Yiyang Hou, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

Student’s Name: Yiyang Hou
Year of Study: 3
Undergraduate Department: Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
Country of Residence: Canada

Why Temerty Faculty of Medicine:
UofT’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine is a place with many innovative research opportunities that focus on real-life health problems and trying to come up with novel treatments and therapies. We have very diverse research topics that provide students with many different opportunities. As an undergraduate student, I can involve in research in different fields that can help me choose my research interest and choose a career that I enjoy the most.

Why this Department:
LMP department offers a specialist program that focuses on many diseases and their underlying mechanism, which attracts me when I am choosing the program. The program is small and competitive and we have a high faculty-to-student ratio, which I can get involve in more opportunities and get to know diverse ongoing research projects. The courses are designed not only to teach students with all different kinds of diseases but also the scientific research method that could be applied to our future research. I can gain valuable experiences in the program.

Current Research Experience:
I am participating in the LMP SURE program and currently working at the Girardin lab in the LMP Department. I am studying the integrated stress response pathway, investigating the role of different proteins plays in the pathway to help with future therapy, by using a variety of methods, like the luciferase assay, Western blot, etc.

Future Education Plans and/or Career Goals:
After getting my bachelor's degree, I plan to enroll in a graduate program in the field of medicine, either clinical or research-based. I would like to do as much as possible to help the patients, come up with new therapy ad make their life easier.