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Research and Development
I am interested in complex systems. A system consists of components interacting within its boundary with the rest of the universe (environment). A complex system has an extra constraint; its properties and behaviours cannot be predicted from those of its components in isolation. They arise from intercomponent interactions in a phenomenon known as emergence.
Four important emergent behaviours are self-organisation, hysteresis, adaptation, and nonlinearity. Self-organisation means unplanned order; hysteresis means a system's state depends on its history; adaptation results in resilience despite environmental changes; nonlinearity means a systemic output is not proportional to a relevant environmental input. They are possible because of properties such as agency, heterogeneity, control loops, nested structures, and open boundaries.
Complex systems are found in many disciplines. Prominent examples include chemical plants, embryos, immune systems, tumours, nervous systems, ecosystems, stock markets, social groups, and languages. I mostly study biological systems, but I develop applications of artificial intelligence too.
Ongoing
- A theoretical study of evolutionary therapy.
- Exploring artificial intelligence and data science.
- A theoretical study of the MYCN enigma in neuroblastoma.
Completed
- Predictive in silico multiscale analytics to support cancer personalised diagnosis and prognosis, empowered by imaging biomarkers (PRIMAGE).
- Modelling neuroblastoma's clonal evolution during chemotherapy.
- Understanding neural crest development at the intracellular level.
- Development of a virtual immune system.
- Classification and clustering of paediatric cancers.
- Mathematical modelling of lymphangiogenesis.
- Earlier projects.
Advocacy
Although I identify as aracial, acultural, and agender—a global citizen without a home country—I cannot prevent people from stereotyping me as an East Asian male. My quest to understand life has taken me around the world twice, but my sense of alienation is a constant. It is the intersectional product of my first-generation immigrant background, minority ethnic background, academic nomadism, autism, social class dissonance, and to a lesser extent, my discomfort with patriarchy. Motivated by my lived experiences of being an outsider, I advocate social justice in education. An issue that concerns me above all is linguistic oppression.
Ongoing
Completed
Yoga
Since I first became a yogi in 2008, it has been a big part of my life. In January 2023, I started my 200-hour yoga teacher training with Ann-Marie Mainprize. In October 2023, 15 years after my first yoga class, I was certified by Yoga Alliance Professionals as a registered yoga teacher 200RYT. Please refer to my other website if you are interested in arranging a class with me: link.
Chess
My chess career began in 2015. It took me nine attempts to win my first rated game. In 2018, I won my first nationally rated tournament. I aim to become a FIDE master, but whether I will make it is secondary. I just need a framework within which to improve my game. My chess career is on hold and will remain so indefinitely due to my other projects.
Art
Under the pseudonym of 11250205, I attempt to communicate my inner world in the abstract expressionist tradition, so it may come as a surprise that my favourite painter is the surrealist Paul Delvaux. I lost my entire collection (last section here) when I moved house. I will paint again one day.