Yilin Guan | Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology

Yilin “Lisa” Guan is a second-year student in the Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology program at Harvard Medical School. Like most HMS master’s students, Guan is dedicated to life sciences and alleviating human suffering around the world.

When asked why she wanted to pursue a master’s degree, Guan says, “I was at a stage in my life when I had to decide whether to pursue a PhD or a different pathway like pharmaceuticals. A master’s program, especially one of this caliber, will allow me to make a more responsible choice of whether or not to do a PhD.”

A full-time student, Guan also works in Michael Carroll’s lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she investigates the role of complement protein C4A in brain ventricle enlargement using transgenic mouse models of schizophrenia. When asked about her experience in the lab, Guan was surprised by how welcoming the team was, especially Carroll, who is co-director of the lab and her advisor. “He takes a more hands-off approach to mentoring in the lab,” she says, “allowing students to explore their projects in a supported environment and ask questions.”

For Guan, those questions involve her thesis project, “Understanding the Role of Complement C4A in brain ventricle enlargement,” which aims to investigate schizophrenia-related ventriculomegaly. Before coming to the Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology program, she admits to not having much research experience. Now Guan is excited to see how far she’s come in the last year and a half. “I appreciate the program’s structure because it gives you a basic understanding of immunology but also allows you to take courses that will support your research, like how to prepare research, which tools to use, and how to plan experiments.”

One of the highlights of the program that has helped Guan the most is the Wednesday Seminar Series, which features presentations by leaders in the field of immunology. “They have some of the top researchers in the world come to Harvard to give talks. You can experience their passion for research and their projects. I think those talks have expanded my knowledge scope.”

Of course, for Guan, faculty members aren’t the only thing that makes the Immunology program so powerful; it’s also her classmates. “I think some of them are geniuses,” she says, laughing. The camaraderie built in the classroom and lab allows students to teach and learn from one another.

With graduation on the horizon, Guan says that the influence of faculty, lecturers, mentors, and classmates hasn’t made her post-graduation plans clearer. Her world, she says, has opened up even more. “There is so much opportunity to explore. There are so many clubs, like consulting clubs and biotech clubs, that allow me to understand more about various industries. I think I’ll take the time to explore more opportunities.”

The exploration of Harvard’s many options is something that Guan encourages all current Immunology students to do. “This is your time to learn more and enjoy science,” she says. For prospective students, she advises them “to be engaged with their coursework and research to figure out if they want a PhD or a master’s degree. I recommend the Immunology program to those who want to learn more because it’s a very good opportunity to interact and learn with some of the top scientists in the world.”

Learn more about the Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology program.

Written by Bailey Merlin