Derek Lau, G4
While in high school in Hong Kong, Derek participated in a variety of extracurricular activities, often overlooking his academics. But thanks to a great teacher, the one class that did catch his interest was Biology. He soon started to envision himself being able to make solid contributions to biological research, expanding our knowledge of life and nature.
Studying pure science in college was frowned upon in Hong Kong so Derek decided to venture across the Pacific Ocean to the University of Washington. After an intense series of biology classes and his work in a marine biology and a medical genetics lab, he realized his potential in the science field. Derek looked into graduate programs with emphasis on general research in a close-knit scientific environment. MCB definitely fit his interests with its small size but diverse research, and connections to other programs. He soon began to call Cambridge his new home.
Derek is currently working in the lab of Andrew Murray, and he is interested in the mechanism and control of mitosis in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Going forward, Derek would like to continue to actively participate in scientific research. He has also become very interested in teaching science, as a way to bring in fresh minds to the field. He says, "Interacting with scientists with a wide range of interests teaches me how to think more critically. The various teaching opportunities at Harvard enables me to become more comfortable with teaching and also understand how to communicate science effectively." Becoming a professor in an academic institution is definitely a career aspiration for Derek, and MCB provides valuable resources for him to work towards his goal.
