Yao’s hometown is Nantong, a picturesque coastal city north of the Yangtze River, opposite Shanghai. She is an early-career surgeon with clinical expertise in treating sepsis and burn injuries, as well as a researcher in immune responses to pathogenic fungi. She completed her medical degree at Jiangsu University and went on to enroll in a Ph.D. program in immunology at Tongji University in 2019. There she focused on dissecting the role of immune checkpoint blockade on innate immune responses to Candida albicans, the major agent of systemic candidiasis. Driven by her passion for fungal immunology, she joined the Hohl lab for postdoctoral training in September 2023 and began investigating innate immunity against Aspergillus in the Central Nervous System. Beyond her research, she likes to embrace life’s vibrancies. She finds joy in zumba, dancing, surfing, hiking, the adrenaline rush of roller coasters and other thrill-seeking exploits.