- e6lai@ucsd.edu
- (858) 373-7062
-
3147 Biomedical Sciences Way, Mail code 0760
Israni BRFII Room 4220
Mail Code: 0760
La Jolla , California 92093
Emily Lai
Undergraduate Researcher
- Interests
- Background and Education
- Honors and Publications
Interests
Research Interests
- Immunology & Host-Pathogen Interactions
- Proteomics & Computational Data Analysis
- Translational Cardiovascular Research
At the Bench
Emily Ying-Heng Lai is an undergraduate bioinformatics major at the University of California, San Diego, with interests in immunology, proteomics, and translational cardiovascular research. She is currently a researcher in the Nizet Lab, where she studies host–pathogen interactions using mass spectrometry–based proteomics to investigate immune defense mechanisms against Streptococcus pyogenes, a pathogen linked to rheumatic heart disease. Her work focuses on analyzing large-scale proteomic datasets using FragPipe-Analyst, Metascape, and R, and on developing data visualizations to support biological discovery. She is also expanding her training in proteomic sample preparation and wet-lab workflows. Emily plans to pursue graduate training as a physician-scientist, integrating computational analysis and experimental biology to advance treatments for immune-mediated cardiovascular diseases.
Outside of Lab
Emily enjoys going to the beach, playing basketball, café hopping, and hosting homemade dinner hangouts. In her free time, she loves binge-watching dramas, catching up with friends, and making delicious food to share.
Background and Education
Academic Appointments
| Year | Position |
| 2025-present | Volunteer, Scripps Memorial Hospital San Diego CA |
Education
| University | Degree | Year | Field |
| University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA | B.S. | 2024-present | Bioinformatics |
Honors and Publications
Honors
| Year | Honor |
| 2025 | Taiwanese American Industrial Technology Association Scholarship Award |