Cindy ZhongMajor(s): Molecular and Cell Biology
College: Eleanor Roosevelt College
UC San Diego graduation year: 2025
Which research programs/experiences have you been a part of?
What are you researching (or did you do in the past)?
I’m doing research in the cellular and molecular department at UCSD Health. The lab, under Dr. Jean Wang, focuses on DNA damage response in oncology. My independent study investigated the pathways that an essential protein was lost upon treatment with an inhibitor that interferes with lagging strand DNA replication.
Why and how did you decide to get involved in undergraduate research?
I was inspired by a high school friend involved in research at her university. I had her support and guidance when cold-emailing labs during the fall quarter of my freshman year. I think I emailed about 25 labs and got 3 interviews, which turned into 3 different offers. The one I ended up with is the one I’ve stayed with for two years now. Since then, I’ve been passionate about giving back to my community by encouraging them to be involved in research the way that my friend did for me.
What has been the most exciting/interesting thing you've discovered through the research?
The research is obviously very exciting, and it’s been an extremely valuable learning experience in terms of technical skills and knowledge in the field. But really, being involved in research has opened a lot of doors for me in terms of knowing the symposiums and conferences that happen on campus/locally, meeting new people, having the opportunity to present, and getting a better understanding of the field and career options.
What did you gain from the Undergraduate Research Hub?
From TRELS, I gained the opportunity to present my research, once at the undergraduate research conference as a 10-minute oral presentation and once as a poster presentation. Both experiences were valuable learning opportunities. While I’ve been involved with research, TRELS pushed me to consolidate everything I’ve done and understand it to a deeper level where I can educate others on my area of expertise. My project is very small in terms of the greater goal of my lab, but this opportunity allowed me to step up as a teacher, share what I’ve learned, and connect with the greater student researcher population.
What advice would you give to students starting research?
Starting research is not as daunting as it feels! The threshold for entry is very low and accessible at this university. It’s hard when you’re unsure what’s going on and what direction you want to pursue, but everyone benefits when you thrive, and there are people and resources to help you get your footing. Principle Investigators (PI - head of the lab) are willing to meet you at your level when you’re just starting because they understand where you are on your journey. Similarly, when applying for an initial research position, showing your learning agility, initiative, and willingness to learn is much more important than showing your technical knowledge. You don’t need to know everything when you start, you will not know everything, but if you’re excited to learn, someone will take a chance on you if you are brave enough to put yourself out there.
What are your future goals?
Short-term goals: Understand the opportunities that are offered in my field of study, find my direction and passion
Long-term goals: Further education after finding my niche, eventually working in the Biotechnology industry
Anything else you want to share?
I also did an internship at Eli Lilly over the summer! One of the reasons why I was a competitive candidate for their program was due to my previous research experience. Regardless of whether you plan to stay in academia, having research experience and learning how to think like a scientist is a transferable skill that set you up for success.
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