#2023Trojan: Meet Yinqi Zhao, Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics Graduate

Why did you choose to pursue your degree at USC?

I have a mixed background of biological sciences and biostatistics. Our department has a group of amazing faculty who are conducting cutting-edge research in statistical genetics, which perfectly matches my background and interests. Besides, I love LA!

What is one of your favorite memories from your program?

The day I passed my PhD qualifying exam! My advisor Dave and I enjoyed a bottle of Sake and bright sunshine in his backyard, talking about equations, genes, academic memes, adventures, family and life.

What course in your program did you enjoy the most and why?

Design of clinical trials by Professor Mark Krailo, he is an inspiring teacher and an interesting person. This is the first time I realized learning clinical trials is such an enjoyable process.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

Explore more and choose your own adventure.

Where did you complete your internship and what did you learn from your experience?

I did a summer internship at Genentech back in 2021. I sharpened my R programming skills which continuously contributed to my own PhD work. I also learned the big picture of clinical trials and the public health industry.

What are you planning to do after graduation?

I joined Genentech as a statistical scientist, working on clinical trials in early development of oncology and continuing my previous PhD work for multi omics integration.