top of page

MEET THE TEAM

Co-Presidents

Donna Linkedin pic_20231230 corp.jpeg

Donna (Hsiao-Lan) Pu,

MBA, PMP

Marketing Manager,

Biopharma at Grail

  • LinkedIn

Donna has 10+ years cross-functional experience from research and development, cGMP manufacturing, product management, marketing, and commercial business development in the life sciences industry across biotech, pharma, and medical devices. In her recent Sr. Product Manager role at Becton Dickinson (BD), Donna utilized her relationship-building and cross-functional communication skills to navigate through internal stakeholders and external partners in global matrix organization, identified and corrected the portfolio and processes gaps, and restored team trust and confidence on her product lines. She also worked with regional field teams to enable the commercial sales of her product lines. Donna holds a Bioengineering masters with a publication from National Tsing Hua University, and a Duke MBA in healthcare market analysis and strategy. She is currently leading marketing for biopharma partnership business at Grail.

Molly (Ting-Yu) Lin.jpg

Molly (Ting-Yu) Lin,

PhD

Scientist,

Calico Life Sciences

  • LinkedIn

Molly is a biochemist and cell biologist with 10+ years of experience in studying protein function and cell signaling in cancer and metabolic diseases. She is currently a scientist at Calico Life Sciences, a company dedicated to understand the biology that controls human aging and lifespan. She plays a pivotal role in implementing cutting-edge technologies and developing complex cellular systems to model various biological phenomena associated with aging and age-related diseases. Before transitioning to the industry, she completed her Ph.D. in Cell & Developmental Biology at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York. As a former Vice President of BATBA, Molly is committed to fostering the development of the Taiwanese biotech community in the Bay area, and she looks forward to contributing further in her new capacity as Co-President for BATBA this year. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds joy in leisure activities such as hiking, traveling, and exploring diverse cuisines.

Board Members and Chairs

Secretary

20230413_Headshot_AVL_2361.jpg

PhD Candidate,

 UC Berkeley

​

​

Jennifer Yu-Jen Lin

​

  • LinkedIn

Jennifer is a Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular and Cell Biology program at UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on identifying causal variants for newborns with severe undiagnosed diseases using genomics and transcriptomics, with the ultimate goal of deploying a global genetic disease diagnosis network to help patients with rare genetic disorders. In addition to her academic pursuits, as a VP of BATBA, Jennifer is committed to supporting the development of biotechnology within the Taiwanese community. Jennifer also serves as the president of the Berkeley Association of Taiwanese Students (BATS) for the 2022-2023 academic year, where she is passionate about promoting cultural exchange and building community among Taiwanese students at UC Berkeley and beyond. Outside of her research and leadership responsibilities, Jennifer enjoys painting, dancing, and playing tennis.

Marketing Lead

​

Kuo_Feng_Weng.jpg

Scientist II,

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub

​

Kuo-Feng Weng,

PhD

  • LinkedIn

Kuo-Feng is a virologist who has extensive experience in studying viral pathogenesis and developing new treatments for viral infections. He has led research projects on EV-A71 infection, RNA biology, protein biology, antiviral discovery, and in-vivo model establishment. He has also worked on DENV and HCV infections and published 20+ papers. He has recently made novel discoveries on the translation of neuronal circular RNAs and the link between B cell activities and EV-A71 pathogenesis.

Event lead

Ping-Wei Chen.JPG

Staff Microfluidics Engineer

Nutcracker Therapeutics

​

Ping-Wei Chen,

PhD

  • LinkedIn

Ping-Wei is currently a staff microfluidics engineer at Nutcracker Therapeutics, a RNA medicines company that has combined innovative system with high-precision biosynthesis to create a completely automated RNA manufacturing platform. His focus is on designing and testing novel microfluidics system to achieve GMP-in-a-box for RNA therapeutic development. Ping-Wei received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at UC San Diego and B.S. in Chemical Engineering at National Taiwan University. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities, traveling and coffee.

Finance

1592898976904.jpeg

Business Development Manager,

Biocytogen

Jade Hsu,

PhD, PMP

  • LinkedIn

Jade is currently serving as the Business Development Manager at Biocytogen, a pre-clinical CRO and antibody development company that specializes in gene editing, humanized animal/cell models, and disease models. With a background in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry and experience in research and development both in the US and Taiwan, Jade brings a wealth of expertise. Her proficiency extends beyond pre-clinical drug development to encompass product development in sequencing-related fields. Throughout her academic pursuits, she dedicated her focus to drug repurposing for lung cancer therapeutics.

