Background:

  • 09/2007 – 07/2011: Bachelor of Science (Nursing), Wenzhou Medical University, China.
  • 07/2011 – 02/2016: Nurse, Department of Obstetrics and Genecology, Wenzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang Province, China.
  • 05/2023 – 11/2023: Studying Electron Microscopy imaging method, UWA.
  • 11/2023 – Present: MPhil student at the School of Molecular Sciences, UWA.

I have a clinical background in obstetrics with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from China and am currently an MPhil student focusing on human lactation research. I have a particular interest and passion for human breast milk and milk production, with an emphasis on imaging the cellular components.

Inspiration:

I learned from my clinical work that some mothers are unable to achieve breastfeeding due to various difficulties, among which insufficient milk supply is one of the most common reasons. As a mother who has been breastfeeding my daughter for two and a half years, I have deeply benefited from the advantages of breastfeeding. Therefore, I’m looking forward to pursuing research in the field of human lactation to understand the underlying factors of breast milk production and work towards better breastfeeding outcomes.

The Australian Research Council Training Centre for Next-Gen Technologies in Biomedical Analysis is a multidisciplinary learning platform that provides Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students with interdisciplinary learning opportunities. The project that I’m working on involves human lactation, electron microscopy, and biological and molecular sciences. Thus, it can be seen that our Centre is a platform that fits well with my research interests.

Currently research project:

I’m investigating human breast milk cells and milk production at single-cell level, including single cell ultrastructure, gene expression, and metabolic states. Human breast milk contains diverse cells, such as epithelial cells, immunological cells, stem cells, and others. Each cell type has a unique function. The predominant cell type in milk is secretory epithelial cells, known as lactocytes, which are involved in synthesising milk contents (e.g., oligosaccharides, lactose, micronutrients).

Given their crucial roles, exploring the differences in the ultrastructure, gene expression, and metabolic states of lactocytes between mums with insufficient milk supply and those with normal milk supply may reveal important associations between lactocytes and milk production. 

Studying cells one by one can provide a comprehensive and accurate understanding of human breast milk. However, current research on human low milk production at single-cell level is lacking due to technical difficulties. By developing novel imaging technologies and applying them for single-cell analysis, profiling transcriptional characteristics, and measuring metabolic states, these approaches will enhance our understanding of the relationships between breast milk cells and milk production. This research aims to improve outcomes in lactation, ultimately increasing breastfeeding possibilities and providing both mothers and infants with physical and psychological support.

What do you hope to achieve through your research, and how do you believe our centre will help you reach your goals? (100-150 words)

During the tenure of my study, I hope to develop a novel and first-of-its-kind imaging workflow that will allow me to investigate human breast milk cells with unprecedented details, including the ultrastructure and metabolism. This requires the integration of expertise from multiple disciplines. The Centre has provided such unique opportunities for me to collaborate with great minds from multidisciplinary expertise in cell biology, molecular biology, bioimaging, biochemistry, and nanobiotechnology. The nature of interdisciplinary research fosters the innovation and creativity, and I am looking forward to what achievements and advancements that can be made at the Centre.