Dr. David Van Valen

Biography

David Van Valen is an Assistant Professor in Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the study of living systems and the interactions between viruses and their hosts. He utilizes insights from cell biology, physics, and machine learning to create novel measurements for better understanding these interactions. Current research directions include exploring viral decision-making and how viruses access information about their host's environment. He investigates key decision points in the viral lifecycle, particularly through the study of temperate bacteriophages utilizing functional genomics and high-throughput single-cell imaging. Furthermore, Van Valen is developing deep learning algorithms aimed at solving significant computational challenges related to modern live-cell imaging and spatial genomics experiments. His work integrates measurements of signaling and gene expression in mammalian cells, enhancing the understanding of how signaling dynamics can expand information encoding capacity within signaling networks and their implications in anti-viral responses.

Experience