Abel Jansma
Currently
PhD candidate in precision medicine and theoretical physics at the University of Edinburgh. We think about higher order genetic interactions in single-cell data, and how these interactions relate to cell type and state.
- Supervisors: Chris Ponting & Ava Khamseh (Institute of Genetics and Cancer), Luigi Del Debbio (Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics)
- Slogan: The cybergenetic semantics of cell state
- Research Interests: Genetic systems biology • Causality & cybernetics • Higher-order information theory • Physics of machine learning • Category theory & universality • the Human Cell Atlas
Education
2015 - 2018
University of Amsterdam
- MSc Theoretical Physics.
Feb - Aug 2016
University of Copenhagen
- Visiting graduate student at the Niels Bohr Institute. Focused on biophysics and a research project on computational design in architecture.
2012 - 2015
University of Amsterdam
- BSc Physics and Astronomy. Graduated with honours and a minor in computational science.
Aug - Sep 2014
School of Machines, Making, and Make-Believe
- Summer school in physical computing. Led to work being exhibited in Berlin, and on festivals in the NLs and Finland.
2011 - 2012
HKU University of the Arts Utrecht
- Propedeuse in Art, Technology, and New Media Design.
Publications
A list is also available online.
Articles
2022
Higher-order in-and-outeractions reveal synergy and logical dependence beyond Shannon-information (A. Jansma, 2022)
Theses
2018
MSc Thesis
- E8 Symmetry Structures in the Ising model (A. Jansma, 2018) Under supervision of prof. Bernard Nienhuis
2016
BSc Thesis
- Chaos and Dimensionality in Wormspace (A. Jansma, 2016) Under supervision of prof. Greg Stephens
Online
2019
QuantumUniverse.nl
- Guest blog post Over vogels en vuurvliegjes (Dutch)
2019
QuantumUniverse.nl
- Guest blog post Solitonen in het zwembad (Dutch)
Code
2014
OpenProcessing.org
- Firefly synchronisation (ran by ~5k users)
- Leaf venation simulation
2013
OpenProcessing.org
- Flocking and predator simulation (ran by 16k users, forked >20 times)
Experience
Research
2018 - Present
University of Edinburgh | PhD Candidate
- Funded through the Precision Medicine programme.
- Jointly supervised by prof. Chris Ponting and dr. Ava Khamseh at the Human Genetics Unit, and prof. Luigi Del Debbio at the Particle Physics Theory group.
2017 - 2018
University of Amsterdam | Theoretical Physics dept.
- Master’s thesis on the mysterious appearance of affine Lie algebras in conformal field theories. Under supervision of prof. Bernard Nienhuis: E8 symmetry structures in the Ising model. (A. Jansma, 2018)
2015
University of Amsterdam | Biophysics dept.
- Bachelor’s thesis under supervision of prof. Greg Stephens: Mathematical chaos in the crawling behaviour of C. elegans.
2014
University of Amsterdam | Computational Science dept.
- Undergraduate research under supervision of dr. Jaap Kaandorp: Dynamics of the gene-regulatory network of an N. vectensis embryo.
Professional
2022 - Present
Ethereum Foundation | Protocol Fellow
- Modelling value flows with compositional game theory
2017 - 2018
SciPost | Information Officer
- SciPost is a completely open scientific publishing company. I helped expand the editorial board, profiling and contacting potential new editors. (Scipost.org)
2015 - 2017
ASML | Technology Scholar
- Selected as one of 25 graduates nationwide for a two-year professional development programme, focused on leadership in technology.
2017
SPUI25 | Member of the Junior Editorial Board
- Co-organised and presented monthly academic & cultural events for a broad audience. (Spui25.nl)
2016 - 2017
Mediamatic | Distiller
- Designed, built, and demonstrated a bespoke still for artistic and olfactory research. (Mediamatic.net)
2014 - 2016
Betabreak at Amsterdam Science Park | Committee member
- Co-organised and presented monthly, cross-disciplinary discussions on science and society. (Betabreak.nl)
Teaching
2015
HLZ (Hervormd Lyceum Zuid) | Substitute teacher
- High school physics and maths.
2013 - 2014
Private tutor
- I was a private tutor at the highest level of high school physics and maths.
Volunteering
2019
Computational Biology Journal Club | Co-host
- Hosted at the MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer
2017 - 2018
Anna’s Tuin en Ruigte | Beekeeper
- Beekeeper at a public permaculture garden. (AnnasTuinEnRuigte.nl)
2017
VoorleesExpress | Voorlezer
- I read books to children whose parents were not able to. (VoorleesExpress.nl)
Skills
Languages
- Dutch (native) • English (fluent) • German (fluent) • French (basic)
Programming
- Python • R • Matlab • Nextflow • Processing (Java) • Arduino (C++) • Bash/Zsh • Git
Visual
- SwiftUI • Photoshop • Grasshopper (Rhino) • After Effects • LaTeX