About Me

Hello! I am a graduate student in Dr. Zhiyuan Chen’s lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). I earned my bachelor’s degree in Plant Science and Technology in China. Inspired by my growing interest in developmental biology and driven by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, I transitioned from plant science to biomedical research.

Following my undergraduate studies, I worked as a research assistant in Dr. Pengcheng Bu’s lab at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where I assisted with gut tissue sectioning and cell culture. This experience sparked my curiosity about cellular development and led me to explore research in organoid models and early development. At Cincinnati Children’s, I rotated in Dr. Bruce Aronow’s lab, where I integrated and analyzed public single cell datasets from organoid systems, and in Dr. Takanori Takebe’s lab, where I learned to culture and differentiate human iPSCs.

Currently, I am working in Dr. Chen’s lab, focusing on understanding the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms involved in early embryonic development. I am utilizing a combination of embryo micromanipulation, gene editing, and ultra low-input next-generation sequencing (NGS) to track and study the epigenetic factors, chromatin modifications, and chromatin accessibility that drive early developmental processes, specifically the first transcriptional event of life: zygotic genome activation (ZGA).

Growing up as a fan of the Alien movie series, I have always been fascinated by how life takes shape, from a single cell into a fully functional organism. This fascination continues to drive my curiosity as I study the intricacies of early mammalian development. With my experience in both wet lab and dry lab techniques, I aim to become a developmental biologist who can integrate computational biology with experimental biology. I enjoy the inner peace that comes from benchwork, and I also appreciate how programming sharpens my logical thinking. By utilizing in vivo, in vitro, and in silico models and techniques, I aim to uncover more mysteries of early developmental processes.

I primarily speak Mandarin and English, with a bit of Japanese as well. Besides my research, I have a wide range of interests, including birdwatching, psychology, film photography, and fitness. After work, I enjoy relaxing with my cats.