Background
Dr. Yi is a professor in the Oncology department at the Lombardi Cancer Research Center. She received her undergraduate degree at Peking University in China, and received her PhD at Yale University. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, she came to Georgetown in 2011.
Involvement in Research
Dr. Yi’s lab is currently studying the mechanisms of resistance to different cancer therapies that are being clinically implemented. She uses advanced translational techniques to examine cancers present in areas such as the pancreas, lung, kidney and liver, that can survive “powerful drugs such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies.” Her lab looks at molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cell signaling to examine how cancer cells adapt to environmental and therapeutic stress.
Inspiration
Professor Yi was initially working in cell biology and developmental biology during her PhD, but realized during her postdoc that she wanted to apply her research to potentially develop therapies that can benefit patients and save lives, which she is able to do through her cancer work.
Reflection
Dr. Yi feels that one of the most rewarding parts of working with her team is that all of the researchers in her lab are open minded and adventurous, “constantly developing new techniques to answer new questions.” For her, seeing students who worked in her lab go on to pursue graduate or postgraduate studies and continue the path of scientific discovery is a major milestone, as her overall focuses are not only helping improve cancer therapies, but also mentoring future scientists.
Advice for Students
Dr. Yi strongly encourages students to get involved in research if they are able to find a field that excites them. She understands that many students feel obligated to do research, but hopes that students are truly passionate about it, which translates into any venture students dive into.