Kisan Thapa
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Researcher | Software Engineer

https://www.cs.umb.edu/~kisan/

Email: KisanThapa33 [AT] gmail.com

Email: Kisan [DOT] Thapa001 [AT] umb.edu

I am pursuing my PhD in Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I am a member of the Network Biology Laboratory, advised by Prof. Özgün Babur.
I am interested in developing computational methods to study biological networks. I am also interested in developing software tools to help biologists analyze their data.
Education
  1. University of Massachusetts Boston

    Boston, MA
    PhD in Computer Science

    I am PhD candidate in Computer Science at University of Massachusetts Boston. My research interest revolve around the Computational Biology, Machine Learning, and Pathway Analysis. My advisor is Prof. Ozgun Babur.

    Relevant Coursework

    Analysis of Algorithms | Object-Oriented Software Design | Machine Learning | Artificial Intelligence | Mobile Applications Development | Computer Vision | Neural Networks | Neural Network | User Interface Design | Algorithms in Bioinformatics

  2. Pokhara University

    Pokhara, Nepal
    Bachelor of Computer Engineering

    Completed my Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Pokhara University, Nepal. I graduated with a 3.8 GPA out of 4, standing as the third-highest achievement within the university.

    Dean's List Award [GPA 3.8/4, #3 Highest]

    "Achieved excellence by securing a spot on the Dean's List with an impressive 3.8 GPA out of 4, standing as the third-highest achievement within the university."

    Relevant Coursework

    Data Structure and Algorithms | Programming in C, C++, Java, Python | Database Management System | Computer Networks | Operating System | Software Engineering | Computer Architecture | Web Technologies | Computer Graphics | Microprocessor | Computer Organization and Architecture | Theory of Computation | Numerical Methods | Probability and Statistics | Discrete Mathematics

  3. Radiant Higher Secondary School

    Mahendranagar, Nepal
    Intermediate, Science and Technology

Work Experience
  1. Network Biology Lab at University of Massachusetts Boston

    Boston, MA
    Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant

    • Enhanced the Causalpath webserver through seamless integration of Newt visualization, resulting in a doubled user engagement and heightened responsiveness for intricate graphs.
    • Engineered a cutting-edge transcription factor activity prediction tool, achieving a remarkable 15x acceleration in analyses through advanced parallelization and vectorization strategies.
    • Implementated of a Python-based pipeline for the Single Cell Pathway Analysis Tool, effectively halving analysis time and facilitating swift identification of pivotal biological pathways.
    • Collaborated synergistically with fellow researchers to extract profound insights from mouse breast cancer data, offering a substantial contribution to the group's analytical pursuits.
    • Demonstrated proficiency across a spectrum of technologies including Python, Numpy, Pandas, Java, HTML, Tailwind CSS, Node JS, React JS, Django, and Rest API, ensuring seamless development and meticulous debugging.

    Leveraged Knowledge in Python, Numpy, Pandas, Java, HTML, Tailwind CSS, Node JS, React JS, Django, Rest API, Debugging

  2. EB Pearls Pvt. Ltd.

    Kathmandu, Nepal
    Software Developer

    • Crafted the mobile interface for the 'Halo' crowdfunding initiative, enabling seamless direct donations and influencing the lives of over 5000 recipients.
    • Transformed legacy Android code into industry-standard excellence, accelerating feature enhancements by over 50%.
    • Elevated user experience by optimizing the heatmap view for a million users within the Intro Dating App, leveraging the power of Google Map SDK.
    • Expertise spans Java, Kotlin, Android SDK, JUnit, Espresso, Dependency Injection, Rest API integration, AWS S3, Firebase, caching, Jira, C++, and Google Maps.
    • Committed to perpetual growth, embracing cutting-edge technologies for impactful and innovative solutions.
    • Enthusiastic problem solver, dedicated to the creation of user-centric applications that make a meaningful impact.

    Leveraged Knowledge in Java, Kotlin, Android SDK, JUnit, Espresso, DI, Rest API, AWS S3, Firebase, Caching, Jira, C++, Google Map

  3. Rooster Logic Pvt. Ltd

    Kathmandu, Nepal
    Software Engineer | Software Engineer Internship

    • Resolved 20 issues in the Sukarmi Mobile App, leading to a threefold reduction in survey completion time per user.
    • Created an issue tracking system using Android Development and Node JS server for rainwater harvesting plants for households, resulting in an 80% reduction in issue resolve time.
    • Leveraged expertise in Java, Android SDK, Node JS webserver, Javascript, Firebase, Rest API, and project management.
    • Applied skills in Java, Android SDK, Node JS webserver, and JavaScript, coupled with effective utilization of Firebase and Rest API.
    • Showcased project management excellence by optimizing processes and resolving challenges through skillful management and technological dexterity.

    Leveraged Knowledge in Java, Android SDK, Node JS webserver, Javascript, Firebase, Rest API, Project Management

Projects

CausalPath Newt Webserver

May 2022 - September 2022

CausalPath works on a set of molecular profiles and predicts the causal mechanisms that acts on the data. It integrates prior knowledge from biological pathway databases, and uses them to explain new observations. While the main focus is phosphoproteomics, CausalPath can also work on global proteomic, transcriptomic, acetylomic and methylomic profiles, and combinations of them.

