Yi Ting Loo

Hello!

I am a 3rd year PhD student at MathSys II CDT,Link opens in a new window under the supervision of Prof Timothy Saunders (Warwick)Link opens in a new window, and part of the Saunders LabLink opens in a new window at the Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology (CMCB)Link opens in a new window at Warwick Medical School. My main research interests are mathematical biology and biophysical modelling. For my PhD project, I study pattern formation and cell fate acquisition during organ development, and how complex tissue shapes emerge. I study the dynamics of organ morphogenesis through modelling with PDEs or other computational methods, of a specific organoid (stem cell culture) development, cultured in a spatially constrained environment. In my research, I also work on image analysis of immunofluorescence microscopy images to obtain data for model fitting. This project is part of a wider collaboration with the Briscoe LabLink opens in a new window (Crick InstituteLink opens in a new window). As part of my PhD, I am also working on the movement and diffusion of molecules in a tortuous extracellular environment. This work is in collaboration with the Biophysical Fluorescence LaboratoryLink opens in a new window at NUS, Singapore led by Prof Thorsten WohlandLink opens in a new window.

Education

University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

MSc Mathematics of Systems (with Distinction) (Autumn 2021 - Summer 2022)
BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Physics (First Class Honours) (Autumn 2018 - Summer 2021)

Publications

Zhu S, Loo YT, Veerapathiran S, Loo TYJ, Tran BN, Teh C, Zhong J, Matsudaira P, Saunders TE, Wohland T. Receptor binding and tortuosity explain morphogen local-to-global diffusion coefficient transition. Biophys J. 2024 Jul 24:S0006-3495(24)00483-1. [BiophysicalLink opens in a new window][GitHubLink opens in a new window]

Conferences

Poster Presentation (Awarded Poster Prize) at the London Mathematical Biology ConferenceLink opens in a new window, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK (September 2024).

Attendee at the Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques (CIRM) Research Schools, Marseille, France (July 2024):
- Frontiers in Interacting Particle Systems, Aggregation-Diffusion Systems Equations and Collective Behavior.
- Mathematical Biology: Collective Behavior and Pattern Formation.

Contributed Talk at the Warwick-Cambridge Quantitative Cell Biology SymposiumLink opens in a new window, Coventry, UK (May 2024).
Poster Presentation at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Symposium, (The Mechanics of Life: From development to diseaseLink opens in a new window) at Heidelberg, Germany (April 2024).
Attendee at the Challenges and Opportunities in Physics of Life Winter SchoolLink opens in a new window at Durham University, UK (December 2023).

Teaching 24/25

Teaching assistant for fourth-year undergraduate module MA4N4 Transport Processes in Mathematical BiologyLink opens in a new window.
Teaching and marking assistant for first-year undergraduate module MA147 Mathematical Methods and Modelling 1Link opens in a new window.

Teaching 23/24

Term 1

Teaching assistant for second-year undergraduate module MA256 Introduction to Mathematical BiologyLink opens in a new window.

Marking assistant for first-year undergraduate module MA147 Mathematical Methods and Modelling 1Link opens in a new window.

Term 2

Teaching assistant for fourth-year undergraduate module MA4M9 Mathematics of Neuronal NetworksLink opens in a new window.

Teaching 22/23

Small group supervisions for first-year BSc MathStats students, modules include:

Term 1
MA140 Mathematical Analysis 1
MA138 Sets and Numbers

Term 2
MA152 Mathematical Analysis 2Link opens in a new window
MA149 Linear AlgebraLink opens in a new window

Previous Research Projects

Quantitative modelling of tissue morphogenesis using vertex models
(MSc Individual project, summer 2022)
Supervised by Prof Timothy Saunders, working in the Saunders Lab; with external collaborator Dr James Briscoe from The Francis Crick Institute.
Cyclists' cardiac conundrum:
Characterising features of athletes' heart rate data and finding the correlation with arrhythmia
(MSc Group project, spring 2022)
Supervised by Prof Colm Connaughton; and external partner Ian Green from Crickles; with group members Andrew Nugent and Jack Buckingham.
From stochastic model of single neurons to neuronal population
(BSc Final year project, autumn 2020 - spring 2021)
Supervised by Prof Magnus Richardson.
Modelling the impact of vaccination on the spread of multi-strain dengue virus in South East Asia
(URSS Project, summer 2020)
Supervised by Prof Michael Tildesley and Dr Warren Tenant.

Previous Work Experiences:

Postgraduate student project partner for WIHEA's project: Creating a 'Support the Supporter' resourceLink opens in a new window for Undergraduate Student Research (Spring 2022)
Research assistant at Global Nano NetworkLink opens in a new window (Summer 2021)
Student director of International Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR)Link opens in a new window 2021 (Autumn 2020-Autumn 2021)

Contact

Email:

yi-ting.loo@warwick.ac.uk

Offices:

D2.11, Zeeman Building
Level 3, IBRB, Gibbet Hill Campus

Skills

Programming Languages:

Proficient in Python (primary programming language), working knowledge of Julia and MATLAB.

Image Analysis Tools:

Fiji ImageJ, Paraview.

Others:

LaTeX, GitHub
Finite element solver for PDEs: FEniCS on Python.

Other Activities

Committee member (Communications Officer) of the Warwick SIAM-IMA Student ChapterLink opens in a new window (2023/24 and 2024/25).

I manage all chapter websites and social media, as well as chapter events publicity:
- Statistics, Probability, Analysis and Applied Mathematics (SPAAM) seminar seriesLink opens in a new window (weekly seminars during term)
- Applied Mathematics Postgraduate (AMP) ConferenceLink opens in a new window (8-10 July 2024) (postgraduate research conference and workshop on Communicating Research)