Ziqian is a research assistant investigating how the extracellular matrix and mechanical microenvironment regulate tenocyte behavior. Her current work uses 2D and 3D hydrogel culture models with tunable matrix properties to study how changes in the cellular microenvironment influence tenocyte morphology, mechanotransduction, and nascent extracellular matrix deposition. By examining cell–matrix interactions across different mechanical environments, she aims to better understand the mechanisms that regulate tendon homeostasis and how alterations in the local microenvironment may contribute to tendon injury and repair.