Iqra Ali

Iqra Ali is currently studying for a PhD in Computer Science and is part of the Center for Human-Centred Computing. Her research explores how large language models can better understand and support mental health through multimodal and multitask approaches.

What’s your thesis title?
Towards better longitudinal modeling in large language models: multimodal and multitask Perspectives

Can you summarise your research in one sentence?
My research focuses on developing large language model methods to capture the longitudinal nature of clinical and social media datasets, enabling a deeper understanding of mental health trajectories.

Why did you choose to do your doctoral research at QMUL?
Starting with a Bachelor’s in Pakistan, I went on to pursue a Master’s at NAIST in Japan, supported by a fully funded Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship, where I specialised in NLP and experienced an intensive research environment. Building on this journey, I chose to continue my doctoral studies at QMUL - drawn not only by its leading Natural Language Processing research community, interdisciplinary links with healthcare, and supervisors who are pioneers in language modeling and mental health applications - but also by my love for experiencing new cultures and engaging with the vibrant academic and cultural life at QMUL.

How does your research group support you?
Weekly one-on-one meetings with my supervisor, along with regular interactions with the team, ensure that I am progressing well in my research. Beyond that, our group provides regular reading sessions, hands-on guidance in model training, and collaborative meetings where students share their ongoing work and offer constructive feedback.

What’s a typical research day like for you?
I usually start my day with a coffee while checking emails, joining talks, or planning meetings with lab members and collaborators. The rest of my day is a mix of programming, training large language models (LLMs), participating in reading groups, and reviewing the latest research literature. The pace varies with deadlines, sometimes it’s intense as deadlines approach, and other times it’s slower, focused on model development and experiments.

What’s been your most exciting research experience so far?
I am currently organising the DS4MH special interest group at The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for AI and data science. It’s a special interest group where we explore the latest research on data science and mental health. Shameless plug but I’d love for more people to join! If it interests you, just drop me an email and I’ll add you. Expect presentations from speakers from around the world, discussions, and plenty of learning.

Any advice for anyone about to start their PhD journey?
I’m only six months into my PhD, so my biggest piece of advice is to listen to those with more experience! If you insist on taking something from me, though, I’d recommend focusing on building a routine that genuinely works for you. Finding a rhythm early, whether it’s planning experiments, reading papers, or balancing work and rest, makes the journey feel much more manageable.