Second-year student Alena Qin is exploring new academic interests through the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Research Opportunities Program (ROP). Initially focused on bioinformatics, Qin’s work in Professor Belinda Chang‘s lab has sparked a passion for wet lab research, leading her to reconsider her future career path.

Qin’s research investigates the molecular evolution of rod photoreceptor genes in squamates, using techniques like PCR and bacterial transformation. Professor Chang, from the Departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Cell & Systems Biology, emphasizes the ROP’s value in providing students with independence, professional lab experience, and mentorship opportunities.

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