Research Fellows

Emily Wood - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Exeter with 1st class honours, where I studied the microbial trade-off between resistance towards bacteriophage and antibiotics. This project developed my interest in microbial evolution, particularly in the field of antimicrobial resistance. Subsequently, I worked towards a PhD from Exeter exploring bacterial adaptation towards antibiotics, both in the lab and the clinic.

In 2021 I joined the EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, with the aim of combining experimental and quantitative approaches to further our understanding on the development of antibiotic resistance during long-term infection. More specifically, I am interested in how we can apply genomics and data-driven research to improve infection management, particularly in cases of complex and prolonged illness.  

Evan Baker - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Evan is a statistician at the University of Exeter. He obtained an MMath degree at Exeter before going on to study for a PhD under Professor Peter Challenor and Dr Matt Eames. His PhD thesis is titled “Emulation of Stochastic Computer Models with an Application to Building Design”.

Evan’s research interests revolve around Uncertainty Quantification and how modern statistical techniques can be combined with complex numerical models to aid in decision making and scientific understanding. His PhD involved developing techniques to analyse stochastic computer models. Stochastic computer models are numerical models which are slightly random and are unlikely to produce the same simulation twice even if all input settings are kept the same. This randomness can appear often in fields such as epidemiology, ecology and sociology. His PhD also focussed on using these techniques to improve the design of buildings, taking better account of the effect of random weather and uncertain future climate. During this time he also worked with the land surface model JULES – using statistical emulation to obtain fast, high resolution, maps of plant productivity for the UK.

Going forward, Evan aims to use advanced statistical tools and numerical models to improve healthcare decision making.

Nicolas Verschueren Van Rees - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I have a background in Physics (BSc and MSc at Universidad de Chile) and a PhD in Engineering Mathematics (University of Bristol). I am broadly interested in the mathematical description of dynamical behaviours, appearing in diverse contexts such as: nonlinear optics, fluids, biology and epidemiology.

Throughout my career, I have investigated these behaviours using continuous models (partial and ordinary differential equations) and agent-based models. I also have experience working on experiments and data analysis. More details can be found here.

In my new role as a research fellow, I am looking forward to combining my expertise in dynamical systems and data analysis with my experimental skills to gain deep insight into relevant problems in healthcare.