Issac Emmanuel Goh Kai’en is a Staff PhD candidate in Bioinformatics and developmental biology, and visiting scientist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. He uses his experience in biology and engineering to analyse single cell transcriptomic, proteomic, epigenetic and spatial data from key lymphoid organ systems in the developing human fetus. The study aims to reconcile multi-omic suspension and spatial data to better model in-silico, key events in the developing human fetus as part of the Developmental Cell Atlas. Capitalising on these in-silico models, the study also aims to create advanced in-vitro organ-on-chip models to better recapitulate lymphoid organogenesis in the developing human.

Issac has a 1st Class BsC Biomedical sciences degree from Newcastle University, and an Advanced diploma in Bioengineering, Singapore Polytechnic. He was a co-author on the 2019 Developmental cell atlas paper “Decoding human fetal liver haematopoiesis” and the Human cell atlas paper “A cell atlas of human thymic development defines T cell repertoire formation” published in Nature and Science respectively. In addition to designing several analysis tools including for single cell regulatory pathway module prediction and enrichment, he has developed and maintained several data exploration tools hosted on the Haniffa Lab data portals.

Issac was also actively involved in both the 3Dcrowd and the GetPPE initiatives, utilising engineering and design skills to 3D print and manufacture PPE for front-line NHS staff during the height of the 2020 pandemic. The GetPPE initiative was awarded the dynamo north east award for “Project of the year”.

In his spare time, Issac enjoys desigining open-source, 3D printable hardware for laboratory use, Muay thai and scuba diving.