Regular biography
Dr Elma Akand is a Research Associate in the School of Mathematics & Statistics at The University of New South Wales, affiliated with the MATH department. Her research interests include applied mathematics, machine learning, and bioinformatics. Dr Akand has contributed to various publications in journals such as the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Plos One, and BMC Bioinformatics, focusing on topics like SARS-CoV-2 transmission, HIV envelope sequences, and influenza virus evolution. Her work explores the intersection of computational methods and biological systems, with an emphasis on data-driven analysis and modeling.
Scholar-generated biography
Elma Akand's research focuses on data science, bioinformatics, and the application of machine learning to study viral evolution, particularly HIV and the flu virus. Her work explores the use of phylogenetic and mass spectrometry-based approaches to analyze mutations and antiviral resistance in influenza and SARS-CoV-2. She also investigates the molecular characteristics of viral quasispecies and their impact on transmission. Additionally, her research integrates gene ontology and formal concept analysis to enhance feature construction in biological data. Her studies aim to improve understanding of viral evolution and transmission networks, with applications in public health and contact tracing.