Hello! My name is Thomas and I’m a principal operational researcher at HEOR. I’m an engineer by training, with a PhD in agent-based modelling and computational fluid dynamics. I made the jump from engineering to pharmaceutical data science and health economics in May 2021.

I have always been curious as to how things work, why things are the way they are, and how things can be improved. This translated into a passion for data and, more importantly, simulation and numerical modelling. That’s a very broad field and I’m lucky enough to be employed at a company that supports my desire to work across many different areas, hence the creation of the operational research group; something not common in the industry.

I’ve worked with Pfizer, Novo Nordisk A/S, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, amongst others.

My research interests

Professionally, I’m currently working on:

• System dynamics models for understanding system-level disease burden
• Machine learning using real world data, i.e. disease prediction or subpopulation discovery
• The derivation of risk equations from clinical trial data
• Financial forecasting for pre-trial assets for launch sequence optimisation

I also endeavour to work on personal projects over on my personal github, and I’m aiming to try and produce blogs posts for each personal project; time is never on my side though.

My background

I received my undergraduate degree (MEng) in aerospace and aeronautical engineering from the University of Leeds School of Mechanical Engineering. During this time I focussed on simulation of both structures and fluids. I wrote my dissertation on structural topology optimisation for satellite components in conjunction with Airbus Group Innovations. I then continued to study at postgraduate level within the Centre for Doctoral training in Fluid Dynamics at the University of Leeds. I originally planned to carry out my PhD in coupled fluid-structure simulations for aircraft control surfaces. However, I ended up being entirely captivated by another topic: fish. I ended up researching fish behaviour and their responses to fluid stimuli, culminating in several individual- and agent-based models of fish behaviour. My PhD thesis is available to download from the White Rose eTheses Repository. I went on to have a short stint in academia before joining HEOR in May 2021 as a senior data scientist, before I was promoted to principal data scientist in September 2022, and joining the newly formed operational research group in April 2024.