Minhao Chen

Graduate Student, The Welte Lab

You work in a laboratory.  What are you currently researching?

I am working in Dr. Michael Welte’s lab, and my project is to study the mechanisms of lipid droplet formation and regulation in fruit fly’s ovaries under stress.

What do you enjoy most about working here at the U of R?

The U of R is the right place to study the projects which I liked. All resources on campus can be used to help my studies. Besides, the stockroom in our department and online library are super convenient.

What’s the most important thing that you’ve learned working here and/or studying biology?

One of the most important things I learned is choosing my favorite project and my favorite lab. Because I love working on fruit fly-specific molecular mechanisms. The other is controlling my emotions effectively. Because it is dangerous to study or work under any intense emotions.

How do you unwind when you’re not in the lab?

I love playing ping pong, tennis, soccer, chess, and doing karate with my friends when I am not in my lab.

What is one thing about yourself that you’d like more people to know?

I am always excited to see monarch butterflies emerging.