Laura Portas

I am a Postdoctoral Data Science Research Associate at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM), University of Oxford.

My research focuses on the genetic and molecular determinants of complex human traits and diseases, with a particular interest in cardiometabolic health, sleep, and circadian biology. I combine large-scale genomic, wearable, and multi-omic data to investigate disease mechanisms and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Previously, I held research positions at the University of Oxford's Big Data Institute, Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, and the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), where I contributed to large-scale genetic studies of complex traits in founder populations. My work has involved genetic epidemiology, genome-wide association studies, Mendelian randomization, and integrative data analysis using large population cohorts, including UK Biobank.

Through my research, I aim to bridge data science, genomics, and population health to advance our understanding of complex diseases and support their prevention and treatment.