Mingyue Fan is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, co-mentored by Dr. Claudia Loebel and Dr. Robert Mauck. Her previous research focuses on age-related changes in cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), with particular interest in small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) such as decorin and their roles in cartilage biomechanics, matrix remodeling, and osteoarthritis progression. Mingyue’s work integrates atomic force microscopy, SEM, biomolecular assays, and single-cell transcriptomics to uncover how microstructural and mechanobiological alterations in aged cartilage contribute to disease susceptibility. In her postdoctoral work, she is expanding into biomaterials-based strategies for tissue repair and fibrosis modulation, building on her training in cartilage mechanobiology and ECM signaling.

Outside the lab, Mingyue is interested in hiking, painting, and exploring good foods. Whether it's a weekend hike, a spontaneous road trip, simply soaking in the beauty of a forest, or visiting a new city, she recharges best under an open sky and among trees.

EDUCATION