Qianqian Wang is a postdoctoral fellow in Philip A. Beachy’s laboratory at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University. She holds a B.S. in Polymer Science & Engineering and a B.A. in English language and literature from Zhejiang University and earned her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

In her doctoral research, Wang created functional human-made intestinal tissue as a potential treatment for short bowel syndrome. In her postdoctoral work, Wang specializes in biochemistry and structural biology, studying the molecular mechanisms of Hedgehog signaling and the role of cholesterol in this process. Wang has discovered significant links between cholesterol and autism, noting that many proteins implicated in autism are either regulated by cholesterol or involved in its regulation. This connection has fueled her interest in autism research. Despite recent genomic advances emphasizing the functional importance of numerous genes associated with autism, a significant gap remains in our understanding at the protein level, which is key to identifying potential molecular targets and designing precision medicine. Wang aims to employ tools like biochemistry and structural biology to bridge this gap and enhance our fundamental knowledge of autism.