Author Profile
Yiqing Zhang is a 2022 undergraduate student at the School of Biomedical Engineering. She graduated from the Zizhu Campus of No. 2 High School of East China Normal University. During her undergraduate studies, she has consistently ranked first in her major by GPA. In the second semester of her junior year, she participated in the summer camps of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University. With outstanding performance, she was ultimately admitted, with the second-highest overall score in the interview and written examination, to the Global Institute of Future Technology (GIFT) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University for direct doctoral study. In terms of research, Yiqing Zhang joined Professor Ze Xiong’s research group in the first semester of her junior year, conducting research in the field of wearable sensing. In June 2025, she published a research paper as second author in Journal of Materials Chemistry C (JMCC), and the related work was selected as the cover article of that issue.
Build: Laying a Solid Foundation and Preparing to Set Sail
From freshman to sophomore year, I focused primarily on coursework, approaching every course with concentration and diligence. I achieved grades of A- or above in all subjects. After entering my junior year, based on an in-depth understanding of the school’s three major academic directions—intelligent medicine, medical imaging, and smart instrumentation—I chose to join Professor Ze Xiong’s research group in the direction of smart instrumentation, following my own interests, and began research exploration around wearable sensors.
When it comes to wearable sensors, many people’s first thought is often consumer electronics such as smart bracelets and smart watches, assuming that they are mainly used to monitor physiological indicators such as heart rate, blood oxygen, physical activity, and sleep quality. By contrast, wearable biochemical sensors for metabolite analysis, although already a current research hotspot, are still at a relatively early stage in terms of public awareness and consumer-level applications. As my study and research deepened, I gradually realized that biochemical signals capable of reflecting the body’s metabolic level and internal environmental changes—such as electrolytes and biomarkers related to kidney function—are of great value in disease monitoring, health management, and precision medicine. In the future, I hope to continue delving into wearable multimodal biochemical sensing and promote the transition of related technologies from the laboratory to real-world application scenarios, contributing my own efforts to the development of medical and health technologies.
Professor Ze Xiong’s research group focuses on cutting-edge directions including on-chip brain-computer interfaces, in situ integrated diagnosis and treatment, and AI+X. The group is committed to developing multimodal and multisite wearable and implantable devices, and to building closed-loop systems integrating diagnosis and treatment through high-throughput data acquisition and AI analysis. Thanks to the group’s diverse and open research atmosphere, as well as Professor Xiong’s detailed and targeted guidance, I was able to systematically engage, within a relatively short period, with the complete research chain from underlying principle design and device structure optimization to system integration and application. Through the advancement of multiple projects, I continuously improved my practical skills and accumulated valuable research experience.
In addition to my intense and fulfilling studies, I have always maintained a rich and diverse range of interests. I love traveling and enjoy experiencing the unique cultural atmosphere and lifestyles of different cities and landscapes. I also often relax through swimming and dancing, improving my endurance and coordination while exercising. Over the past two years, I have also tried using social media to record and share my life, through which I have continuously broadened my horizons, improved my aesthetic sense, and developed sharper observational and expressive abilities. These interests and experiences have not only enriched my life, but also subtly shaped my way of thinking and personal state. They allow me to maintain stronger focus, patience, and drive when facing the long-term commitment and complex challenges of research, while also making me more open and at ease in teamwork and innovative thinking.
Make: Learning Diligently, Acting Earnestly, and Reaping Growing Achievements
Through continuous accumulation during my undergraduate years, I gradually transformed solid coursework into concrete and meaningful achievements. In 2023 and 2024, I was consecutively named an Outstanding Student at the university level; in 2025, I was recognized as a university-level Merit Student. In academic competitions, relying on solid classroom knowledge and systematic, in-depth preparation, I won the First Prize in the Shanghai Division and the National First Prize in the non-mathematics major group of the 15th Chinese Mathematics Competitions during my sophomore year.
In terms of research, I published a paper as second author in Journal of Materials Chemistry C, focusing mainly on printable flexible wearable human-machine interaction devices. Centered on flexible electronics and wearable sensing, this research experience gradually helped me develop comprehensive research capabilities that integrate device design, experimental characterization, and system analysis. In the specific study, I prepared liquid metal composite ink through a physical modification strategy and applied it to direct-write printing, achieving higher-precision construction of flexible circuits. On this basis, I further developed a lightweight, stretchable, and arrayable skin-interfaced sensing interface. The related results provide a technically promising solution for wearable sensing, continuous health monitoring, advanced human-machine interaction, and other fields.
In addition, I have continuously improved my academic presentation skills and interdisciplinary communication abilities through multiple project reports and academic exchanges. In March 2026, I was invited to participate in the “Rising Stars” lecture series of the School of Biomedical Engineering at ShanghaiTech University, where I systematically presented my recent research work and related academic achievements.
Explore: Broadening Horizons and Moving Toward the Future
During the 2025 graduate recommendation summer camps, I received admission qualifications from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University. In-depth exchanges with professors from different universities not only helped me gain a clearer understanding of my existing accumulation and strengths, but also further broadened my understanding of future research directions. In broader healthcare application scenarios, relying solely on behavioral and motion signals is often insufficient to fully reflect an individual’s physiological state. Therefore, wearable systems need to further possess the ability to sense and acquire biochemical indicators, so as to more deeply reveal the body’s metabolic level and internal environmental changes. It is precisely this understanding that has given me a more systematic view of the wearable field across multiple dimensions, from strain sensing to electrochemical sensing, and has further strengthened my determination to continue working deeply in this direction in the future. Ultimately, I chose to pursue direct doctoral study at the Global Institute of Future Technology (GIFT) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. I also look forward to using the knowledge, abilities, and research experience accumulated during my undergraduate studies to support my continued exploration of the unknown, break through the limitations of traditional medical and health monitoring, and contribute to the advancement of medical technology and human health and well-being.
A Message for Junior Students
Whether in coursework, research exploration, or daily life, difficulties will always appear before us in various forms. If you have passion in your heart, may you always rely on that passion to withstand the hardships and unease along the way. If you have not yet found your answer, there is no need to be anxious; we can still keep exploring and growing slowly through one problem and challenge after another, becoming more composed, determined, and strong through experience. Many times, the road we are walking at the moment may not immediately reveal its meaning, but when we look back, we will realize that every step we have taken counts. After leaving campus, we will all share the common identity of “ShanghaiTech BME members.” May we encourage one another and move forward together, and I look forward to the day in the future when we can all meet again as better versions of ourselves.
