Sze Cheng is a PhD Candidate in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is advised by Dr. Jeongsik Yong, which studies pre-mRNA processing in cancer. Sze aims to investigate the role of splicing factor U2AF1 mutation in transcriptome reprogramming in lung cancer. She integrates gene editing, biochemistry, and molecular biology approaches to characterize mutant U2AF1 functions. Her research will further the understanding of how U2AF1 mutation promotes cancer progression and will shed light on the mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets.  

Sze received her B.S degree from Lafayette College in 2017 where she studied Biology. With the ARCS award, Sze has opportunities to travel and present her work at out-of-state conferences. These experiences will allow her to grow and become an independent scientist.