Kimmen Sjölander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kimmen Sjölander
|
|
|---|---|
| Alma mater | University of California |
| Known for | Protein Synthesis Analysis |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of California, Berkeley |
Kimmen Sjölander is a smart scientist who used to teach at the University of California, Berkeley. She is famous for her work on understanding how proteins are put together and how they work.
Contents
About Kimmen Sjölander
Kimmen Sjölander studied computer science at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She earned her first degree in 1993. Then, she got her PhD in 1997. A PhD is a very high university degree. Her teacher was David Haussler.
After college, Dr. Sjölander worked at a company called Molecular Applications Group. This was from 1997 to 1999. She was the main scientist there. Later, she joined Celera Genomics from 1999 to 2001. At Celera, she was part of a special team. This team helped put together the entire Human Genome. The Human Genome is like a complete instruction book for humans.
In 2001, Dr. Sjölander became a professor. She taught at the University of California, Berkeley. She taught in the Bioengineering Department. She became a full professor in 2012.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Sjölander received some important awards. In 2003, she got the NSF CAREER Award. She also received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. These awards recognize young scientists who are doing amazing work.
What Kimmen Sjölander Researches
Dr. Sjölander is best known for her work on how to study protein sequences. Proteins are the building blocks of life. Her research uses special computer methods. These methods help scientists understand proteins better.
Understanding Proteins with Computers
She uses methods like "machine learning." This is when computers learn from data. It helps predict where important parts are on a protein. It also helps find "orthologs." These are similar proteins found in different living things.
She also uses "hidden Markov models" (HMMs). These are mathematical tools. They help predict a protein's shape. They can also group proteins into families. Her methods help find proteins that are very similar. They also help line up protein sequences. This helps build "phylogenetic trees." These trees show how different living things are related.
Impact of Her Research
Her computer programs were very important. They helped understand the human genome at Celera Genomics. Her work also contributed to important science databases. These include the PhyloFacts and ModBase databases. These databases help scientists around the world.
Family Life
Kimmen Sjölander has a twin sister. Her sister's name is Tandy Warnow. Tandy is also a professor. She teaches computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign.
