5 Questions With Divy Kangeyan, Principal Data Scientist, Clindata Insight, Inc.
Divy Kangeyan, PhD is an Ambassador of Buzz and passionate about expanding knowledge in genomics to understand diseases (cancer specifically) and developmental processes and applying them to clinical settings. Dig in more with his 5 Questions With.
March 4, 2024
| This article is part of our 5 Questions With series, one of our ongoing People & Places Features. We love it because despite the consistent questioning, the answers are all unique. Be sure to FOLLOW us on LinkedIn to tell us what you think. |
1. What did you want to be when you grow up? How’d you get from there to here?
I was born in Sri Lanka and lived there until I finished schooling. It is a small island nation with a rich history. I was fond of stories and history felt like a bunch of stories, so I thought about becoming a historian. Then, when I visited the ancient sites in Sri Lanka and saw the archaeological work that seemed more interesting where you essentially write those stories, so I wanted to go into archaeology.
During my schooling, science, and math came naturally to me, leading my path down the sciences. I did my undergrad in engineering, and through a summer research project, I learned about the field of biostatistics. Eventually I did my PhD in biostatistics and here I am applying my statistics and data science in the field of life sciences.
Although I am in the field of sciences, I was able to conduct some projects that involved my childhood passion for history and archaeology. I worked on a project as a grad student with 1000 Genomes Project Data, which contained genetic variant information of multiple human populations across the world. We explored how rare variants describe recent changes in human history. This project gave me the realization of how our genome is one of the well-persevered records of our history as a species and connected my childhood aspiration with my current interest!
2. How are you helping to build a more connected community?
BioBuzz’s mission is simple: to be more connected. Our regionally-focused storytelling, programs, events and experiences create, connect and amplify impact across the life science workforce in growing biohubs. We vibe with people who value community and connection like us. We’d love for you to share how you’re building a more connected community… and any support that you need from our community to continue to accomplish this mission.
I am a relatively recent transplant to the DMV area, and I am still learning the lay of the land here. Last year I joined the BioBuzz Ambassador program, and it has been a fantastic journey so far. I have attended several in-person events and met fellow ambassadors. I also refer BioBuzz to those who are interested in the Biotech/pharma space in the DMV area.
This past November I wrote an article on AI Regulations in Life Sciences for BioBuzz, and I am planning to write more pieces and provide thought leadership in the future. Last September I had the opportunity to attend the Biohealth Capital Region’s summit and plan to attend more in-person events.
In addition to BioBuzz, I have also become part of alumni groups and professional organizations in the area. It is always great to see members from various shared groups.
3. What are currently buzzing about? Anything and everything…
As I mentioned previously, I am looking forward to providing some thought leadership in BioBuzz and have some interesting ideas for some pieces, so keep your eyes peeled for them.
I was traveling through El Salvador and Guatemala during the holiday break, and it was such a fun trip; I learned a lot about those countries, enjoyed their food, and meeting great people there. It was fascinating to see how the situation turned around in El Salvador in the past five years and their open embrace of cryptocurrency. I took a 3-day hike through the Guatemalan Highlands, and that was a great way for me to immerse in nature and enjoy some digital detox.
This year, I am also looking forward to attending workshops and conferences on the application of AI / ML in various aspects of life sciences, including clinical trials.
4. If you could travel back in time – what early career advice would you give yourself?
I am still early in my career and I believe I still have a lot to learn from many people.
However, there is certainly some wisdom that I have gathered over time. One of them is always having a good record of what you have accomplished in your career, the more detail the better. I used to think that I can remember things when it is required, but unfortunately, it is not the case for most of us. Even if you have a great memory, it is helpful to have a record of what you have done. These days I have started taking notes on important meetings, project summaries, and objectives for a year/quarter etc. There are some great modern tools such as OneNote, Confluence etc. for taking good notes. Your brain will certainly thank you for it (my inner historian wants to emphasize this point very much!).
Secondly, I would say try to take the path less traveled in your career. I have always felt a sense of accomplishment when I chose the harder option compared to the easier one. In the short term, it might not feel great, but in the long run, I have gained a lot more enriching experience.
5. FUN question. Talk data to me! What number best represents you?
My ears always perk up when people talk numbers during conversations. I idolized mathematicians like Srinivasa Ramanujan, who others described as being the personal friend of every positive integer. Every number has a beauty to it in my opinion, since I was born on the 2nd I will say 2 is a number that represents me well. It has so many cool properties, one of them being the only even prime number. It also represents duality (which is an important feature in many religions and philosophical concepts) and I feel that I have that dual mentality. For example, I consider myself a scientist, but I also have that artist in me that emerges when needed. I was mostly an introvert growing up, but after moving to the U.S. I had to become extroverted to find better opportunities and build connections. Now I go back and forth between being an introvert and an extrovert. I guess those are just two examples of the duality that I see in myself!
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