About

I hold a PhD in neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and have since transitioned to a data engineering role at Atorus Research Inc.!

Research Interests

  • Biotechnology
  • Clinical research & analytics
  • Translational medicine
  • Data science
  • Data visualization

Education

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD, Neuroscience
- Advisor: Jessica R. Cohen, PhD

Chapel Hill, NC
January 2024

  • Dissertation: Categorical and dimensional investigations of dynamic functional connectivity and behavior in children with and without ADHD
  • Translational Medicine Certification

Vassar College
B.A., Neuroscience and Behavior
Advisor: J. Mark Cleaveland, PhD
Research Advisor: Lori A. Newman, PhD

Poughkeepsie, NY
May 2019

Experience

Principal Data Solutions Engineer
Senior Data Solutions Engineer
Data Solutions Engineer

Atorus Research Inc.
Analytics Engineering

February 2026 - Present
February 2025 - January 2026
February 2024 - January 2025

  • Participated in the development of Open Val™, a subscription-based, validated package-delivery system for clinical trial data workflows in support of the R programming language.
  • Led a team of engineers and programmers in developing, implementing, and maintaining standardized operating procedures to ensure code quality and reproducibility.
  • Maintained a code base using software versioning tools (e.g., git) and continuous integration best practices via the Azure DevOps environment.
  • Created and maintained technical documentation, including user guides and troubleshooting manuals for software product specifications.
  • Advised clients on best practices for validation and application of statistical software in data analysis and visualization for FDA regulatory submissions.
  • Ensured open-source software adhered to CDISC standards via the Study Data Tabulation Model Implementation Guide (SDTM IG) and Analysis Data Model Implementation Guide (ADaM IG).
  • Contributed to an open-source, modularized toolbox that enables development of ADaM datasets in R: Straub B, Bundfuss S, Bearham M, Cascone A, Dahnert K, Dickinson J, Farrugia R, Gautier F, Mancini E, Miller G, Patil L, Rothstein J (2026). admiral: ADaM in R Asset Library. R package version 1.4.1, https://pharmaverse.github.io/admiral/.

Graduate Research Fellow

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Neuroscience Curriculum
Chapel Hill, NC

February 2020 - January 2024

  • Designed and implemented large-scale neuroimaging and biomarker analyses integrating fMRI, behavioral, and clinical datasets via a high-performance cluster.
  • Applied advanced statistical modeling and time-series techniques to probe the neural underpinnings of cognition in clinical populations.
  • Developed and maintained high-throughput MRI preprocessing and analysis pipelines.
  • Conducted analyses within clinical trial and translational research frameworks, linking neural network dynamics to treatment-relevant phenotypes (e.g., ADHD, Parkinson’s disease).
  • Led IRB submissions and ensured regulatory and ethical compliance for human-subjects research.
  • Authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications in high-impact neuroscience journals.
  • Secured competitive NIH funding and contributed to federal grant submissions.

Analytics Engineering Intern

Atorus Research Inc.

July 2023 - August 2023

  • Participated in the development of Open Val, a subscription-based, validated package-delivery system for clinical trial analyses in support of the R programming language.
  • Created and tested code for new statistical, machine learning, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic, genomic, and utility R packages while assisting in the creation of risk assessment processes in clinical trial analysis.
  • Implemented code using the Azure DevOps environment for continuous testing and version control.

Neuroimaging and Statistics Research Fellow

South Shore Neurologic Associates, P.C.
Research Subdivision
Patchogue, NY

December 2017 - May 2019

  • Performed statistical modeling and data visualization for clinical neurology studies.
  • Presented statistical findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Conducted comprehensive clinical interviews to support diagnostic evaluation and treatment planning for patients.

Neuroscience & Behavior Laboratory Intern
Undergraduate Research Assistant

Vassar College
Department of Neuroscience
Poughkeepsie, NY

August 2017 - May 2019

  • Collaborated with Dr. Lori A. Newman in an undergraduate laboratory research setting researching the structure and function of astrocytes and glial cells in rodent models.
  • Ensured compliance with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines in the planning and execution of non-human animal research by developing and adhering to study protocols and monitoring the laboratory group’s adherence to ethical standards.
  • Wrote data analysis and visualization scripts in R for manuscripts, posters, and presentations.

Psychological Statistics Student Intern

Vassar College
Department of Psychology
Poughkeepsie, NY

August 2017 - May 2018

  • Taught and displayed various statistical demonstrations in R, SPSS, and JASP.

Invited Lectures

R package risk assessment: Balancing programmatic and human inputs. (March 2025). PHUSE US Connect 2025: The Clinical Data Science Conference.

Brain tissue iron neurophysiology and its relationship with cognitive effects of methylphenidate-related dopaminergic modulation in children with ADHD. (April 2023). Translational Medicine Symposium.

Functional Neuroimaging in Research at UNC-CH. (November 2022). Maximizing Exposure to Biomedical Research Preview Day.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Tools for Neuroscience Research. (October 2022). Carolina Neuroscience Organization.

Certifications and Professional Trainings

General Privacy & Informational Security, HIPAA Training

Human Research Involving Data and Specimens, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative

Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Trials with Investigational Drugs, Biologics, and Devices, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative

Social and Behavioral Research Best Practices for Clinical Research, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative







Website design based on: Drew Dimmery. 2022. “Quarto for an Academic Website.” May 11, 2022. https://ddimmery.com/posts/quarto-website.