Ina Pöhner

Early during my scientific career, I focused on studying protein-protein interactions by computational methods. During my PhD, I shifted my focus to protein-small molecule interactions and their modulation in the context of computer-aided drug design for neglected tropical diseases. As a passionate Linux-user and administrator, I moved on to dive into aspects of scientific databases, data management, biocuration, and FAIR data (data that is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

My research at UEF finally connects all the dots: I currently study various anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-protozoal, and anti-cancer targets, utilizing powerful combinations of computer-aided drug discovery and modeling techniques, programming, databases, and artificial intelligence (AI). My research focuses primarily on data-intensive drug discovery problems and the application of AI in drug discovery pipelines. For example, my recent projects involved several semi-automated modeling and docking studies for hundreds of target candidates drawn from Omics-level datasets and AI-accelerated billion-scale virtual screening efforts.

Given its data-intensive nature, my research heavily relies on high-performance computing resources and the Finnish supercomputers hosted by CSC – IT Center for Science. As a CSC Scientific Computing Ambassador for UEF, I act as a bridge between UEF’s researchers and CSC experts and aim to support other UEFians in making the most of CSC’s services and resources – Whether you would like to learn more about how you can utilize CSC super- and cloud computing resources in your research, get support for data management, or join some of the various courses and training opportunities offered by CSC, feel free to reach out!