Lei MA is a researcher at the National Biomedical Imaging Center at Peking University, and a Fellow of the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence.

Ma’s research lies at the intersection of graphics computing and artificial intelligence, with a focus on integrating these technologies with large-scale multimodal biomedical imaging and omics data. His work aims to develop a cross-scale digital life modeling system—spanning from digital cells and organs to entire digital organisms—to uncover the underlying principles of life through trans-scale simulation.

As a Berggruen Fellow, he will focus on the project “The Computing Brain: from Simulation to Understanding.” This initiative seeks to explore how brain simulation can inform a deeper understanding of intelligence in the era of AI. Through interdisciplinary salons, science communication efforts, and public engagement, the project will foster dialogues around key issues such as digital life, simulated consciousness, and the definition of intelligence?