I am Yiming Wan, a recent graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy from the Biomedical Engineering Department at Stony Brook University. Currently, as a postdocteral fellow, I am extending my stay at the university to further my research projects, an endeavor aimed at refining my skills and knowledge for a robust scientific career. In the near future, I plan to seek new research-oriented positions in different institutions. This move is geared towards broadening my research expertise and experience, ultimately fostering greater independence in my scientific pursuits. Pursuing a career in science has been a lifelong dream since my childhood, and I am thrilled to see this aspiration progressively coming to fruition.

Raised in a family with a robust academic environment, my parents, both of whom are professors at a leading university in China, nurtured my meticulous nature. They encouraged me to think both independently and critically, qualities that are essential in realizing my dream of becoming a biomedical scientist and making meaningful contributions to society.

My fascination with biomedical science was sparked when I learned about Dr. Shinya Yamanaka’s groundbreaking discovery, which earned him the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His pioneering work in transforming ordinary adult skin cells into stem cells opened up a realm of possibilities, particularly in understanding how various pharmaceuticals affect diseased cells. Inspired by Dr. Yamanaka’s remarkable achievement, I chose him as my role model and embarked on a journey to unravel the mysteries of biomedical science. With the encouragement and support of my parents, I pursued a major in biomedical engineering at the School of Biomedical Engineering, Southeast University, one of China’s top universities.

During my four-year undergraduate program at Southeast University (SEU), I actively engaged in numerous research projects, even taking the lead on a group project. My involvement in a molecular biology laboratory as a research assistant allowed me to collaborate closely with doctoral students on their projects. These projects primarily focused on areas such as microRNA Interference, Argonaute protein genome editing, Nanopore High-throughput DNA sequencing, and Tumor Angiogenesis. Many of these projects yielded intriguing results, and some are still ongoing. This extensive period of training and hands-on experience equipped me with a wealth of experimental skills. More importantly, it taught me how to generate research ideas and delve deeply into them, sharpening my abilities in both conceptualization and detailed investigation.

My dedication and hard work during my undergraduate studies did not go unnoticed, as they were recognized by the Biomedical Engineering Department at Stony Brook University, as well as many other prestigious Universities and Institutions. This recognition has afforded me the opportunity to delve deeper into biomedical challenges under the mentorship of distinguished professors and scientists at the university. As a Ph.D. student, I joined Dr. Balazsi’s lab, where I embarked on a project focused on cell engineering and cancer metastasis.

In my role as a Ph.D. candidate within the Department of Biomedical Engineering, my dissertation research was centered on unraveling the phenotypic landscapes of the crucial transcriptional factor BACH1, particularly in the context of triple-negative breast cancer. Utilizing robust and quantitative synthetic biological approaches, my work shed new light on BACH1’s roles, offering valuable insights that pave the way for further research and clinical advancements in this field.

After five years of dedicated scientific exploration and training under the mentorship of Dr. Balazsi, I successfully defended my thesis research in May 2023. I am also immensely honored to have been selected as one of the recipients of the President’s Award for Distinguished Doctoral Students. This accolade is not only the highest honor I have received as a student researcher, but also a significant source of encouragement, motivating me to further pursue my scientific career with even greater passion and commitment.

“William Shakespeare said: Books are the nutrient of the whole world, and a life without books is like a life without sunlight” which I have heard from my parents ever since I began to remember things. Because of my parents’ care and suggestion, I have developed a habit of reading books. As I am growing up, I increasingly love reading very much, which enhances my horizons, makes me more mature and confident, and allows me to think critically and innovatively.

Among all the kinds of books I have read, I love biography and history books most, because it provides valuable lessons and professional development wisdom, hones thoughts, and improves self-cultivation. Specifically, biography books not only help me to discover ideas and approaches through the stories and experiences of others, but also become my mentors at distance, from which I have the chance to think about what advice they might give me and what they might do in the situation I am facing. In history books I am able to not only inspired from historical events and legends for a better and satisfied life, but also cultivate different ways of thinking. I always consider things more carefully and rationally, rather than jump into a conclusion without deep thinking, leading to my effective communication with others. What’s more, I am used to concentrating on the essence and source of things. Usually, the more I dig, the more I open my eyes and the further I can see. Investigating theories behind biological phenomena is extremely attractive to me, this is one reason that I choose to study biomedical engineering and related fields.

Due to the maturity and knowledge gained from the books, I have made myself as a peer teacher since middle school to help my classmates both in study and in life. More importantly, I am willing to communicate and make friends, and help others as well, because being helpful always brings me to a deep fulfillment and immense satisfaction. In my sophomore year, I, as the teaching assistant of the Advanced Mathematics course, not only mentored the students in their studies, but also gave them advice when they had problems and troubles in life. They told me that they were benefit a lot from our conversations, and we have built good relationships. Even now, they always asked me for advice. I feel very proud since my suggestion can help them.