Dharmesh Bhuva
PhD student

Describe your job: I look for patterns in large datasets that help us to better understand how the normal regulation of cells breaks down in cancer. My results often include information about thousands of genes across thousands of samples, so I invest a lot of time creating visualisations to help clarify what I have found - which is why my friends and family think all I do is make “pretty pictures.”

Why do you enjoy what you do? The complexity of large biomedical datasets is scary yet fascinating. I love analysing, visualising and summarising data in a way that allows efficient communication and motivates further discovery.

What is your favourite thing about the Institute’s culture? The support that the Institute gives to some of the key issues in our society such as gender equity and supporting the Indigenous people of Australia. I feel proud to study at such an accepting organisation.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?  I am Kenyan and I can speak Swahili, which means I can say more than “Hakuna Matata”. I have Indian heritage but have lived in Kenya all my life.

What advice would you give to a younger you? Keep going the way you are.

What was your professional highlight of 2018? I published my first ‘first-authored paper’ and its accompanying software package which has been downloaded 500 times so far. I guess the professional highlight in that sense would be making my first major contribution to science.

What do you want to be remembered for? Being helpful to others and, of course, my sense of humour.