2021 Graduate Studies Entrance Award
Project title: Role of BMP signaling in host responses to vibrio cholerae infection
How would you describe your research project to someone without a scientific background?
Vibrio cholerae (Vc) are toxin-producing bacteria that infect host intestines and impair its repair, causing a fatal diarrheal disease called cholera. The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is essential for maintenance of the intestinal barrier. The absence or the overactivation of BMP signaling can be problematic. We are trying to answer if Vc uses BMP signalling to block epithelial repair in infected guts which may lead to host death.
What impact do you hope this project makes once completed?
I hope this project can further our understanding of the mechanism of intestinal stem cell regeneration during Vc infections. These discoveries may help with identifying novel therapeutics to relieve or even resolve cholera diseases in humans.
How has the support from Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology helped you?
The support from the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology helps me to pursue my academic and career dreams. My career goal is doing research related to gastrointestinal pathology, as well as teaching future generations. To achieve this, I am completing my MSc in my fields of interest and will go on to complete a PhD. This award supports by personal financial needs, which allows me to focus on my research and classes.
Moreover, being selected as one of the awardees of such a competitive award is really a great honor for me. It has built up my confidence. Now I am more determined to pursue a career in research and teaching, which is my own way of giving back. Overall, this award supports my education and research to further equip me with the necessary skills, knowledge, and confidence required for my future.
What first attracted you to science?
It was when my first high school biology class introduced me to bacteria and viruses. I learned that some of these tiny creatures have developed unique strategies to evade immune defenses, while others can reside in our bodies and co-evolve with us. I was truly fascinated by the wisdom and complexity of life at the microscopic level. At that point, I knew the path that I would follow.
What has been the greatest lesson you have learned while doing your research?
Work smarter not harder. I used to do experiments from very early in the morning until the end of the day, and I could not get the results I expected. After speaking with my supervisor and lab members, I stopped my bench work, analyzed all my data, read journal articles, and revised my protocols and experimental designs. This helped me to gain a deeper understanding and develop many new thoughts about my research questions. I realized that whether your research is outstanding or not does not depend on the amount of experiments you perform, but on the analysis and thinking processes.
What is your favorite distraction or hobby?
I love detective novels and forensic science crime dramas. The part that attracts me the most is the history and motivations of criminals and victims. People are puzzles, and it is hard to understand the identity of a person. These novels and dramas show me the diversity of personalities and how complex our society is. It also teaches me to respect people from different backgrounds and understand others’ feelings and emotions.
What is a weird pet peeve you have?
Highlighting or underlining sentences in books :(. I like to keep my books clean. If I really like a sentence, I will copy it down in my notebook instead of drawing an ugly line (just my personal opinion) in the book.