# Luochen Liu - Wu lab **“I think the most important thing is to have fun. One of the biggest reasons I'm in science is because I think it's very fun”** October 30, 2026 [ Giancarlo Ospina ](/people/giancarlo-ospina) ![Luochen Liu](/sites/g/files/omnuum5516/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-10/Luochen%20Liu%20headshot.png?itok=LAt0Mb4a) Luochen, a fifth-year PhD student in the Virology Program and a member of Dr. Hao Wu’s lab, did not always envision a career in science for herself. Originally drawn to music, she discovered that research offered the same creativity and originality she valued in the arts. After joining Amy Lee’s lab as an undergraduate, Luochen realized that she wanted to become a lifelong researcher. Luochen was drawn to the Harvard Virology program because of the close-knit community here and the chance to study questions that connect molecular mechanisms to human health. In her work, she thinks about how dynamic condensates can organize cellular processes and allow the body to regulate inflammation. In this interview, Luochen reflects on the creativity of science, her research, and the importance of finding joy in graduate school. ***Q. If we followed you around for one day at age 15, what would we see that might have predicted you’d end up doing a PhD in virology?*** There were probably signs, but they would’ve been very hard to notice. I didn't really start to become a hardcore science lover until high school. I was very much into music and art. I played piano all day, performed music, and sang. *But I always loved reading encyclopedias, especially the biology section*. I also didn’t realize as a kid or teenager how creative being a scientist can be. There is so much creativity and originality that you can bring to your science, and being creative is something I have always loved about anything. It shows up in the questions you ask, the way you do your science, and how you present it. ***Q. You’re catching up with a friend who hasn’t taken biology since high school. They ask, “Wait, what’s your PhD actually about?” What do you tell them?*** I would start with the idea that “disorder builds order.” In my research, I study how dynamic condensates can nucleate ordered structures. I think people might be able to relate to this idea philosophically. Society and civilization were not built by a shared purpose of creating order; rather, individuals sought to survive and find happiness, and from these individual pursuits, larger structures emerged. If I were explaining the biology more directly, I would talk about innate inflammation and how the body controls it. If you have too little inflammation, you can’t fight infection efficiently. If you have too much, it can contribute to many different diseases, like neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. So, my PhD is about how biological systems organize themselves and how that organization can be helpful or harmful depending on the context. ***Q. Someone hands you a remote that lets you replay one moment from graduate school so far. What are you watching again?*** Any moment when I realized that I had solved a structure. That feeling is so cool. You know you got a good map, and then the rest is building the atomic model from the map. I would replay any moments like that. The moments I would not want to relive are not what you’d think, People might think it’s getting pushback from faculty, but I find these debates fun. And I think the most important thing is to have fun. One of the biggest reasons I'm in science is because I think it's very fun. Moments I *actually* do not want to relive are when an instrument malfunctions and ruins an experiment. You can spend so long preparing for an experiment, and it is incredibly frustrating when the whole thing is ruined because of an instrument and it’s not your fault. ***Q. An incoming student has narrowed their rotations down to your lab and one other lab. You have 60 seconds to convince them to pick yours. What’s your pitch?*** I wouldn’t try to “win them over.” I would be honest, because every lab has pros and cons and you really need to find the right fit. Our science is obviously very cool, and Hao is very supportive. She gives me a lot of creative freedom, which is special and something I really enjoy. At the same time, you are expected to be somewhat independent. Each graduate student does not necessarily have a mentor who guides you through every step at the beginning, so it depends on what kind of mentorship you want. Our lab is not the most social, but everyone is very nice. You can have a really good conversation with anyone here, and if you run into a problem, people are happy to help. ***Q. How would you describe the vibe of the Wu Lab?*** “Structure plus.” The lab used to feel divided between people doing hardcore structural biology and people doing more cell biology, but now many people do both. What drives us is the mechanism, not one specific technique. The lab also has a non-judgemental atmosphere. Hao might frequently ask, “Really?” and fact-check you immediately, but somehow she makes it feel reassuring rather than intimidating. She encourages you to answer even when you’re not sure, and she makes it clear that it is okay not to know. ***Q. Someone gives you an entirely obligation-free Saturday; no experiments, no Slack, and absolutely no guilt about not working. Where do we find you?*** Hiking around or spending time on a beach, reading and talking with friends, and getting good food afterward. I don’t swim in the water, but I love just being *at* the beach. That’s one of the reasons I like Boston because you can do both. I can just enjoy the vibe. ***Q. A parallel-universe version of you never went into science. What are they doing right now?*** Probably some kind of artist. A painter or sculptor, or maybe a musician. I’ve always loved creative things. ***Q. You can send one text message back to yourself on your first day of graduate school. What does it say?*** I think realistically if I had the option I wouldn't say anything. I wouldn’t want to create a time loop, but more importantly, not knowing is part of the experience. Looking back, I don’t really regret anything. There are choices I could have made differently, but at the time, I thought they were the best decisions. Even though I went through struggles, those experiences were valuable. I think my past self did well, and I am proud of her, so there’s nothing I would offer her. ***Q. Fast-forward to graduation day. What do you hope you’ll be most proud of that isn’t written in your dissertation?*** I hope I’ll be proud that I stayed happy most of the time. A PhD is very hard, and staying happy means that you’re able to find joy in things beyond the struggle and make peace with uncertainty. Most of the time, you’re not getting results, and when you do get results, they’re often not what you wanted. I would be proud if I could look back and know that I found peace most of the time. --- For Luochen, science is ultimately a creative practice: a way to ask original questions, find order in complicated systems, and keep learning through uncertainty. She offers a final piece of advice: “Be kind before you do anything. Think about the consequences of your actions and make kindness your default.” **Rapid Fire:** ***Virus or system you would most want to study if you had to abandon your current project tomorrow?*** I’d be happy to try either Silvi’s (Rouskin) work on RNA structure or Alan’s (Brown) work on cilia biology. I did three rotations and liked all of them, so I think I would find either one exciting. ***Technique you would happily never do again?*** Radioactivity. I used it to label RNA and protein with different isotopes while I was in Amy Lee’s lab. I did it for about two months, nonstop. ***Technique you secretly find therapeutic?*** Passaging cells or really anything I am not doing for the first time. You don't have to think of anything, it's like what do you do when you're listening to your audiobooks. If I need a cooler answer, confocal microscopy sounds cool. ***Most-used phrase in your lab?*** “Are you done with the biosafety hood?” ***Go-to coffee or tea order?*** Pumpkin spice latte. When it’s not fall, matcha latte with almond milk. ***Current non-science obsession?*** Tennis. I’m starting to play, and it’s fun to watch professional players because they are so famous but can still be out in the world like normal people. You can watch them practice from very close by. ***Favorite scientifically inaccurate virus movie?*** Warm Bodies. It’s heartwarming, but it also makes you wonder whether the physiological or epigenetic changes in the characters could actually be reversed. ***Lab meeting snack of choice?*** Some kind of protein bar. My favorite flavor is pistachio chocolate *This interview was edited for length and clarity; written by Giancarlo Ospina (G3).* See also:- [ Benchside Conversations ](/blog-topic/benchside-conversations) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)