1. What is the focus of your research? 

We always say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Our eyes are indeed our life-long partners that play a very important role in every second of our daily life. Unfortunately, some people suffer from chronic ocular diseases that currently have no effective therapeutics and struggle with the discomfort daily. My position in CEVR allows me to make full use of the skills I honed during my Ph.D. and to apply them to the field of eye research. It is my pleasure that CEVR let me have the opportunity to help find novel cures for patients to regain their “soulful vision”.

2. What do you wish to achieve in your research at CEVR?

In the current CEVR project, I am working on a novel drug delivery system for treating dry eye disease. As I am specialized in utilizing the high throughput multi-omic platforms, I play a role as a discovery scientist, who is responsible for the screening of novel protein biomarkers and therapeutic targets from big data. With the aid of advanced bioinformatic tools, I can study thousands of proteins at the same time and identify functionally and quantitatively distinctive targets. Interestingly, the inability of a drug to pass through the front of the eye is the toughest problem for ocular drug development. My research project will address this fundamental issue to enhance the efficacy of future ocular drugs.

3.What’s the biggest misconception about being a research student in science?

Many people may think that research students in science are usually nerds hiding in the laboratory and bad at communication. In fact, research students generally have strong communication skills and a clear mind. They are capable of explaining their works clearly and answering questions precisely.

4.What would surprise people about working in science?

A surprising fact is that the scientific research environment can be as competitive as the world of commerce. We must keep up to date with new discoveries in the field and make sure that we are not repeating something that has already been done. We also need to publish/ patent our works as soon as possible to secure inventorship and originality. This is because other teams from all over the world might also come up with similar ideas for their research. If you lag behind, the impact of your research is reduced. 

5. What does it take to be a researcher in sciences?

The most essential thing is having curiosity and passion for embracing the unknown. In the field of science, there are many unsolved questions for the pioneers to explore. Although a good result is not guaranteed, knowing how to learn from failure and keep the passion burning are a must for being a researcher. I am glad to have had this bittersweet journey.