Prize Scholar: Abhinav Natarajan

I am a third-year DPhil student in mathematics working in topological data analysis, and I study ways to understand the geometry of data using algebraic topology and differential geometry. Topology and geometry provide a rich set of tools to understand spatial configurations and interactions, and I work on leveraging these tools in computationally tractable ways to extract interpretable quantitative features from data. 

My own research focuses on quantifying how cells of various types arrange themselves around each other in tissue samples, and more generally the spatial relationships among different categories of data points in heterogeneous datasets. Quantifying these geometric motifs can aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms at play, like the cellular interactions that are important for the diagnosis of certain diseases. The natural sciences have historically been a rich source of problems for mathematicians to work on, and in keeping with tradition, my collaborators and I have been able to further develop the mathematical theory behind the tools we use. 

My work would not be possible without the generous support of Merton College and its community, and I am grateful to be part of its long and storied history.