My hometown is Vologda. Until the 9th grade, I studied at the physics and mathematics school No. 8, and then I entered a multidisciplinary lyceum. The reason for this transition was unusual—my favorite math teacher retired. Thus, my personal tragedy became a point of growth; in my despair, I decided to go through a challenging selection process and was accepted into one of the strongest educational institutions in the region.

At the lyceum, I was fortunate once again with my teachers, and despite the tradition of narrow specialization in the senior classes, I successfully participated in physics and math Olympiads, solidified my foundation in biology and chemistry, and even in the Russian language. I enjoyed mastering different disciplines and exploring the areas where they intersect. In the evenings, as a form of relaxation, I continued attending rehearsals at a classical ballet studio, which I still do now at Skoltech.
A broad coverage of natural science disciplines is my strong suit. Therefore, I chose the Faculty of Biological and Medical Physics at MIPT, even though I was accepted there with a focus on mathematics. Three years flew by in study, and in my fourth year, I chose the Department of Innovative Pharmaceuticals, Medical Technology, and Biotechnology. That’s when the word "innovation" first appeared in my life. I combined a scientific thesis on Alzheimer’s disease research with a commercial project focused on developing chips for allergy testing. In one course, I studied the stages of drug development, and in a mini-MBA course, I developed a financial model for a company. This experience was valuable for both my admission to Skoltech and my subsequent employment at Modelpharm (formerly M&S Decisions).

Since childhood, I have been interested in how our body functions and how to maintain health. I even wanted to become a pharmacist, but competitive mathematics ultimately determined the course of my main specialization in school. At the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, I chose the Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics as the most biology-focused faculty to gain knowledge that would be useful in my daily life. The Life Sciences program at Skoltech became a logical continuation of my educational trajectory.

I first learned about Skoltech in my third year at MIPT from my scientific advisor in the mass spectrometry laboratory. Along with friends, I attended an open house for the Data Sciences program, which concluded a series of in-person events that spring, and I decided that I would definitely try to apply the following year.

By my fourth year, I was certain in my desire to continue my education in the master's program at Skoltech, to experience a completely new educational environment where science and entrepreneurship are closely intertwined, and where instruction is conducted in English. My choice of the LS direction, which is close to my interests, was also influenced by my desire to continue the thesis research I began at the Institute of Biochemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Skoltech laboratory under the supervision of Professor Evgeny Nikolaev.

Having been selected in the first wave, I finally felt that I had made the right choice and wanted to experience all the opportunities that the Skoltech master's program offers, beyond just studying and research activities. The two years became a period of self-discovery for me as a specialist.
After the "innovation workshop," an introductory entrepreneurship course, I joined an innovative project focused on designing cheese starters using mass spectrometric validation and artificial intelligence. Under the guidance of Professors D. Kulishe and A. Nikolaev in the "startup workshop" course, my team applied for residency at the Skolkovo Foundation and received approval! This is how I immersed myself in startup life—brainstorming for project development, applying for funding, and participating in accelerators. And even though our work is currently on hold, I gained valuable entrepreneurial experience. Additionally, mentoring student teams in the next "innovation workshop" allowed me to view the cradle and forge of innovative projects from a different perspective and become part of the educational team.
All Skoltech master's students undergo a summer industrial internship. I received assistance in choosing a company during the Career Days, when top employers visit the institute. Various communication formats, such as lectures, booth presentations, individual consultations with resume reviews, and interview tips, help students get to know the companies better and make informed choices about internships, and possibly future jobs, as happened in my case.

My journey as a specialist can be clearly traced through Career Days. In the fall of my first year, I was choosing biotech companies for my summer internship. By spring, I had already completed a mathematical modeling school organized by Modelfarm and Simurgfarm companies, and I knew exactly where I would be interning. I missed the Career Day in the fall of my second year because at that time I was giving a plenary presentation in Pushchino, sharing the results of my summer internship at Modelfarm. By spring, I had participated in running the mathematical modeling school and continued my research as part of Skoltech’s “Short Term Project” courses. The following fall, I was enrolled in graduate school, expanding the summer internship project, whose results had already been presented at the international PAGE conference in Greece. And this spring, I represented the company at Career Day!

