Grace Tuan grew up in Taiwan and came to the United States during high school to pursue her interests in science and medicine. She earned her B.S. in Health Sciences from Doane University and completed her M.S. in Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh.
Her research journey began in Dr. Vande Geest’s lab, where she worked alongside Dr. Ali Behrangzade on the innovative “Biocarpet” project. There, she gained hands-on experience in polymer sheet fabrication using spin casting and laser cutting, as well as two-photon microscopy. Currently, Grace is continuing her research in the labs of Dr. Gau and Dr. Roy, where she investigates the role of the actin-binding protein profilin-1 (pfn1). She studies pfn1's interactions with other proteins across different cell types, particularly its impact on actin dynamics and mitochondrial function.
Grace aspires to attend medical school and become a physician, and/or pursue a Ph.D. and become a researcher who works on cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Her goal is to improve patient care and outcomes.
Outside the lab, Grace enjoys playing tennis, working out at the gym, cooking, going to church, and chatting with her family.