Conference Chair

Damon.jpg

Business Development Associate - PharmaLegacy

​

Damon Ng,

PhD

  • LinkedIn

Damon is a neuroscientist specializing in animal models of learning, memory, and aging. He leverages his expertise in in vivo research to design and execute early discovery projects, evaluating the PK, PD, and efficacy of potential candidates. Currently, he has transitioned into a new business role, focused on delivering efficient preclinical solutions to business partners in support of the development of life-saving drug discoveries.

Public Relations

Linya.jpg

Senior Staff Scientist,

Head of Cell Biology,

Twist Bioscience

Linya Wang,

PhD

  • LinkedIn

Dr. Wang is a microbiologist and cell biologist. She is now working as a Staff Scientist at Twist Bioscience, which focuses on GPCR assay development and therapeutic antibody drug discovery that can be applied to immunotherapy, cell therapy, and target therapy. Prior to entering industrial field, she received her Ph.D. in Microbiology at National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and worked in Institute of Molecular Biology at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. She then finished her postdoctoral training in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at University of Southern California, USA.. She has also been involved in National Taiwan University Alumni Association as the President of Young Professional Group, Taiwanese Junior Chamber of Commerce as the Board of Director, Southern California Taiwanese Biotechnology Association as the President, and Bay Area Taiwanese Biotechnology Association as the President.

Organizers

doris.jpg

Yun-Ting (Doris) Hsieh

Associate Scientist,

Denali Therapeutics

  • LinkedIn

Doris is currently an associate scientist at Denali Therapeutics, where she focuses on neurodegenerative disease with the protein science group. Before her industrial journey, she obtained a Master's degree in Biology from Georgia State University and another Master's degree in Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology from China Medical University (Taiwan). Beyond the lab, she likes traveling, hiking, baking and playing board games, finding joy in the great outdoors, the kitchen, and the camaraderie of game nights.

YunHung (Jordy) Tu_edited.jpg

Yun-Hung (Jordy) Tu

Ph.D. Student

UC Berkeley

  • LinkedIn

Jordy is currently a Ph.D. student in the Infectious Diseases & Immunity program at UC Berkeley. His research interest is host-pathogen interactions and vaccine development, especially in the Neglected Tropical Diseases and emerging diseases such as Leishmania, Malaria, Helminth infection, and vector-borne diseases. Jordy received his bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology from Taipei Medical University, and master’s degree in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He enjoys playing volleyball, playing violin, singing, and searching for good coffee in his free time.

Yi Chun Han(Gin).jpg

Yi-Chun (Gin)  Han,

PhD

Scientist,

Cellentia Inc.

  • LinkedIn

Gin is a Scientist at Cellentia Inc. in Foster City, California, specializing in developing 3D organoids from circulating tumor cells for drug screening. Demonstrating her commitment to advancing scientific exploration, Gin serves as the 2024 CBA Annual Conference Chair and actively contributes as a BATBA event organizer. Her Ph.D. in Nutrition and experience as a Registered Dietitian, combined with diverse research in cell studies, animal models, and clinical trials (focusing on colonic diseases and metabolic syndromes), provide a wealth of expertise. Beyond work, Gin enjoys hiking, camping, and playing the Guzheng.

Dora Lin_edited.jpg

Dora Lin

Undergraduate Student at UC Berkeley, Researcher at UCSF

​

  • LinkedIn

Dora is currently a freshman at UC Berkeley double majoring in Molecular Cell Biology and Data Science. Additionally, she serves as an undergraduate researcher at the UCSF Sandler Neuroscience Center, concentrating on the data analysis of Alzheimer's disease. Her interests span biotechnology, drug synthesis, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship, showcasing a diverse yet focused academic and professional trajectory.

Richard Fu.jpeg

Richard Fu

Clinical Research Coordinator,

Stanford University

  • LinkedIn

Richard Fu is a clinical research coordinator at Stanford University with extensive experience of supporting pediatric oncology clinical trials. Richard specializes in coordinating patient information, laboratory samples and compliance documents for pediatric solid tumor studies. Prior to the research coordinator role, he was a researcher investigating the application of gene-modified T cells for hemophilia treatment at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Richard is an ACRP certified clinical research coordinator and a licensed medical technologist in Taiwan.

Hsiang-Chia (Vicky) Yu_edited.jpg

Hsiang-Chia (Vicky) Yu,

MS

Research Assistant,

Apeximmune Therapeutics

  • LinkedIn

Vicky is currently a RA in Apeximmune Therapeutics, a company dedicated to developing strategic antibodies for immuno-oncology. She mainly assists in screening functional antibody candidates and conducting cell-based assays. Prior to the drug discovery industry, Vicky worked as a clinical research assistant, coordinating clinical trials of dermatology diseases at a medical device company in Taiwan. Possessing a master’s degree in pharmacology from National Taiwan University, Vicky is passionate about advancing research from the bench side to the bedside. As an active participant in the BATBA event organization, she is eager to facilitate the biotech community connections between Taiwan and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mei-Chi Su_edited.jpg

PhD Candidate

University of Minnesota

  • LinkedIn

Mei-Chi is currently a PhD candidate majoring in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Program, at University of Minnesota. .

