Consultant Spotlight - June 2026

How long have you been with miLEAD? 

Almost 2 years - I joined miLEAD in October 2024!

What is the focus of your research?

My research focuses on identifying new therapeutic targets for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic condition that affects more than 3 million people in the United States and millions more worldwide. Despite its growing prevalence, effective treatments remain limited because the underlying disease mechanisms are not fully understood.

My work has identified a lipid-metabolizing enzyme called ACSL4 as a key driver of IBD progression. In mouse models, selectively deleting ACSL4 in a specific cell type, intestinal fibroblasts, reduced colon injury by approximately 60%. Through mechanistic studies, we found that ACSL4 disrupts intestinal epithelial homeostasis by promoting ferroptosis, an iron- and lipid-dependent form of cell death. These findings suggest that targeting ACSL4 could represent a promising new therapeutic strategy for treating IBD!

What are your current career goals?

My current career goal is to become a healthcare strategist, bridging scientific research, clinical medicine, commercialization, and health policy.

For many years, my goal was to become a physician scientist. During 10+ years of medical and scientific training across China and the U.S., I studied intensely with the hope that scientific knowledge and clinical care could meaningfully improve patients’ lives. However, I gradually realized that healthcare outcomes are shaped not only by treating patients and conducting translational research, but also by other factors such as commercialization strategy, policy, and patient access that influence healthcare decision-making and outcomes at a systems level.

I hope to leverage my scientific and clinical background to make a broader impact by helping translate discoveries into accessible solutions, improving patients’ access to high-quality care while creating a more sustainable and supportive environment for healthcare professionals.

What roles have you played on projects? 

I joined miLEAD as a Consultant, working on two different life sciences projects. During that time, I worked as part of a team, focusing on reimbursement pathways, global distribution channels, competitive landscape analysis, and primary research. Based on my performance, I was promoted to Project Manager, where I led a seven-member team to support a startup developing a novel product. We conducted market analysis and primary research, providing recommendations on key adoption factors, market size, and pricing strategy for the client. More recently, I have been serving as an Advisor on a healthcare project, supporting the project manager and consultants to ensure the project progresses in the right direction and is executed efficiently. In addition, I serve as the Director of Finance, where I coordinate the organization’s financial operations.

What led you to seek out miLEAD?

I was exploring career options in 2024, and several of my friends were highly involved in miLEAD. Out of curiosity and a desire to explore consulting, I joined miLEAD to see whether this type of work would be a good fit for me. To my surprise, I found myself genuinely excited about learning new topics, developing business skills, and receiving constructive feedback from teammates and mentors. That experience inspired me to pursue a career in healthcare strategy.

Beyond the projects themselves, miLEAD has created a supportive environment that helps members grow professionally and build meaningful connections. Having benefited so much from its resources and community, I wanted to give back by serving on the board while continuing to develop my consulting skills through advising projects.

Since joining miLEAD, what skills have you been able to develop?

Since joining miLEAD, I have developed a wide range of skills, including rapid learning, project management, cross-functional teamwork, structured problem-solving, and clear communication. Consulting has pushed me to quickly become familiar with unfamiliar industries and synthesize large amounts of information into actionable recommendations for clients.

More importantly, miLEAD has given me a much broader perspective on the healthcare ecosystem. Through projects, I have gained experience in market analysis, commercialization strategy, FDA regulatory pathways, reimbursement strategy, distribution channel assessment, competitive landscape analysis, and primary research. I have also conducted interviews with key opinion leaders (KOLs) across different specialties, learning how to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and translate their insights into strategic recommendations.

Beyond technical and analytical skills, miLEAD has strengthened my leadership abilities. As a Project Manager, Advisor, and Director of Finance, I have learned how to coordinate multidisciplinary teams, mentor junior consultants, manage organizational operations, and balance strategic thinking with execution.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences thus far working with miLEAD? 

One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had with miLEAD was serving as a Project Manager for a life sciences startup. It was my first opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary team of seven consultants, each bringing different backgrounds and expertise. Beyond delivering high-quality work to the client, I found great satisfaction in helping team members grow, like facilitating discussions, providing feedback, and creating an environment where everyone could contribute their strengths.

Throughout the project, we conducted market analysis and primary research to evaluate key adoption factors, market size, and pricing strategy for the client’s novel product. Seeing our collective work come together into actionable recommendations was incredibly fulfilling. More importantly, the experience taught me that effective leadership is not about having all the answers, but about empowering a team to solve complex problems together. Working together, we can create meaningful impacts!