Mengyao Niu
About Mengyao Niu
Mengyao Niu is a Scientist II at LifeMine Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she has worked since 2020. She has extensive experience in synthetic biology and fermentation optimization, with previous roles at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Alberta.
Work at LifeMine Therapeutics
Mengyao Niu has been employed as a Scientist II at LifeMine Therapeutics since 2020. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she focuses on utilizing synthetic biology tools to enhance fermentation processes. Her work involves the construction of genetic reporters aimed at developing a scale-down high-throughput fermentation platform. This role emphasizes collaboration with various departments, including automation and chemistry, to optimize microbial physiology and metabolism.
Education and Expertise
Mengyao Niu earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completing her studies from 2015 to 2020. Prior to this, she obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biochemistry, along with a Certificate in Global Health, from the same institution between 2012 and 2015. Her educational background provides a strong foundation in microbiology, biochemistry, and global health.
Background
Mengyao Niu's professional experience includes various roles in research and project leadership. She served as a Project Leader at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she worked in both Lunga Lunga, Kenya, and Madison, Wisconsin, from 2018 to 2019. Additionally, she was a Clinical Microbiology Rotation Fellow at UW Health for two years, further enhancing her expertise in microbiology.
Research Contributions
Throughout her career, Mengyao Niu has made significant contributions to research in the field of microbiology and fermentation optimization. She increased natural product titers by over 10-fold through bioprocessing design-of-experiment (DOE) techniques. Her work has facilitated downstream pharmacokinetic studies and enabled gram-scale natural product synthesis using CRISPR-Cas9 for metabolic engineering.
Training and Mentorship
Mengyao Niu has played a key role in training junior research associates in microbiology and molecular processes. This mentorship has contributed to enhancing the capabilities and knowledge of her team, fostering a collaborative and educational environment within her research settings.