What attracted me to Modelfarm was the opportunity to fully apply the knowledge I gained from the numerous courses I studied at Fiztekh and Skoltech—that is, to work in my field of specialization. Among the Skoltech courses, I especially want to highlight Biostatistics taught by Professor Dmitry Pervushin. It is a very structured and rich course covering the fundamentals of statistical analysis—from exploratory data analysis and probability theory to statistical inference and modeling. Interestingly, I missed the first week of that course because I was attending the mathematical modeling school at Modelfarm, where I made my summer internship decision. Fortunately, I was able to coordinate with the professor and the academic office, caught up with the material, and completed the course with excellent results. Sometimes important events overlap in time, but overcoming such challenges leads to valuable solutions and opportunities for growth.

I am currently working as a junior research engineer at Modelpharm. The company uses mathematical modeling to provide scientific consulting and support decision-making in drug development. Modeling helps explain observed clinical patient data and predict outcomes in different scenarios. In some cases, this approach can even eliminate the need for additional clinical trials on humans and justify the choice of dosing regimens and drug applications for specific patient groups.

Under the guidance of Professor Ekaterina Khrameeva and Kirill Zhudenkov from Simurgpharm, I am analyzing survival rates in lung cancer immunotherapy. Since lung cancer is the most common type of cancer, it’s crucial to study the accumulated knowledge on its current treatment. Based on clinical trial results, I compile a database that serves as the foundation for a mathematical model. This will eventually enable us to predict survival outcomes for patient subgroups with specific characteristics.

After studying at Skoltech for three years, I feel connected to a multidisciplinary community with extensive networks not only across Russia but also internationally. The project-based nature of the academic courses allows me to dive into theory and immediately apply what I’ve learned to solve real-world problems, as well as defend the results before experts. Such projects can even evolve into a thesis or a publication. After each course, students participate in anonymous surveys about the quality and delivery of the material and vote for the best teachers and mentors. I truly appreciate this approach and strive to use feedback similarly in my own work.
The master's program curriculum not only involves scientific research on the thesis topic but also includes short-term projects unrelated to it. In my second year, this enabled me to continue a summer internship project and maintain ties with the company while simultaneously working on my thesis research in the mass spectrometry lab.

Beyond academics, research, industry experience, and entrepreneurship, Skoltech offers opportunities to explore teaching and creative talents. The winter semester is dedicated to individual study, where students can choose classes based on their interests or organize their own courses. This break from rigorous specialization helps me connect with students from other fields. The Individual Study Period concludes with a Talent Show featuring performances by student and alumni creative groups. For three years in a row, I’ve performed in ballet numbers on stage, and it’s an incredible feeling to return to a beloved hobby after several years away.

Skoltech is full of student events and organizations. From student initiation ceremonies, club fairs, Halloween and New Year’s celebrations, to talent shows, International Culture and Cuisine Night, and graduation—I have participated in these both as an attendee and as an organizer in my role as a Student Council coordinator. Themed club meetings are also held regularly at Skoltech.

I used to be the leader of the Russian language club for international students, and now I actively follow the theatre club's announcements about student discounts on tickets. Every week, the institute's news feed posts offers for internships, competitions, scientific conferences, and scholarship programs. This is incredibly helpful for navigating the opportunities available to students. That’s actually how I found out about the two scholarships I was awarded during my master’s studies—the Russian Government scholarship and the Potanin Foundation scholarship.

I continue to collaborate with the foundation to this day by participating in volunteer programs. Last year, I traveled to the Stone Forest in Khakassia, and this year I will be going to the Chikoy National Park in the Trans-Baikal region.

I want to share a thought expressed by Professor Dmitry Kulish during the intensive "Innovation Workshop" program: play until the very last second. When you think it's already too late, there's actually still time to make it. It sounds paradoxical, but for me, this motto works every time! You can apply it, for example, when applying to Skoltech's master's or doctoral programs. See you on campus!

We are Skoltech. A new type of university in Russia, established in 2011 in collaboration with MIT with the vision of being a world-leading institute of science and technology. From the zero stage, Skoltech has rapidly advanced along the way towards a top-100 young university recognized globally by Nature Index.