Jake was born and raised in San Francisco in a Chinese American family and spent his entire life in the Bay Area. He graduated in 2021 from UC Berkeley with a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in immunology and pathogenesis as well as a minor in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies. After graduating, he had the opportunity to join the Den Besten Lab and work closely with Dr. Yan Zhang and Dr. Pamela Den Besten as a junior specialist. In this role, his area of research revolved around characterizing the role, regulation, and function of several ion transporters such as CFTR, Kir4.2, and NCKX4 in the maturation stage of amelogenesis/ enamel biomineralization. Working in the lab was what really sparked his passion for basic research and was what really drove him to pursue a graduate degree. In his free time, he loves to cook, take care of his house plants, watch movies, and spend time with friends and family.
