Portrait of Ellen O.

Medicine · Biophysics · Neurotechnology

Ellen Oudkerk-Sodia

Hi! I'm Ellen, an incoming medical student in Austria with a background in biophysics and two research master's degrees. My work has taken me from nanomedicine to neurotechnology, and I am passionate about bringing these fields into medicine to help shape patient-centered innovations.

Now: preparing to start medical school in Austria, following my acceptance.
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About

With foundations in physics, biophysics, nanomaterials, and neurotechnology, I approach medicine through the perspective of both research and clinical training, with a particular interest in translating engineering and scientific discoveries into meaningful advances in patient care.

Before entering medicine, my research focused on wearable neural interfaces and electrophysiology, most recently through the development and validation of an in-ear EEG system at Imperial College London. Earlier work in nanomedicine and biomechanics taught me to think across scales, from engineered materials and cellular systems to the electrical signals generated by the human body.

Observing craniotomies and spinal procedures at King's College Hospital gave these experiences a new perspective. Concepts that had once existed as data, models, and laboratory experiments became tangible in the operating theatre, where precision, decision-making, and the interpretation of biological signals directly shaped patient care. It was this intersection of engineering, neuroscience, and surgery that confirmed my desire to pursue medicine.

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Education

MRes Neurotechnology

Imperial College London
2024-2025 · Distinction

Thesis: Dry-Contact In-Ear EEG for Investigating Neural Responses to Music, supervised by Dr. Rylie Green. Modules spanned neuroscience, systems physiology and brain-machine interfaces.

MRes Nanomaterials

Imperial College London
2023-2024 · Distinction

Thesis: Development of Artificial Lipid-Based Nanogels for mRNA Delivery, supervised by Dr. Nazila Kamaly and Dr. Rüdiger Woscholski. Modules included membrane biophysics, materials chemistry, and chemistry of nanomaterials.

BSc Physics with Biophysics

King's College London
2020-2023 · First Class Honours

Thesis: Determining the Young's Moduli of Collagen Fibrils with the Winkler Foundation Model, supervised by Dr. Patrick Mesquida. Awarded the Josh Amesbury Prize 2022.

Modules included biophysics, medical physics & clinical engineering, classical physics (mechanics, electromagnetism, thermal physics), modern physics (quantum mechanics, solid state & condensed matter physics), experimental physics (incl. X-ray diffraction), mathematics, computation, optics, and nanotechnology.

American International School Vienna ('AISV')

Vienna, Austria
2017-2020

GPA: 4.1. Honors: High Honor Roll, AISV Physics Book Award.

Wilbraham and Monson Academy ('WMA')

Massachusetts, USA
Jan-May 2017

GPA: 4.0. Honors: High Honor Roll.

One-semester study abroad in Grade 9, playing basketball and tennis (Coach's Award). Also received the Toshiba ExploraVision Medical Physics Award, French Bronze Medal, and Latin Cum Laude Award during this time.

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Research Projects

In-Ear EEG

Neural interfaces
2025

Led end-to-end development of a dry-contact in-ear EEG prototype: earpiece design and 3D printing, PEDOT:PSS electrode synthesis, impedance characterisation, and human data collection (N=15) with Python-based signal analysis. Conducted a music-based study collecting EEG signals from participants listening to different string textures of a musical piece played only by a string ensemble.

Ellen presenting her MRes poster on dry-contact in-ear EEG at Imperial College London
Presenting my MRes poster on dry-contact in-ear EEG at Imperial College London.
Live EEG trace recorded from forehead electrodes in the lab
A recorded, raw EEG trace from forehead electrodes during in-lab testing.

Lipid-Based Nanogels

mRNA delivery
2024

Synthesised and formulated artificial lipid-polymer nanogels for mRNA delivery; characterised via DLS and TEM and demonstrated functional transfection. Developed artificial lipid-based nanogels and liposomes for mRNA delivery, tested on HeLa and bEnd.3 (brain) cells. Presented at ICMSN 2024 and the Imperial Drug Student Research Network Conference.

Ellen presenting her nanogel research poster at the Imperial Drug Student Research Network Conference
Presenting my poster at the Imperial Drug Student Research Network Conference, Imperial College London, 2024.
Ellen giving an oral presentation at ICMSN in Edinburgh
Delivering an oral presentation on nanolipogels for mRNA delivery to the brain at ICMSN, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2024.
Microscope image of bEnd.3 brain endothelial cells
bEnd.3 brain endothelial cells, imaged during in vitro uptake studies.

Collagen Fibril Biomechanics

AFM & modelling
2023

Determined the Young's moduli of collagen fibrils using AFM force curves and the Winkler foundation model. Published in Microscopy Today (2024) and presented at MMC 2023.

Ellen presenting her collagen fibril biomechanics poster at MMC in Manchester
Presenting the lab's collagen fibril research at MMC, Manchester, 2023, as one of the only few undergraduate presenters.

3D-Printed Hearing Aids

Medical device design
2022

Led CAD and prototyping for an ergonomic, minimalistic hearing aid concept, iterating manufacturing and materials across 3D-printing workflows.

3D-printed earpiece prototypes and ear model
Prototype earpieces, developed in a group project as part of the Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering module at King's College London.
Pitch deck slide showing the Fusion 360 tip and earpiece designs and final 3D-printed prototypes
Final design slide from our pitch deck, made in collaboration with my project partner, Tricia.

