Our August MCDB Alumni Spotlight is highlighting Dr. Yu-Ci Syu! Dr. Syu is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She graduated from MCDB in 2022.

We asked Dr. Syu some questions about her experience as an MCDB student, as well as her career since graduating from the program.

• What initially attracted you to the MCDB graduate program at The Ohio State University, and what are some of your strongest memories from your time in the program?

  Before joining the MCDB graduate program, I worked as a research assistant in Dr. Soo-Chen Cheng’s lab at Academia Sinica. During that time, Dr. Cheng suggested that I speak with another faculty member at Academia Sinica, Dr. Tien-Hsien Chang, who had previously been a professor at OSU. I spoke with him, and he introduced me to the Center for RNA Biology (CRB) at OSU and the research areas of the CRB faculty. Because I already knew that I wanted to pursue RNA-related research, OSU seemed a great fit for me. Around the same time, Dr. Anita K. Hopper visited Academia Sinica to give a seminar. I had the opportunity to speak with her afterward, and she highly recommended the MCDB graduate program. She also mentioned that the new CBEC building had recently opened, which reflected OSU’s strong commitment to supporting scientific research. I was also drawn to the multidisciplinary and flexible nature of the MCDB graduate program.
   
  One of my strongest memories from the program is the annual Three Minute Thesis competition. I really enjoyed the sense of belonging that came from seeing the MCDB community come together for this event. Other memorable moments include studying for exams with my cohort in the library, taking an evening trip to the Columbus Zoo with them, and attending summer pool parties with lab mates at the house of my PhD advisor, Dr. Karin Musier-Forsyth.
   

• Can you tell us about your career path after graduating from MCDB and how your experiences in the program helped prepare you for where you are today?

  After graduating from MCDB, I remained in Dr. Karin Musier-Forsyth’s lab as a postdoctoral researcher for another year to complete my ongoing research and publications. During that year, I attended a conference to present my work. At lunch during the conference, Karin introduced me to several faculty members sitting at the same table. My current postdoctoral advisor, Dr. Stephen P. Goff, was one of them. Coincidentally, he had an HTLV-1-related project that closely aligned with my PhD research, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join his lab as a postdoctoral research scientist. Looking back, I am grateful to the mentors who guided and supported me throughout my training.  
   
  In many MCDB courses, we were required to present our research, discuss scientific literature, or write mini-grant proposals. These experiences strengthened my skills in scientific communication and critical thinking, all of which I have continued to apply throughout my research career.
   

• Looking back, what skills, experiences, or opportunities during graduate school have been most valuable in your professional career?

  The ability to think critically and solve problems that I developed during graduate school has been one of the most valuable skills in my professional career. These skills are useful regardless of whether one pursues a career in academia, industry, or other fields. Serving as a TA in a graduate-level class and mentoring rotation students and graduate students helped me develop my mentoring skills. In addition, opportunities to attend conferences helped me broaden my scientific perspective and build professional connections. I am grateful to MCDB for providing a travel award that made it possible for me to attend one of these conferences.
   

• What challenges did you encounter during graduate school or early in your career, and what advice would you give current MCDB students facing similar challenges?

  During the first few years of graduate school, I spent a lot of time troubleshooting and optimizing experimental protocols. At the time, these challenges often felt overwhelming, but persistence eventually paid off. These experiences taught me that research often requires patience and that troubleshooting and optimization are parts of the research process. Every small step forward contributes to larger progress and brings you closer to your goals.
   

• If you could go back and give your graduate-student self one piece of advice—or share one thing you wish you had known when you started at MCDB—what would it be?

  I wish that I had spent more time engaging with my peers and learning from their expertise. I wish that I had taken more opportunities to learn about techniques, such as NMR, cryo-EM, mass spectrometry, CRISPR, and next-generation sequencing. Simply talking with people who have experience using these techniques would have helped me learn much more efficiently. Graduate school offers countless opportunities beyond your own research project, so don’t hesitate to ask questions and learn from the people around you. Some of the most valuable lessons might come from conversations outside the lab.