Zahara
I am a Research Associate at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. In my work, I try to close the gap between state-of-the-art ML/AI models and translational neuroscience for clinical applications. My aim is to develop advanced personalised diagnostic tools to support early and precise diagnosis, as well as supporting prognostic decision-making.
My current work focuses on developing multimodal foundation models: AI models trained on large amounts of data that can then be adapted to a range of different clinical applications. I also work on the QMIN-MC project, which allows us to validate our models on real-world clinical data — essential for bringing these models into the clinic.
Cross-disciplinary work is in my genes. After training as a theoretical physicist and completing my PhD on models of modified gravity, I continued my research career in computational neuroscience, working across a wide range of topics with the aim of understanding how information is processed in the brain at different scales. Without leaving aside my fascination with the cosmos and the brain, in recent years I have been swept up by the tsunami that AI development has brought to different domains of our society. I am particularly fascinated by how AI systems can revolutionise brain and mental health, and how they can be deployed for diagnostic and treatment equity.
When I’m not at my desk, I enjoy outdoor sports and nature the most. When I can let go, I also enjoy returning to some of the rabbit holes I encountered as a physicist, reading about the latest advances in understanding the nature of time and the different interpretations of quantum mechanics.