448187308_1233717671146419_8690345125602610444_n.jpg

Denise Yu-Ju Kuo,

PhD

Senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL),

Janssen

  • LinkedIn

Denise serves as a senior Medical Science Liaison (MSL) at Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson. She has over five years of experience in pharmacology research, drug development, clinical trial support, and medical science communication. Her expertise spans therapeutic areas including cardiovascular disease, ophthalmology, and solid tumors. Denise earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the College of Medicine at National Taiwan University and completed postdoctoral training in precision medicine at Stanford Medical School in the Bay Area. She is dedicated to cross-functional collaboration and achieving business goals through scientific innovation.

Kung-Hsien Ho_2023-12.jpg

Kung-Hsien Ho,

PhD

Scientist II,

Biomea Fusion

  • LinkedIn

An experienced researcher in animal study, human pancreatic islet tissue culture, cell biology, and microscopy. Specialized in diabetes research and islet biology. Research interests include beta cell proliferation, GLP-1R signaling in beta cell, and development of diabetes medication. Hobbies include hiking, salsa dancing, gardening, and model assembly.

1606096503582.jpeg

Yu-Chieh (Doris) Tai,

 

Scientist II, Assay R&D

Cepheid

  • LinkedIn

Doris is currently a Scientist II in the department of Assay R&D at Cepheid, a company of Danaher Corporation, focusing on complex PCR diagnostic test kits R&D for infectious diseases. Prior to Cepheid, Doris completed her Master of Enginnering in Bioengineering from University of California, Berkeley, and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from University College London in the UK. Doris is a huge fan of nature. During her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dogs, travelling to different national parks and forests, and camping with friends.

jason.jpg

Jason Jayhsun Lee,

MS

Clinical Operations Leader, PAREXEL

  • LinkedIn

Jason is currently a Clinical Operations Leader at PAREXEL. .

Wei-Chien Mu (Organizer).png

Wei-Chieh (Gala) Mu

PhD candidate, 

UC Berkeley

​

  • LinkedIn

I am a PhD candidate in Endocrinology at UC Berkeley. My research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms of cellular aging, with a particular interest in hematopoietic stem cell aging, which is critical for developing new strategies to delay or even reverse aging. I apply mouse genetics and computational biology approaches (single-cell RNA seq) to study how sirtuins affect hematopoietic stem cell aging.

jay_wen_05_edited_small_-_ya-feng_wen1.png

Ya-Feng (Jay) Wen,

PhD

Clinical Pharmacologist, Gilead Sciences

  • LinkedIn

Ya-Feng (Jay) is a Clinical Pharmacologist at Gilead Sciences working in early and late phase oncology portfolio. Jay received his B.S. degree in Pharmacy at the Taipei Medical University. After obtaining his Bachelor's degree, he worked as a research assistant under the guidance of Drs. Shawn Hsiang-Yin Chen and Wei-Chiao Chang in the field of pharmacogenetics research. Jay later completed his Pharm.D. followed by a Ph.D. education in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology with a minor in Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include population pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenomics, and microbiome.

1608291993008.jpeg

Wan-Chih Su,

PhD

Senoir Scientist,

Genentech

  • LinkedIn

Wan-Chih is currently a senior scientist at Genentech in the synthetic molecule analytical chemistry department. Before joining Genentech, she worked at Sanofi in Boston as a Bioprocess analytical scientist. In both works, she developed analytical assays focusing on analyzing nucleic acid and lipid nanoparticles and supporting process development workflow. Earlier than her industrial journey, she obtained her Ph.D. degree from the Chemistry department at UC Davis, a master's degree from National Taiwan University (NTU), and a Bachelor's degree from National Chiao Tung University (NCTU). Beyond the lab, she likes hiking, traveling, playing tennis, and meeting friends.

Jack Chieh-Te Lin (Organizer).jpg

Chieh-Te (Jack) Lin,

MS

PhD student,

UC Davis

  • LinkedIn

Jack is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis in the major of biomedical engineering. Before joining the program, he got a master's degree and worked as a data analyst at the University of California, San Francisco. He has multiple years of research experience in medical imaging, specifically interested in leveraging machine learning in image processing and analysis. In his leisure time, he likes to go hiking, skiing, and cycling. He joined BATBA as an organizer in 2023, and is excited to organize informative and fun events for the community.

bottom of page