Jiali Lily Feng

In Dr. Sobol’s lab at Brown, I support a proteomics-focused DNA repair project centered on the APTX–TurboID proximity interactome under replication stress and PAR modulation. My work combines cell culture, assay planning, and sample preparation to help generate structured datasets for downstream proteomic analysis, and it has been a strong foundation for the kind of translational biomarker and method-development work I want to keep building toward. • Maintain an ES-2 cell line panel that includes one parental control and two APTX–TurboID stable clones, enabling controlled comparisons across DNA damage conditions • Built a 12-sample perturbation matrix across control, biotin, MMS, and biotin + MMS conditions to organize immunoblot, streptavidin-staining, and pulldown workflows • Track confluence, morphology, media status, and passage timing across cultures to catch issues early and reduce pre-analytical variability before formal assay work • Set stage-gated go/no-go criteria for assay progression, including sample readiness thresholds for western blot, imaging, pulldown, and planned LC-MS/MS submission • Prepare enriched proteomics samples across multiple cell lines and treatment conditions to support analysis of APTX-associated complexes under replication-stress perturbation

At In Transcription, I helped run a student organization focused on science communication and peer development. This was not a research role, but it strengthened a part of my profile that is highly relevant to translational work: turning technical material into clear, structured communication and keeping collaborative projects moving. • Helped coordinate writing projects, mentorship activities, and social media content across the chapter, with a focus on consistency, timing, and follow-through • As Chapter President, managed day-to-day organization priorities and supported collaboration across student contributors working on different communications initiatives • Contributed to a science communication environment that emphasized clarity, accessibility, and audience-aware presentation of scientific topics • Built practical experience in project coordination, cross-team communication, and organizing deliverables across recurring student-led workflows

In Dr. Barbash’s lab at Cornell, I studied genetic variation in sex determination in Drosophila, with a focus on connecting genome-wide signals to specific candidate genes. The role gave me experience across experimental design, data quality review, long-horizon research execution, and scientific presentation—work that sharpened both my wet-lab judgment and my ability to communicate complex biological findings clearly. • Designed deficiency mapping and CRISPR validation experiments to follow up on QTL results and narrow a broad genetic signal into a focused set of 13 candidate genes • Built a quality framework for replicate correlation and outlier detection across four biological replicates, helping improve confidence in downstream interpretation of complex genetic effects • Managed long-term genetic crosses and maintenance for roughly 700 parallel fly lines over six semesters, supporting experimental continuity and consistent data collection for my honors thesis • Presented genomic research at ABRCMS and the Cornell Nexus Scholar Symposium, translating technical findings into formats that were accessible to broader scientific audiences • Worked at the intersection of genetics, assay development, and pathway modeling, which strengthened my interest in translational research that links biological mechanisms to more actionable experimental strategies

Led discussion sections and office hours for an introductory genetics course. Helped students reason through inheritance problems using analogies and visual aids, developing skills in conceptual communication and adaptive teaching.

In the Pasca Di Magliano Lab, I supported research on IL33 activation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma fibroblasts during a full-time summer role. The work was especially relevant to my translational interests because it combined wet-lab assay execution with data organization and communication around experimental design, controls, and next steps. • Supported studies of IL33 activation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma fibroblasts, contributing to research in a tumor microenvironment context relevant to biomarker-driven oncology work • Designed time-course assays and performed Western blots to profile protein expression across experimental conditions • Organized results into concise data briefs that clarified assay risk, control design, and next-step priorities for the broader research effort • Worked in a wet-lab setting where careful execution, documentation, and interpretation were important for keeping experiments decision-useful • Strengthened my interest in translational biomarker work by working at the interface of assay development, biological signaling, and research communication

At Shanghai Jiao Tong University, I worked on computational microbiomics projects focused on biomarker discovery and disease prediction from high-dimensional datasets. Although this role was analytical rather than wet-lab based, it strengthened a skill set that is highly relevant to translational biomarker work: extracting signal from complex biological data, comparing methods rigorously, and presenting results in a way that supports scientific decision-making. • Built Random Forest and SVM models across plant and human microbiome datasets, using structured train-test splits and repeated cross-validation to evaluate predictive performance across different biological questions • Performed feature selection to identify candidate microbial biomarkers, including plant age-associated OTUs and an IBD-associated microbe panel for downstream interpretation • Standardized preprocessing workflows across multiple zero-threshold settings to test how feature filtering changed model performance and reproducibility • Worked with high-dimensional biological data in R and applied a methodical benchmarking approach rather than relying on a single model or preprocessing choice • Developed experience in biomarker-oriented analysis that complements my wet-lab research by helping connect biological datasets to more interpretable and decision-ready outputs

At IQVIA China, I worked on oncology market access projects focused on reimbursement strategy and payer-facing positioning. The role was more desk-based than lab-based, but it was highly relevant to how I think about translational medicine: understanding how clinical value, pricing, and evidence strategy shape whether therapies actually reach patients. • Reviewed 2021 NRDL negotiations and oncology care pathway differences to identify access drivers and support strategic recommendations for client teams • Built Excel-based annual cost and patient assistance program pricing models for three high-cost oncology products, helping frame reimbursement scenarios and budget impact discussions • Organized findings from two expert interviews to clarify negotiation priorities and strengthen the positioning of oncology assets during reimbursement cycles • Developed PowerPoint deliverables that translated complex market access data into clear, structured materials for internal and client-facing project work • Worked across policy, pricing, and evidence questions in oncology, which strengthened my interest in roles that connect scientific understanding with broader clinical and access strategy

• Researched black and odorous water bodies with a PhD of SYSU • Engaged in literature review, R graphing and correlation analysis

Honors: Dean’s List (4 semesters), A&S Nexus Scholar($7,000), Honors Program in Biological Sciences, The Einhorn Discovery Grant, A&S Undergraduate Research Funding