Gas-Form Medicine

Medical physics
Jan-Mar 2017

Devised a concept for a gas-form antibiotic delivery system in a group project, using sublimation and vaporisation to administer medicine by inhalation as a more comfortable and convenient alternative to oral or injectable dosing. Awarded Honorable Mention at the 2017 USA Toshiba ExploraVision Competition.

Concept design diagram of the gas-form medicine device, showing sublimation and vaporisation chambers with pill and liquid medicine inputs
Concept design for the gas-form medicine device, submitted as part of our ExploraVision entry.
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Experience

Clinical Intern

Rudolfinerhaus, Vienna
Feb 2026

One-day surgical observation under Prim. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Michael Hermann; gained insight into the diagnosis and surgical management of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroid and parathyroid carcinomas, and Graves' disease.

Surgical team in theatre at Rudolfinerhaus, Vienna
Shadowing the surgical team at Rudolfinerhaus in Vienna. I'm at the top left, taking it all in. Dr. Hermann is at the center, fully focused on the procedure.
Neck-Dissection textbook by Boban M. Erovic and Michael Hermann
Published book by Dr. Hermann, Austria's leading thyroid and parathyroid surgeon.

Neurosurgery Intern

King's College Hospital
May 2024

Observed brain and spine procedures including craniotomy, endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery, and spinal decompression. Contributed to a case report on ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure in pregnancy with Chiari malformation I.

Ellen in scrubs at the Neurosurgery Department, King's College Hospital
At the Neurosurgery Department, King's College Hospital.
A well-used copy of the Handbook of Neurosurgery
A well-used copy of the Handbook of Neurosurgery, a reference used in preparing the case report.

Research Assistant

Rakovich Group, King's College London
Jul 2023

Contributed to nanoparticle synthesis for a photodynamic cancer therapy project and assembled a benchtop microfluidics processor, working with hazardous materials under SOP and COSHH protocols.

Laboratory Intern

St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna
Jul-Sep 2022

Supported a zebrafish cardiac-marker study within a multidisciplinary cancer research team, carrying out molecular cloning, xenografting, and cell culture, and quantifying fluorescent markers to assess PFOS/PFOA responses.

Clinical Intern

Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, St. Veit/Glan
Jun-Jul 2022

Rotated across four specialties: Surgical Oncology (mastectomy, with clinic exposure to ultrasound), Endocrine Surgery (thyroidectomy), Hepato-Biliary Surgery (biliary procedures), and GI Endoscopy (gastroscopy and colonoscopy). Also attended a radiology seminar on chest X-ray interpretation.

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Volunteering

Conference Assistant

Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting, Copenhagen
Aug 2023 & 2024

Supported front-of-house, session logistics and interview coordination at the world's largest ageing conference.

Group photo of student volunteers at the ARDD conference
Volunteers at the Aging Research & Drug Discovery (ARDD) conference in Copenhagen.

A&E Department Volunteer

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Nov 2023-Mar 2024

Saturday evening shifts in the Accident & Emergency Department at St Mary's Hospital. Supported triage and patient flow by chaperoning patients, restocking clinical supplies, and upholding infection-prevention protocols.

Secretary

King's Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology Society
Sep 2022-Jun 2023

Coordinated events and networking for a leading UK synthetic biology hub featured in Nature and Synbio Alliance; created public-facing biotech posters and ran the society's weekly mailing list.

President

Bridges of Peace and Hope Zambia, AISV
Aug 2019-Apr 2020

Founded the school's chapter, which worked with the Mukwashi Trust School and helped support the Mukwashi Sanitation Project, and led fundraising for women's health and education in Zambia.

Treasurer

National Honor Society, AISV
Apr 2019-Jun 2020

Coordinated school fundraisers for the Austrian Red Cross, supporting emergency response, first aid, and patient support.

Humanitarian Volunteer

Habitat for Humanity Deutschland
Sep 2018-Apr 2020

Raised funds and helped build a home in Portugal for a family facing financial hardship after losing a family member to brain cancer, supporting their path back to housing stability.

Project Leader and Tutor

Wiener Hilfswerk
Sep 2018-Dec 2019

Launched a community drawing workshop and provided academic tutoring for underserved children, advancing health equity.

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Additional

Publications

Awards

  • Josh Amesbury Prize — Faculty-wide biophysics excellence, 2022
  • KCL Laurel Award — Volunteering, 2022
  • AISV Physics Award — High school award, 2020
  • AISV Grade 11 Faculty Award for Excellence — High school award, 2019
  • AISV Challenge Award — High school award, 2019
  • Toshiba ExploraVision Physics Award — "More Convenience and Comforts: The Gas-Form Medicine," 2017
  • High Honour Roll — High school award, 2017-2020

Skills

  • Programming — Python, MATLAB, HTML, CSS
  • Lab techniques — EEG, AFM, DLS, cell culture
  • Design — Fusion 360, 3D printing

Languages

  • English & German — Native
  • French — B1 to B2
  • Latin

Beyond the Lab

  • Rowing Coach — TopRow, London, Jan-Jul 2025. Coached stroke mechanics, boat handling and crew synchronisation.
    Ellen rowing in a coxless four
    Rowing in a coxless four at the Metropolitan Regatta, 2024. Part of Imperial College Boat Club for two years. Image taken by AllMarkOne.
  • Violin Summer School Assistant — The American International School, Vienna, Jun 2017. Facilitated rehearsals for young musicians, developing empathy, organisation, and commitment to student welfare.
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Contact

Interested in short-term research collaborations, neurotechnology and thoughtful ideas about the future of neurosurgical practice.