Mentor and me: Yuan Fang and Jingjing You

Yuan Fang is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Medicine and Health and 2024 PERIscope Commercialisation Award winner.

I am currently in the second year of my PhD. My research focuses on developing a novel drug delivery system for treating corneal diseases. My passion for advancing eye care motivated me to pursue this field, especially to tackle challenges like low patient compliance with frequent eye drops.

I chose The University of Sydney because of its strong reputation in medicine and health research, and because I had already completed my four-year undergraduate degree here. I was particularly drawn to the group's multidisciplinary approach, which allows me the flexibility to explore new ideas while still receiving essential guidance from Jingjing whenever needed. After completing my Honours project under her supervision, I was excited to continue and expand that research through my PhD.

Studying a PhD at USYD is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. The workload is intensive, but with good time management, it's manageable. Receiving an international scholarship has alleviated the stress of living expenses, allowing me to fully focus on my research. Working as a casual research assistant within my group also gives me a sense of being valued and contributing to the team. The various funding opportunities, like Postgraduate Research Support Scheme and the Periscope Commercialisation Award, have significantly broadened my network. Attending conferences and connecting with industry experts has made my PhD journey both enriching and multifaceted.

The most surprising aspect has been how interdisciplinary my research has become. Initially, I expected it to focus solely on ophthalmology, but it has expanded into areas like biomaterial, bioengineering, microbiology, and 3D printing technologies. I've been fortunate to find supportive networks and access to research facilities that provide the necessary resources and equipment. The multidimensional expertise within my group, as well as collaborations with other faculties and universities, have been invaluable. These collaborations have allowed me to access diverse resources and receive guidance from experts in various fields. Overall, I appreciate the freedom to deeply explore my research interests while being supported by such a rich network of expertise.

After completing my PhD, I aim to continue working in the field of biomedical engineering, ideally in a role that combines research and product development. I’m particularly interested in translating my findings into practical applications, whether through collaborations between academia and industry or by launching a spin-out venture.

Dr Jingjing You is part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health and a Sydney Horizon Fellow.

I am a medical researcher working on developing new bioengineering methods for tissue repair and regenerative medicine. I have invented printable bioinks for corneal repairing and printing human cornea.

I have previously supervised three PhD candidates. I became a supervisor because I believe that research is a specialised area that can’t be taught in class, and is crucial for our society’s future. I would love to share my experience with students interested in research, and to build a strong research community.

I wanted to work with Yuan because her research proposal is extended from her honours thesis which we worked together to troubleshoot some key challenges. I know the outcome of this proposal, a sustainable anti-microbial device, can be translated into clinical applications to benefit millions of people’s vision. I would love to be on this research journey with Yuan to turn the lab research into clinical product. I am excited about the impact and the novelty of the technology.

My one tip for PhD candidates is to do research that interests you regardless of what other people say.

I also believe it’s important to make the most of the opportunities available at the University, like the PERIscope research commercialisation program, and to support students to do the same. It can be super hard and I am still trying to find the best way, but my current strategy that seems to work is to spend time in initial training and prioritising tasks.

Once the student has received solid training in laboratory skills and learning how to plan research experiments properly, there will be less time needed in managing projects. I can trust their work and respect their flexible working arrangement, and have more time to work on the other research projects of my own. I am also learning to say no to tasks that are not essential for research and career development, which I think is important to make sure I can focus on what’s important to me.