ecologically more relevant paradigms."

 

 

M.Sc. in Neuroscience

University of Oldenburg, Lab of Prof. Dr. Jutta Kretzberg

Oldenburg, Germany

October 2015 - September 2017

 

• Thesis Title: "Intracellular Recordings and Hodgkin-Huxley Model simulation of leech neurons."

 

 

B.Sc. in Medical Engineering

Hochschule Furtwangen

Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany

March 2011 - February 2015

 

• Degree: Ing.(FH)

• Thesis Title: "Development of an application tip for a holmium laser light guide for applications in Otorhinolaryngology."

 

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Computer Skills

 

• Matlab: Excellent

• Python: Good

• SciLab: Good

• C++: Basic knowledge

• Arduino: Excellent

• Microsoft Office: Excellent

• Fusion 360: Excellent

• Rhino: Very good

• SolidWorks: Very good

• ProEngineer: Basic knowledge

 

 

Languages

 

• English: Fluent in speaking and writing (C1)

• German: Fluent in speaking and writing (Native language)

• Urdu: Fluent in speaking (Native language)

• Hindi: Fluent in speaking

• Italian: Level A2

 

 

Awards

 

• DPZ “Promotionspreis 2022” for the best PhD thesis in 2022, Göttingen, Germany. https://www.dpz.eu/en/news/news/single-view/news/neurowissenschaftlerin-gewinnt-promotionspreis-des-deutschen-primatenzentrums.html

• Young Investigator Award at Neurizons Conference, Göttingen, Germany  https://www.neurizons.uni-goettingen.de/

 

 

Extracurricular Activities (more details upon request)

 

• Chair of Organization Team of the Women Career and Networks Symposium

• Team member of sub-team Finances of Women Careers and Networks Symposium

• Participant of the Margaret-Maltby Mentoring Program

• PhD Representative at the DPZ

• Member of Leibniz PhD Network

• Member of GGNB Times

• Co-Chair of Neuroscience Student Body Council at the University of Oldenburg

• Member of the Admission Committee of Master’s Program ‘Neuroscience’ at the University of Oldenburg

• Member of Career Day Neuroscience organization team at the University of Oldenburg

• Member of Department Council at University of Oldenburg

• Member of the Faculty Council at Hochschule Furtwangen

• Member of Buddy Program at Hochschule Furtwangen

• Participation at Dundee Youth Festival

• Teaching Urban Dance

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Invited and conference Talks

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• Various invited talks and conference presentations at international events (for more details please refer to corresponding website tab) 

 

 

Outreach / Science Communication

 

• Active involvement in public engagement and science communication efforts(for more details please refer to corresponding website tab) 

 

 

Publications

 

• Authored papers and conference posters in various scientific journals and conferences (for more details please refer to corresponding website tab)