I graduated from Northeast Agricultural University in China with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and a master in Animal Genetics & Breeding investigating the transcriptional regulation of lipid droplet-associated protein, perilipin, and its role in regulating adipocyte lipid metabolism. My background in lipid metabolism allowed me to progress through my doctoral studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Dr. Megan Dailey’s laboratory. My doctoral research was focused on understanding nutrient-induced intestinal epithelial stem cell proliferation and its effect in obesity. As a postdoctoral trainee in Dr. Sayee Anakk’s laboratory at the University of Illinois, I am investigating the role of bile acids and nuclear receptor, Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), in adipose tissue function.