RESOURCE TEXT
Interested in applying to PhD programs in the US or UK, especially in biochemistry, molecular biology, quantitative biology, or neuroscience? Join the second session of our PhD Application Series, featuring three speakers who successfully navigated the 2025 PhD application cycle and are now pursuing doctoral training at Oxford, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Boston University.
Date & Time
September 14 (Sunday)
- Eastern Time (US): 9:00–10:30 AM
- Beijing Time: 9:00–10:30 PM
- London Time: 2:00–3:30 PM
Speakers
Sylvia | University of Oxford — DPhil in Clinical Medicine
Sylvia received her undergraduate degree in Chemical Biology from Nankai University. During the 2025 application cycle, she applied primarily to PhD programs in biochemistry and molecular biology, with a smaller number of chemistry programs.
She received offers from the University of Oxford DPhil in Clinical Medicine with full funding, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Integrated Program in Biochemistry (IPiB), UW–Madison Chemistry, and Emory Chemistry. She also interviewed for the Caltech BMB PhD Program.
Sylvia ultimately chose Oxford, where she will study viral structure and molecular mechanisms. During her undergraduate training, she explored several areas of structural biology, working with techniques including NMR and cryo-EM and studying systems ranging from molecular chaperones and ion channels to germ cells and integrin-containing macromolecular complexes. Her research experience included an independent undergraduate project, iGEM, a fully funded summer research program in Hong Kong, and a six-month undergraduate thesis project at Harvard Medical School.
In this session, Sylvia will discuss how she approached the application process despite not having what she considered a traditionally “perfect” profile, and how she used a coherent research narrative, PhD research ideas, and connections across her experiences to strengthen her application.
Shuyang Yao | UNC-Chapel Hill — Quantitative Biology
Shuyang Yao received an undergraduate degree in Biology in China and subsequently spent two years as a research assistant at Peking University.
During the 2025 application cycle, Shuyang Yao received interview invitations from the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre at UCL and UNC-Chapel Hill, ultimately joining the Quantitative Biology PhD Program at UNC-Chapel Hill, a program with a strong faculty-mentor-based structure.
Shuyang Yao will share perspectives on applying to mentor-driven PhD programs, including how to identify potential advisors, evaluate research fit, understand funding structures, and navigate application timelines.
Lulu Tong | Boston University — Graduate Program for Neuroscience
Lulu Tong graduated with Honors in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego and subsequently worked for two years as a research assistant in a neuroscience laboratory at UCSF.
During the 2025 application cycle, Lulu Tong received neuroscience PhD interview invitations from UCSF, NYU, and Boston University, ultimately joining the Graduate Program for Neuroscience (GPN) at Boston University.
Lulu Tong will share experiences with neuroscience PhD applications, research preparation, program selection, and interviews.
About the Session
The session will include experience sharing from all three speakers followed by an open Q&A.
Topics will include, but are not limited to:
- Applying to mentor-driven PhD programs in the US
- How to identify and evaluate potential PhD advisors
- Funding structures and application timelines
- School-selection strategies for biology, biochemistry, and related fields
- Combining US applications with programs in other countries
- Strengthening an application when parts of your academic profile may be less competitive
- Building a coherent research narrative and communicating research interests effectively
- PhD interview preparation and decision-making
Join the Session
Platform: Zoom
Meeting ID: 886 0837 2313
Passcode: 360748