Utilized: HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Node JS, Git, Chrome Dev Tools

https://github.com/PathwayAndDataAnalysis/causalpath-newt-webserver

Single Cell Trajectories Analysis

September 2022 - Ongoing

I've developed a comprehensive solution for single-cell pathway analysis:
1. Client: I built a user-friendly web app with React JS for generating, visualizing, and modifying cell trajectories.
2. Server: A robust Django-based server handles communication with real-time responses and data storage.
3. Database: I use MongoDB for data storage, ensuring data integrity.
I've also implemented a Python pipeline for efficient multi-step analysis, making pathway analysis more accessible to researchers. My goal is to advance bioinformatics and simplify complex analyses for a better understanding of cellular behavior.

Utilized: React JS, Django, MongoDB, HTML, Tailwind CSS, JavaScript, Rest API, Graph JS, Python, Git

Server GitHub: https://github.com/PathwayAndDataAnalysis/single-cell-pathway-analysis

Client GitHub: https://github.com/PathwayAndDataAnalysis/single-cell-pathway-analysis-client

Transcription Factor Prediction

February 2023 - Ongoing

Developed a new transcription factor activity prediction tool using Python, Numpy, and Pandas. I implemented parallelization in Python to work on large CSV files(more than 600 MB) and to run the analysis for each cell. This project is based on rank-based analysis.

Utilized: Python, Numpy, Pandas, Git, Jupyter Notebook, Google Colab, Vectorization, Parallelization

https://github.com/PathwayAndDataAnalysis/TF-Analysis

Personal Portfolio Website

Never Ending
https://kisanthapa.github.io/

Classification of mutated and not mutated genes using Machine Learning

Fall 2021

I built a machine-learning model to classify whether a gene is mutated or not based on its read count. As genes mutate so frequently, some mutations are harmful some are not. As we have many datasets already available about the gene mutations. So if we can detect gene is mutated or not of a patient using machine learning models, we can infer other information about the patient like suggesting a similar type of treatment to other patients who also have the same mutation. I used a dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a landmark cancer genomics program, molecularly characterized over 20,000 primary cancer and matched normal samples spanning 33 cancer types.

Utilized: Python, Tensorflow, Keras, Pandas, Numpy, Git, Jupyter Notebook, Google Colab

Source Code: https://github.com/KisanThapa/GeneMutationClassification

Project Report: https://sites.google.com/view/ml-project-report/home

Facebook Video Downloader and Video Player

It allows users to browse news feeds, friends' timelines, pages, and liked groups with an integrated browser. This app enables users to download and save videos from Facebook with a simple click, allowing for offline viewing or sharing with friends via various apps.I published it to Google Play Store.

To know more about my personal projects please visit My LinkedIn Porfile

Teaching Experience
I have been a teaching assistant for the following courses at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
CS 438/638 Applied Machine Learning - Fall 2021, Spring 2023
CS 220 Applied Discrete Mathematics - Spring 2022, Fall 2022
Research Papers
  1. "Protein Kinase Signaling Networks Driven by Oncogenic Gq/11 in Uveal Melanoma Identified by Phosphoproteomic and Bioinformatic Analyses" Michael D Onken, Petra Erdmann-Gilmore, Qiang Zhang, Kisan Thapa, Emily King, Kevin M Kaltenbronn, Sarah E Noda, Carol M Makepeace, Dennis Goldfarb, Özgün Babur, R Reid Townsend, Kendall J Blumer
    Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 22 (11)
    doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100649
  2. "A prognostic matrix code defines functional glioblastoma phenotypes and niches" Monika Vishnoi, Zeynep Dereli, Zheng Yin, Elisabeth K. Kong, Meric Kinali, Kisan Thapa, Ozgun Babur, Kyuson Yun, Nourhan Abdelfattah, Xubin Li, Behnaz Bozorgui, Robert C. Rostomily, Anil Korkut
    bioRxiv 2023.06.06.543903;
    doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.06.543903
  3. "A framework for considering prior information in network-based approaches to--omics data analysis" Julia Somers, Madeleine R Fenner, Dharani Thirumalaisamy, Garth Kong, William Yashar, Meric Kinali, Kisan Thapa, Olga Nikolova, Özgün Babur, Emek Demir
    Proteomics 23 (21-22), 2200402
    doi: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.168984016.69483308/v1
  4. "Performance of chatgpt on usmle: Unlocking the potential of large language models for ai-assisted medical education" Prabin Sharma, Kisan Thapa, Prastab Dhakal, Mala Deep Upadhaya, Santosh Adhikari, Salik Ram Khanal
    arXiv:2307.00112 [cs.CY, cs.AI] 2023.
    doi: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2307.00112
  5. "Screening Autism Spectrum Disorder in childrens using Deep Learning Approach : Evaluating the classification model of YOLOv8 by comparing with other models" Subash Gautam, Prabin Sharma, Kisan Thapa, Mala Deep Upadhaya, Dikshya Thapa, Salik Ram Khanal, Vítor Manuel de Jesus Filipe
    arXiv:2306.14300 [cs.CV, cs.AI] 2023.
    doi: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2306.14300
  6. "Towards blind user's indoor navigation: a comparative study of beacons and decawave for indoor accurate location" Prabin Sharma, Sambad Bidari, Kisan Thapa, Antonio Valente, Hugo Paredes
    doi: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1912.01499
© 2023 Kisan Thapa