Max Finkelstein '22

I am a graduate student interested in how the immune system responds to breast cancer development. Currently, new technologies (e.g., single cell RNA-sequencing) used to study cancer immunology produce sparse, high-dimensional datasets that require novel computational methods to interpret. My training in Math/Stat at Swarthmore has enabled me to understand the computational tools at my disposal, allowing me to identify their advantages and limitations so I may evaluate my scientific findings. A strong background in mathematics, statistics, and computation is necessary to be a good computational biologist or bioinformatician, and I am greatly appreciative of these aspects of my Swarthmore education.