Nayonika Roy

Year in School
Junior

Major

Research Interests
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Research Mentor
Prof. Mohammed El-Kebir

Research/Engagement Experience
I'm currently doing bioinformatics research with Professor El-Kebir, and I am also a software developer in Hack4Impact UIUC, an RSO that builds technological solutions for nonprofits.

Interests
Tennis, drawing, and working out

Project Title
Infering phylogenetic trees of CT26 tumors

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
In high school, I had a strong interest in medicine and healthcare. I initially planned to major in MCB while thinking about college applications, but during my senior year I started to learn more about the applications of technology in the healthcare space. This prompted me to apply to the CS+Chem major at UIUC, starting my journey in computer science.

What social interests matter to me?
Accessibility of high-quality, inexpensive healthcare for all

What is my most impactful college experience?

These are a few of my favorite things!
I love travelling and trying new foods (especially seafood of all kinds)! Some of my favorite music artists are Glass Animals, Banks, and Jaymes Young. My favorite study spots are Everitt, CIF basement, and the IDEA labs at Grainger.

Research Description

Biography
Nayonika Roy is a junior majoring in Computer Science and Chemistry. This summer, she interned at UnitedHealth Group as a software engineer on the Data Management and Analytics team, where she designed and built data streaming platforms on Microsoft Azure to process and visualize high volumes of data in real time. Previously, she has interned at Abbott Laboratories on their Software Tools and Automations team. She is also a member of Hack4Impact, a student organization that builds software tools for nonprofits. In spring, she will continue her research in the field of bioinformatics under Professor Mohammed El-Kebir. Nayonika's primary interests lie in the intersection of technology and activism, and she hopes to use her technical skills in data engineering, artificial intelligence, and web development to improve healthcare and education systems at a global scale.