Dr. Yuan Zhao obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the School of Medicine at the University of Louisville. She subsequently completed her postdoctoral training in viral immunity at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, California. Dr. Zhao is an established educator with over a decade experience of leadership in curriculum and assessment. She has received multiple teaching awards and has a solid record of scholarly accomplishments which includes multiple internal and extramural grants and peer-reviewed publications pertaining to health science education. She is an active member of the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) and recently served as a member of the planning committee for the 2023 conference.