Richard Zhuang

Hi! My name is Richard, and I’m a junior studying Biology with a minor in Computer Science. My passion for research began in high school, where I worked on Alzheimer’s disease projects using cell-based assays to evaluate the effects of therapeutics on disease progression. I continued this journey as a Simons Fellow at Stony Brook University, conducting organic chemistry research to synthesize novel therapeutics for glioblastoma, employing techniques such as NMR spectroscopy and computational modeling.

At Penn, I’ve deepened my interest in studying mechanisms of cancer in the Ridky Lab, where I research cellular signaling and melanoma in 3D skin models. While at Penn, I also developed a strong interest in the intersection of AI and medicine – this led to my research in the Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Lab, where I focused on the application of deep learning algorithms to study sarcopenia, a muscle-wasting disease, with the goal of advancing diagnostic and intervention strategies.

Outside of research, I’m involved in Science Olympiad at Penn (SOUP), Road2Research, and the Penn Science High School Journal (PSHSJ). I know that getting started in research can feel overwhelming, but Penn offers an incredible variety of opportunities for anyone eager to get involved. If you have questions about starting your research journey, balancing extracurriculars, or navigating Penn in general, I’m always happy to connect and share my experiences – feel free to reach out!

• Perelman School of Medicine, Ridky Lab (2023 - Present)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Lab (2024 - Present)
• Simons Fellow at Stony Brook University (June 2022 - August 2022)
• CURF Fall Research Expo