Yinghao Wang

Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan      

Yinghao Wang is from San Francisco, California, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan. As an undergraduate, he investigated regenerative therapies for spinal cord injury in the Shea Laboratory, where his work contributed to a conference presentation and peer-reviewed publication. He later studied radiation-associated breast cancer at UCSF’s Barcellos-Hoff Laboratory and helped identify inflammatory pathways that could be targeted to reduce aggressive tumor growth. After graduation, Wang continued pursuing translational research at Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals and the UCSF Cell Design Institute, where he helped engineer tissue-targeted immunosuppressive T cells for graft-versus-host disease. His research has resulted in co-authored publications in Clinical Cancer Research and Bioengineering & Translational Medicine.

Wang chose the EnMed program because he hopes to unite engineering, research, and patient care to develop better treatments for diseases that still lack effective options. His experiences in cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and cell engineering taught him to approach medicine as an iterative design process—one grounded in clinical needs, guided by biological mechanisms, and refined through experimentation. At the same time, volunteering in an emergency department, providing hospice companionship, tutoring immigrants in English, and delivering bilingual Alzheimer’s education showed him that innovation must remain grounded in the experiences of patients and their families. He hopes to become a physician-scientist, with particular interests in oncology, immunology, and translational medicine, while serving as a compassionate advocate for patients navigating unfamiliar or complex healthcare systems.

In his free time, Wang enjoys playing basketball, a sport he has pursued for more than 13 years. He also loves exploring new restaurants and cuisines with friends, especially when a meal becomes an opportunity to hear the personal and cultural stories behind the food. Whether he is analyzing a defense on the basketball court, discovering an unfamiliar dish, or simply spending time with friends, he enjoys experiences that keep him curious and connected to others.