Benjamin Raphael has been appointed professor of computer science. Raphael, who received his doctorate from the University of California, San Diego, joins the faculty from Brown University, where he was an associate professor in the Computer Science Department and the Center for Computational Molecular Biology.

Raphael’s research focuses on the design of novel computational and statistical approaches to interpret biological data. He uses algorithms to detect DNA sequence variants in genome sequencing data, predict which of these variants might be associated with disease, and understand the evolutionary process that leads to cancer. He utilizes a wide variety of computational approaches, from combinatorial optimization to machine learning. He also collaborates extensively with biomedical researchers to apply the algorithms and address specific biological questions.

“My research examines how techniques from computer science, mathematics, and statistics can advance our understanding of the complex interactions that govern biological systems,” he said. “I hope to use this knowledge to more accurately diagnose and treat human disease.”

He is scheduled to begin work at Princeton on Sept. 1.