Lingyi (Gloria) Li
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
In 2017 I completed a Master’s degree in the experimental medicine program at the UBC and was employed as a full-time data analyst at Arthritis Research Canada following my thesis defense. During the past five years, I have been involved in different projects on treatment side effects for arthritis diseases. This work inspired me to pursue my PhD to help patients make more informed decisions regarding treatments.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
UBC has developed a supportive network of peers, junior investigators, and senior faculty members that will provide me with invaluable mentorship opportunities and acculturation to the academic community.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
I think the research-oriented PhD program in Experimental Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) fits my multidisciplinary training needs. It has researchers in multiple disciplines, with specific expertise in rheumatology, epidemiology, pharmacy, and knowledge translation.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
The beautiful campus in UBC and delicious foods in Vancouver
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
I have been working as a data analyst and have participated in a variety of longitudinal cohort studies involving the comorbidities and side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs among patients with rheumatic diseases using administrative databases. With the experience of managing complex datasets (including four million residents in British Columbia with 25 years of follow-up), I am confident in dealing with large cohorts that will be used in my PhD study.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
I enjoy cooking, yoga, hiking, running, reading, and playing the piano.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Being patient to yourself when you meet problems in your research, thinking, and observing calmly then you will overcome those obstacles.
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Learn more about Lingyi (Gloria)'s research
Thanks to a better understanding of the inflammatory process, anti-TNFα – a drug that suppresses the effect of TNFα (a protein that causes inflammation) – was discovered. Now anti-TNFα is widely used in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatic diseases (RD) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Even though anti-TNFα has led to improvements in patients’ quality of life, multiple sclerosis (MS, a disease affecting the brain and spinal cord) has emerged as a potential side effect. MS is usually not treatable and can shorten life expectancy. However, studies on the links between anti-TNFα use and MS are limited. This study aims to discover how common MS is among RD and IBD patients who use anti-TNFα compared to non-users. I will use datasets including 120,000 RD and 70,000 IBD anonymous patients from four Canadian provinces. Results from this study will help doctors and patients to make more informed decisions regarding anti-TNFα treatment.
