Graduate Student Assistant
University of Pittsburgh
Yu-Hao Wang, B.S., M.S., Graduate Research Assistant, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Through previous research experiences, I have accumulated extensive knowledge and skills regarding scientific investigation. My past projects not only cemented my interest in topics in microbial pathogenesis, but also acquainted me with a wide range of technical and analytical skillset necessary for my success in my proposed research project. To summarize, I participated in my first research project in 2015 when I worked with Dr. Hsing-Hao Su at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital on a project titled “Investigation into Correlation between Home Environment & Allergies”. From 2015 to 2017, I helped Dr. Su conduct survey investigations into the correlation between several potential indoor risk factors and allergies in Taiwan. In 2016, I also worked in the lab of Dr. Brian Ward at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) for a full semester, where I generated a Frog Virus 3 strain that’s capable of displaying green fluorescence on its capsid for infection tracking. From 2017 to 2018, I worked with Dr. Martin Pavelka, also at URMC, to understand the role of the protease MarP in Mycobacterium smegmatis’ peptidoglycan (PG) maintenance. In the summer of 2017, I briefly participated in a summer internship program at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica. I worked with Dr. Yen-Ping Hsueh to identify Caenorhabditis elegans mutants that displayed resistance to toxin and traps from nematode-preying fungi.
After my undergraduate graduation from the University of Rochester, I went on to work on my Master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. During my time there, I worked as a volunteer researcher in two labs. I first worked in the lab of Dr. Jun Zhu at UPenn from 2018 to 2019, where I worked on two research projects. The first project aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the formation of mixed biofilms between Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli. The second project focused on identifying strains from V. cholerae that are capable of resisting V. cholerae-killing properties of E. coli GX69 strain. From 2019 to 2020, I worked in the lab of Dr. Paul Planet at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where I studied the mechanism behind Staphylococcus aureus 502A strain’s ability to outcompete other S. aureus strains during co-infection. These experiences solidified my interest in microbial pathogenesis and motivated me to pursue a PhD in microbiology and immunology at the University of Pittsburgh. I entered the Program in Microbiology and Immunology in the Fall of 2020 and joined the lab of Dr. William DePas in the Spring of 2021. My current research focus is on nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. I am particularly interested in identifying the environmental factors that contribute to biofilm formation of a specific NTM, Mycobacterium abscessus, during infection. I am also interested in understanding how adaptation to CF sputum environment shapes the M. abscessus biofilm phenotype. Finally, I am interested in understanding the spatial arrangement and 3D structure of NTM biofilms in situ and how those factors contribute to infection. Through these studies, I aim to identify novel treatment strategies against NTM infection through forceful dispersal of NTM biofilms. Since then, I have completed my comprehensive exam and has successfully advanced to candidacy. Through a well-developed training plan, I aimed to complete my professional training as a scientist and pursue further career in research-related professions