Serena Zhao

Harvard College Class of 2024, Biomedical Engineering

Serena Zhao is a student in the class of 2024 at Harvard College, studying biomedical engineering as a pre-medical student. Hailing from a family of doctors and engineers, she is passionate about science, medicine, education, technology, innovation, and - most importantly - helping others. In high school, Serena was heavily involved in science research, conducting experiments in fields ranging from pollution remediation to cancer genetics and receiving national recognition for her work to produce a plant-based activated carbon capable of removing aqueous dye pollutants. As she entered college, she became interested in translating scientific innovations into impactful products for the public, joining BrainMind to learn about scientific entrepreneurship. At Harvard, she conducts synthetic biology research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, building gene circuits that are able to sense transcription factors implicated in various cancers. She also serves as Associate Editor for the Harvard Undergraduate Research Journal and a volunteer tutor for the Harvard PBHA Chinatown ESL Program, where she teaches English to Chinese elders in Boston. Dedicated to giving back to the community, she is building a non-profit organization aiming to provide inexpensive college application mentorship to raise funds for educational charities. In the future, she hopes to enter the world of medicine and biotechnology with an M.D./Ph.D..

Accomplishments on the ASPT:

  • Led research and drafting of a regenerative medicine opinion paper, aimed towards journal publication

  • Helped RegenMed Systems identify 200+ potential clinical trials for MarrowMiner use

  • Conducted meditation and neuroimaging literature review for IASM EEG experiment design

  • Led team of students to design and populate a Neuroscience Visualization Platform for BrainMind website

  • Researched supplements and foods for the Brain Health Initiative

  • Created educational and news content for RegenMed Systems website

Skills:

  • Java, Python, MATLAB, R

  • Scientific Research

  • Science Communication

  • Data analysis

  • Project Management

  • MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite

  • Fluent in Mandarin

Sectors of Interest:

  • Biotechnology

  • Cancer research

  • Entrepreneurship

  • STEM Education

  • Healthcare and Public Health

  • Impact-focused organizations

Current Location

Queens, New York