The Intersection of Human Health and Animal Welfare: In Conversation with Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Janet Kwon
From Seoul, South Korea, Janet Kwon is a fifth-year biomedical engineering doctoral student driven by research that advances human health and improves animal welfare at the same time.
We spoke with Kwon to learn more about her organ-on-a-chip, or OOC, research under Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Anthony Passerini and the importance of finding personally meaningful reasons for one’s scientific work.
Can you describe your research and its potential impact?
Until recently, drug candidates required animal testing before advancing to clinical trials. However, only 10 to 20 percent of those drug candidates were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. This means many effective drug candidates in animal models were not translatable to humans, and the low success rate contributes to the rising healthcare costs. Human-relevant preclinical models have been developed to address these efficiency and associated ethical issues with using animals for drug testing.
Since 2023, the FDA no longer requires animal testing before human trials. Alternative models, such as OOC, were approved to replace animal testing during preclinical studies when available. Designed to replicate organ physiology and disease conditions, OOC is a translational tool bridging basic cell culture models with human clinical trials.
As someone with a stronger background in biology, the potential applications of organ-on-a-chip inspired me to continue my doctoral studies, where I use it to investigate how inflammatory signaling and disturbed blood flow contribute to changes in blood vessel cells that promote cardiovascular disease.
Is there someone who inspired you to study engineering?
It has always been my dream to follow in the footsteps of Marie Curie and, one day, inspire the next generation to continue chasing their dreams. Whenever I hit a roadblock in my journey and must decide whether to continue, I wonder what she would have gone through during a time when women were not taken seriously as scientists.
Why did you choose UC Davis and the College of Engineering for your Ph.D.?
Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field, and UC Davis is known for its medical and veterinary schools. Davis is also known for its strong agricultural department and food science programs, and what you eat strongly influences your health. So, Davis provides a rich medical research environment that drew me.
In addition, Davis was my favorite college professor's alma mater [Professor Geoffrey Lin-Cereghino at the University of the Pacific]. I wanted to explore what he experienced and UC Davis' mission for diversity, equity and inclusion from a cosmopolitan perspective. Some say Davis has no culture due to the school being so diverse; however, I think Davis is what you make of it. Because of how large the university is, you can find ways to pursue your dreams and goals.
Tell us about an engineering course or instructor that has had the greatest impact on your education so far.
They say graduate school is a journey full of highs and lows, not just because of research. I owe a lot of personal and professional growth to my current P.I., Associate Professor Anthony Passerini. He has been patient with me in teaching the basics of mechanobiology and fluid mechanics and has helped me design and interpret my experiments. He won a 2024 College of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award for a reason.
Another professor who shaped my thinking was Professor Ester Carolina Apesoa-Varano in the UC Davis Department of Sociology. I enjoyed assisting her in SOC 006 – Health and Illness. In the class, Professor Apesoa-Varano discusses gender and racial disparities within the healthcare industry and the patient’s treatment outcomes. It was a distinct perspective on tackling problems in human health and truly eye-opening.
Our Next Level strategic vision for education emphasizes experiences that are “Inspired, Inclusive and Impactful.” How have you encountered these values in the College of Engineering?
We live in a generation known for uncertainty, bombardment of information, and decision fatigue. Our coursework focuses on learning engineering principles, leaving little room for reflection and personal growth. However, through conversations with my P.I. and students from diverse backgrounds and all different academic and life stages, I encountered these values at the College of Engineering. These interactions helped me troubleshoot experiments, figure out what I want to do after my studies and become a better mentor.
Tell us about your community involvement on and off campus.
I have volunteered at the Yolo County Animal Shelter in Woodland, California, for one and a half years in the cat and medical teams. It was an unexpected opportunity to have meaningful conversations about my research with veterinarians and vet technicians, some of whom previously worked at UC Davis. The UC Davis community extends to alumni, and because biomedical engineering is closely related to medicine and surgery, I found their perspectives extremely insightful.
In addition, I had the honor of mentoring undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in the classroom and lab, as well as incoming volunteers at the animal shelter. These were unique, valuable opportunities that honed my mentoring skills. The lessons I have learned from these experiences will carry on to the next steps of my career.
Can you walk us through what those next steps might be?
My goal is to continue my journey either in science policy and ethics or as a researcher, continuing to develop alternative methods of disease studies and drug testing. I hope my story inspires college students to reflect and pursue their passion.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Any pathway has its ups and downs, full of failures and wins. Truly understanding yourself and what you want out of life — in other words, having a strong sense of identity — helps you pursue your dreams.
For example, while pursuing my master’s degree in Korea, I scheduled a meeting with a prominent professor in the United States. I asked how he, someone who went from a relatively small Institute of Technology in Korea to becoming a professor at one of the best universities in the world, was able to be so resilient. Because in research, it is an anomaly for an experiment to work, and when failure persists, it is easy to lose morale. His response was to have a personal reason for your work, not to be driven by accolades and social recognition. This advice has inspired me to choose a research path that focuses on my passions for animal welfare and human health.