Erika Bongen

About Erika Bongen

I specialize in mining internal and public data to answer important biological questions for drug discovery. I use my immunology and oncology expertise to design biology-first analyses. I leverage multi-OMICs to identify and validate new targets, prioritize patient populations, and design PD biomarkers to measure the drug\'s effects on patient biology. After 5.5 years at BMS, I\'m well versed in collaborative science and navigating a matrix environment. I\'m looking for a position where I get to work closely with biologists to figure out the right question to ask and how best to ask it. When an analysis is complete, I don\'t just deliver plots and Excel spreadsheets; I interpret what the data means for our project and what we should do next. I specialize in machine learning for biological problems, where I deal with small sample sizes and multiple data types. I am strong in R and Python, with experience with SQL. I’ve worked with many data types including: bulk RNAseq, single cell RNAseq, genome sequencing, CRISPR screens, flow cytometry, CyTOF, Electronic Health Records, IHC, and gene expression microarrays.

Experience

1. Associate Director - Translational Genetics

   Empirico

   Sep 2024 — Present · San Diego, CA, US

   I use multi-omic technologies to understand the mechanism of new drug targets, select the right patient population, and identify biomarkers for clinical trials.

Education

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  Bachelor's degree

  2009 — 2013