Name: Yan Wu
Hometown: Montgomery, NJ
Lab: Dr. Kun Zhang
Lab website: http://genome-tech.ucsd.edu/ZhangLab/
Hobbies: Rock climbing and finding new recipes!
What do you study? One question scientists have had for a long time is how human brains got so much bigger and more connected than the brains of other animals. To answer this question, I study if there is anything different in how human brains grow and mature versus the brains of other species. We specifically look at which “genes”, are turned on or off while our brains grow, and whether there are any other parts of our DNA that help turn these genes on or off.
Why is it important? Understanding the genes that make our brains are so different from other animals can help us understand what makes humans special. It also helps scientists understand a lot of different diseases, like Schizophrenia or Autism, which might exist because of the fact that our brains are so different.
What piqued your interest in science? I grew up in town with lots of forests and one of my favorite things to do was to look on the ground for bugs and any cool little plants. A lot of science, especially a lot of my research, is just observing what’s going on in both ourselves and other species.
What do you like about being a scientist? I like being able to explore and ask lots of questions. It’s also pretty cool that when you learn new things through your research, these are things that no one knew before. Although that being said, as a scientist you’ll usually have way more questions than answers!
What are 5 general vocabulary terms someone should know going into your field of science?
Gene, DNA, RNA, Cell, Sequencing
What are 5 specific vocabulary terms someone should know about your research?
Epigenetics, Gene Regulation, Development, Cortex, Single-Cell
Here is a sneak peek!
A map of human neurons (brain cells) as they grow and become more mature