Clara Liao, BA

Clara Liao is from Los Angeles, California, and graduated cum laude from Cornell University in 2017 with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in English. As a postgraduate researcher in Yale's Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, she worked on projects investigating the role of long non-coding RNAs in the regulation of cellular pathways of tumor development. Now, as a Ph.D. student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, her research interests encompass neuropsychiatric disorders and molecular psychiatry. Under the mentorship of Dr. Alex Kwan, she studies the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic actions of the psychedelic drug psilocybin.

Clara has a strong interest in science communication and has worked as a Science Communication GPE Fellow with the Yale Office of Vice Provost for Research, as well as created several animated COVID-19 explainer videos featured on the Yale COVID-19 website.

Outside of the lab, Clara enjoys sampling all the great food New Haven has to offer and skating with the Yale Figure Skating Club.