Portrait of Anna Kishida Thomas

Anna Kishida Thomas

Ph.D. Candidate in Mathematics · University of Pittsburgh

I build mechanistic, ODE-based models of biological systems and analyze them with dynamical systems theory, including multiple-timescale methods, geometric singular perturbation theory, and numerical bifurcation analysis. The goal is to identify which mechanisms produce an observed behavior, and to predict how the system responds when that mechanism is perturbed.

My doctoral work, advised by Jonathan E. Rubin at the University of Pittsburgh and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, develops conductance-based models of brainstem motor circuits relevant to Parkinson’s disease and deep brain stimulation. I have applied the same quantitative toolkit in drug development: population PK and exposure–response modeling at Bristol Myers Squibb, and QSP model development at Simulations Plus.

I am seeking roles in QSP, pharmacometrics, and mechanistic modeling in biotech and pharma, following completion of my Ph.D. (expected Summer 2027).

Focus areas

Education

Ph.D., Mathematics

University of Pittsburgh

2021 – expected Summer 2027
  • Thesis: Mathematical modeling of brainstem motor dynamics: delta oscillations in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease
  • Advisor: Jonathan E. Rubin. Committee: Bard Ermentrout, Chengcheng Huang, Aryn H. Gittis
  • Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC) Graduate Training Certificate

B.S. Mathematics, B.A. Computer Science

Lehigh University

2017 – 2021
  • Honors thesis: Identifiability analysis in application to mathematical modeling (advisor: M. Teboh-Ewungkem)
  • NCAA Division I Varsity Swimming & Diving

Selected honors