Hello! I am a PhD candidate at Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Science in Olga Vitek’s lab, where I develop computational methods for analyzing complex biological data. My primary focus is mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics, but my work also spans RNA-seq analysis and multi-omics integration to better understand biological systems.

I specialize in applying and extending statistical and computational techniques for quantitative proteomics, and I am one of the lead developers of the MSstats family of R packages. I have created multiple extensions, including MSstatsPTM and MSstatsLiP, as well as the R Shiny-based GUI MSstatsShiny to make these methods more accessible to the community.

Beyond statistical modeling, I work on causal inference approaches for predicting the effects of perturbations in biochemical systems, integrating prior biological knowledge with observational data. This research bridges mass spectrometry and transcriptomics, enabling more holistic insights into molecular mechanisms. I have presented this work at ASMS Asilomar 2023, US HUPO 2023, and HUPO 2024.

Background

I grew up on Nantucket, Massachusetts, and have spent most of my life in the state. I earned my undergraduate degree in Economics from Union College in Schenectady, NY. After graduation, I began my professional career in the Boston area as a data analyst and engineer at the digital marketing company Cybba Inc., where I built and maintained data pipelines and analytical models.

Driven by my interest in data science and machine learning, I returned to Northeastern University to strengthen my computational and statistical skills. I completed my Master’s in Data Science in December 2020 with a 4.0 GPA and officially began my PhD in September 2021.

Outside of research, I’m passionate about the outdoors, including surfing and snowboarding whenever I can. Check out the photos tab!

Contact

Please get in touch with me by email at kohler.d@northeastern.edu