Master of Biological Sciences (MBS) alumna Jennifer Yoo started her educational journey when she was a young girl in South Korea who "wanted to have a job that helped others."
How she would reach that goal would come later. "Over time," Jennifer says, "I found myself drawn to math and science, and I began to see how biology could turn curiosity into care, to make a meaningful difference in people's lives." Her purpose became a compass, guiding her choices even when the route wasn’t straight.
Finding Her Footing
Jennifer and her family came to the United States when she was in high school. Moving to a new country and tackling a language barrier is difficult enough, but trying to master a highly technical discipline on top of that is on another level. Even so, Jennifer continued to explore scientific paths and sought hands-on research experiences to understand where she could make the most impact.
During her undergraduate years, Jennifer joined a mouse genetics lab and worked closely with the principal investigator (PI) and graduate students, learning foundational research skills and how to manage transgenic mouse lines.
That experience cemented her interest in biology, specifically the biomedical field, but she wasn’t sure about her next step. After graduating, she chose to remain in the lab and deepened her collaboration with the PI, who supported her growth—encouraging her to consider a master’s degree and to explore new research directions.
Jennifer accepted a researcher role at the University of Chicago, where she had the opportunity to conduct iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell) research. "That was the first time I saw the heart cells beat on the petri dish, and it was fascinating. I found my motivation and a specific area of interest in cardiovascular research."
She later studied how the Tibetan population manages to live in high altitudes with low oxygen levels. She conducted various in vitro assays using cardiomyocytes and iPSCs and even got published as a second coauthor. She also recognized the value of building a stronger conceptual framework in biology to deepen her impact at the bench.
A “Motivating, Dynamic, and Fast-Moving” Job
That recognition led her to the Master of Biological Sciences. She chose the MBS program because she was able to pick the classes she wanted and didn't have to go down a research-based thesis track, since she already had a wealth of hands-on experience in the lab. The program gave her the flexibility to shape a path that fit her goals.
"The MBS program fundamentally reshaped my career as a scientist," she says. "I'm very thankful for a lot of people—faculty members and advisors, like Anke (Reinders)—who guided me on this journey. I rediscovered my motivation here and rebuilt my confidence. I found myself as a scientist."
It also allowed her to take core undergrad courses at the same time as PhD-level courses with the PhD students.
Today, Jennifer is a scientist at the biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in Boston. She works in Alexion Pharmaceuticals, their rare disease unit, specializing in cardiovascular gene therapy and drug discovery.
Jennifer says "I was nervous about applying to industry roles because most of my experience was in academic labs. I heard the settings are totally different, and it was my first time in Boston, so I was very excited but at the same time afraid.”
It's been two years since she started and she loves it. "I think it's very motivating, dynamic, and fast-moving. I support preclinical candidate optimization on the cardiology research team—advancing promising gene therapy constructs through rigorous in vitro assays—and I’m fascinated to witness the end-to-end process, from target discovery and lead design to preclinical validation and translational studies, while contributing my skills to help patients. That’s what I always wanted to do."
It’s an exciting position that a young girl in Korea probably never would have envisioned for herself. For now, Jennifer is where she belongs, making a meaningful difference in the lives of rare disease patients around the world.
Memorable Courses
- BIOL 4004 – Cell Biology with Duncan Clark
"I wanted to write a paper for a PhD-level course about his research, so I reached out to him. He was generous with his time, met with me over Zoom multiple times, and thoughtfully answered all my questions. I completed a substantial paper on his work and earned an A+. His lectures made core cell biology concepts easy to understand, and he was always open to discussion. The notes from his course remain a valuable resource I still revisit to refresh fundamentals."
- GCD 4161 – Developmental Biology with Ann Rougvie
"Developmental biology includes many challenging concepts, but the course was deeply engaging. I learned key experimental skills and aligned them with theory, which prepared me well for PhD-level coursework. Professor Rougvie was highly supportive, offering extensive after-class hours to help students succeed."
Pro Tips for Students
"Everyone has different paths. So just trust yourself, and don't be disappointed. There will always be times when you feel uncertain and behind other students. But don’t ignore those feelings, just face them honestly. Because I think growth often comes from vulnerability and being humble. So if you keep learning and stay open to where your interests lead, you will eventually find a path that fits you the best—and the MBS program helped me do that."
Mia Boos is a writer and content strategist with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, covering the College’s graduate programs and undergraduate individualized degree programs. She joined the CCAPS Marketing team in 2014 and has worked for Thomson Reuters and New York University. Connect with her via LinkedIn.
