This Month's Featured Essay

April Featured Essay by Yang Liu

 

Choosing bioengineering has been the most transformative decision of my life, perfectly aligning with both my interests and personality. My inherent curiosity and passion for interdisciplinary communication have found their match in this field. The opportunity to conduct research with the potential to significantly improve health outcomes offers me a profound sense of fulfillment.

My journey to bioengineering, however, was not straightforward. In high school, my fascination with chemistry led me to pursue it as a college major. Despite my broad scientific interests, the rigid curriculum limited my exploration of other disciplines. It was only during my graduate studies at the University of Chicago that I truly began to explore the interconnections between chemistry, physics, optics, and biology. My initial exploration into optical spectroscopy and biophysics was challenging; with little knowledge of optics or biology, I had to rely on perseverance and self-learning to successfully build my first confocal microscope.

While the University of Chicago is renowned for its fundamental research, my passion for applied science steered me toward biomedical engineering at Northwestern University. There, I embarked on a project developing optical spectroscopy techniques for early cancer detection. The potential of transforming light into life-saving technology was exciting, though the reality of early-stage research—long hours in the lab and frequent setbacks—was daunting. I often wished for straightforward solutions from my PhD advisor, but I soon realized the expectation was for me to troubleshoot and solve problems independently. This period was fraught with self-doubt and frustration, with moments when I doubted my ability to graduate. In retrospect, I now understand that these challenges were a normal and essential part of my research journey, crucial in developing my problem-solving skills and fostering my autonomy as a researcher.

After earning my PhD, I pursued an unconventional postdoctoral position at Johnson & Johnson, driven by a desire to see how research translates into real-world applications. Although the industry experience was enlightening, I missed the depth of scientific exploration and the autonomy over my projects. Life is often unpredictable. After two years working in industry, I returned to academia, where I joined the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Medicine as a tenure-track faculty member in the Division of Gastroenterology. Being the only engineer in a clinical department was initially intimidating, yet it offered a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a clinical setting. Iattended early-morning clinical conferences, observed medical procedures, and engaged with clinicians about their decision-making processes, gaining insights into the clinical challenges that could benefit from bioengineering solutions.

During my tenure running a lab adjacent to a hospital, working closely with clinicians, I was confronted with the harsh realities of disease. A young dermatologist, recently diagnosed with lung cancer, tragically passed away, leaving behind a four-year-old daughter. Similarly, a new father missed a critical colonoscopy and was later diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. Despite the best efforts from the best doctors, there was nothing they could do to help them during those critical moments. Despite all the technological advances such as cell phones and the internet, we are still helpless in front of deadly diseases. This underscored an urgent need for our work in bioengineering.

Bioengineering is highly interdisciplinary, merging engineering with biology and medicine in both fascinating and challenging ways. I have encountered many brilliant engineers who are excellent at developing engineering methods, yet some resist engaging deeply with biology or medicine. This resistance can significantly limit their ability to spearhead the future technological breakthroughs in bioengineering. Understanding the significance of medical and biological challenges and knowing the right questions to ask are crucial. Equally important is developing the ability to communicate effectively across variousdisciplines, a skill like mastering multiple languages and vital for any successful bioengineer.

The biggest challenge in bioengineering lies in identifying and addressing significant clinical challenges that align with our areas of expertise. Early in my career, I naïvely thought that the clinicians would simply present me with the problems they faced, and I would come up with a technological solution. However, our specialization in certain technologies means we cannot address all clinical issues. Most clinicians lack the technical knowledge to tell what our technologies are best at. They are trained to practice medicine based on what we are taught today. It is our responsibility as bioengineers to demonstrate to clinicians the possibilities of future medicine, guiding them toward innovations that could redefine patient care.

Now, after 15 years at the Cancer Center at the University of Pittsburgh, returning to Illinois and the roots of my bioengineering career is a homecoming. Being a bioengineer allows me to engage in the research I love, collaborate across disciplines, and potentially transform engineering                                                                                                                                                                    innovations into life-saving medical solutions. There is truly no better                                                                                                                                                                              profession.