People

Hualiang Pi, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and a member of the Microbial Sciences Institute. She received her doctoral training in Microbiology at Cornell University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilit University Medical Center. Dr. Pi's research focuses on elucidating microbial stress defense mechanisms important for bacterial infection. Her work has been recognized through multiple competitive awards, including the NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2), and selection as a 2025 Searle Scholar.

Frank Duan is a postgraduate associate in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree from UCLA, where he conducted research in Dr. Huiying Li’s lab on microbial competition among Cutibacterium species. He earned his master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University under the mentorship of Dr. Jotham Suez, focusing on the effects of antiretroviral therapy on the gut microbiome and virome. Frank joined the Pi Lab in August 2024 and is currently investigating RNA-binding proteins in Bacillus anthracis.

Kristina graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in Biochemistry & Biophysics. After earning her bachelor's degree, she worked in the laboratory of Dr. Deborah Hung at Massachusetts General Hospital where she studied the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She is currently a graduate student in the Pi Lab and is investigating the formation of ferrosomes in Clostridioides difficile.

Yuanyuan Ji, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale School of Medicine. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from China Agricultural University. At Yale, her research focuses on investigating bacterial functions using high-throughput transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) assays and the roles of two-component systems (TCSs) in Clostridioides difficile. Outside of the lab, Yuanyuan enjoys photography and staying active through fitness.

Yixuan Liu is a postgraduate associate at the Yale School of Medicine, working in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and the Yale Microbial Sciences Institute. Originally from Inner Mongolia, China, she earned her bachelor's degree from Jilin University in 2019. She then pursued her master’s degree under the mentorship of Dr. Fang Peng, focusing on the metabolism and functional roles of environmental microorganisms, and completed her Master's degree in 2022. She then joined Dr. Zhenfeng Liu’s lab at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where she focused on protein purification and FIB-milling. Currently, in the Pi Lab at Yale, her research centers on understanding the formation of ferrosomes in Clostridioides difficile and their role in maintaining iron homeostasis, using tools such as structural biology and genome editing. Curious and creative by nature, Yixuan loves traveling, photography, exploring new foods, and baking in her spare time.

Kate is a graduate student in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and joined the Pi lab in January of 2024. As an undergraduate, she studied at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the lab of Dr. Sean Buskirk and studied the genetic adaptations of pathogens through experimental evolution. After graduating with a B.S. in Microbiology, Kate joined the lab of Dr. Jing Yan at Yale University as a postgraduate research associate. While in the Yan lab, Kate studied how Vibrio cholerae biofilms adhere to biological surfaces. Currently, Kate is studying the role of the membrane in the formation of ferrosomes in the Pi lab.

Dongmei Wu, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Yale School of Medicine Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Yale Microbial Sciences Institute. Originally from Wuhu, China, she earned her B.S. in Food and Nutrition Science from Nanchang University in 2018. She completed her Ph.D. under the mentorship of Dr. Shiguo Chen at Zhejiang University, where her research focused on elucidating the structure-function relationship of dietary fiber in modulating the gut microbiota during intestinal inflammation. In the Pi Lab at Yale, Dr. Wu is exploring the role of ferrosomes in mediating interactions between Clostridium difficile and gut commensal bacteria under conditions of iron imbalance. Outside the lab, she enjoys playing board games, singing karaoke, traveling, and discovering new cuisines.

Yunxing Yang, PhD, is a Laboratory Associate in the Yale School of Medicine Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Yale Microbial Sciences Institute. She also serves as an Associate Research Fellow and Physician (Fellow) in the Department of Clinical laboratory at Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University. She received her PhD at Zhejiang University. Dr. Yang's research focuses on resistance mechanisms in bacterial pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii and is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation of China and other organi.