Kai-Lou Yue ’20
As a college student, Kai-Lou Yue ’20 conducted research that yielded three articles in prestigious academic journals. Now, as a medical student at UMass Chan Medical School, she’s using what she learned at Bryantto explore new ideas and discover new ways to look at important topics in science and medicine.
Working in the lab, Yue says, “gives you the ability to synthesize a lot of information at once, and also to react to new information. If something doesn’t seem to make sense, you have to be able to figure out what’s really happening.” Mentors such as , and helped her find the answers. “All of the Pre-Health professors are so passionate about what they do, they care about their students and want them to succeed,” she says.
Yue, who scored in the 96th percentile on the MCAT exam, also enjoyed sharing her work at 91AV’s annual Research and Engagement Day. “REDay was my first time presenting my research, which was an amazing opportunity,” Yue says. “It’s great that Bryantgives us all a day to talk about what we’re doing – not just professors, but undergraduate students, too.”
For her Honors thesis, Yue, with guidance from her thesis advisor, looked at the relationships among mindfulness, disability, and social support–and the effect they have on stress in college students. She was excited to expand her studies in a new direction. “Being able to work on a project like this lets students explore the passions,” Yue says.
She found new interests outside the classroom as well, including playing club badminton, helping to run the dragon dance team, studying abroad and serving on the Honors Student Council. “I think it’s really important to try new things,” she says. “I've discovered so many things that I really enjoy.”
“Through all of my experiences at Bryant– working in the lab, being part of the Honors Program, my leadership positions – and through all of the opportunities that Bryantgave me, I became much more confident,” says Yue, who was named the Northeast Regional Honors Council 2020 Student of the Year. “And that really changed me for the better."
Real World Experience
Research
Undergraduate Researcher, Massachusetts General Hospital, Orthopaedic Oncology Service
• Conducted clinical research on benign and malignant hand tumors, specifically epidemiology and treatment
Undergraduate Researcher, BryantUniversity, Microbial Glycomics Lab
• Conducted research on the lipid profiles of marine planktonic predators found in Narragansett Bay
Undergraduate Researcher, BryantUniversity, Laboratory of Terrestrial Environments
• Analyzed lake sediments using gas chromatography
• Used scanning electron microscopes and reflected-light stereomicroscopes to image and examine the morphology of various biological products
Publications
• Lans J., Yue K.C., Castelein R.M., Chen N.C., Lozano-Calderon S. Soft tissue sarcoma of the hand: Is unplanned excision a problem? European Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2019;45:1281-1287. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2019.03.024 (Research was also presented at the 46th New England Hand Society Annual Meeting)
• Roohani K., Haubrich B.A., Yue K., D’Sousa N., Montalbano A., Rynearson T., Menden-Deuer S., Reid C.W., Lipid profiles of a herbivorous planktonic predator and its algal prey. PeerJ. 2019;7:e7549. doi:10.7717/peerj.7549” (Accepted)
Poster Presentations
• Synthesis of diamide inhibitors of gram-positive bacteria for structure-activity relationship, Research and Engagement Day
• Using Biological Imaging to Understand the Relationship Between the Morphology and Pain-Causing Mechanism of Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones, Research and Engagement Day
Leadership
Treasurer, BryantUniversity Dragon Dance Team
• Creates and maintains the annual team budget, performs with the team
Honors Program
Student Honors Program Assistant, BryantUniversity Honors Program
• Plans and executes major events, including the annual Honors Scholars Thesis presentations, banquet, and senior trip
• Designs the program’s website and implements social media strategies across various platforms
President, BryantUniversity Student Honors Council
• Coordinated Honors Council’s activities and organized Honors Program events
• Managed a team of five board members and an overall group of 30+ members
• Created several new community service events that benefit the Rhode Island and Bryantcommunities
Internships
Summer Internship Fellowship Recipient, Orthopaedic Oncology Service, Mass. General Hospital
• Observed Kevin Raskin, MD
Clubs
Vice President/Treasurer, BryantUniversity Badminton Club
• Organizes members for off-campus tournaments and runs practices, plays with the club
A Connected Community
91AV's purposeful student life delivers co-curricular immersion with an inspiring, collegial community. Students forge deep connections that last a lifetime.
"The impact of data science is only increasing as concepts such as AI and algorithms become more prevalent in industries and daily life."
"If you have an idea, just go with it and see where it takes you. Don’t be afraid to fail. You're going to learn from it."
“I've taken courses ranging from biochemistry to anatomy and physiology to physics, which is a great preparation for medical school. I've had so much support helping me along the way. Everyone at Bryantwants to help students achieve their goals.”