Kin Chao

Kin Chao

Computational Chemistry PhD student (Essex group) | Multi-disciplinary studies | Molecular Sciences Research

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Posts

MUBJC first Invited Career Talk !!!

7 minute read

Published:

A reflection on the first 6 months of the Macau-UK Biomedical Journal Club (MUBJC), and some thoughts on our first invited career talk last week!

I’m back! - A quick update

2 minute read

Published:

I can’t believe the last blog post I wrote was over half a year ago! But good news — I’m start writing regularly again, beginning with two or three new blog posts in one go! JUST WATCH.

Updates!!

less than 1 minute read

Published:

Sorry I have been busy in the last couple of months so didn’t update much. But GREAT NEWS: just got a fully-funded PhD in Jon Essex’s group at the University of Southampton!!! The project is super cool and interesting and also with AstraZeneca as well which is very nice! Jon is also super nice and I only learnt later that he is the head of the Department of Chemistry after my interview …

Reflection of my STFC placement

4 minute read

Published:

I went to the office today after 9-month of working from home - feeling nostalgic when I was walking pass the hallway in Daresbury Lab. Loads of ups and downs this year, but I definitely grow like A LOT during this placement.

We are defined by the things we chose to do, and just as important by the things we chose NOT to do - a short essay about adulting

3 minute read

Published:

In the long term, our daily decisions shape who we become. Adulting (especially living away from family during early 20s) means suddenly having lots of freedom to make our own decisions. From everyday food choices to how we spend our time etc, to lifestyle choices. This is a random short essay about my current experience in adulting.

I might have ADHD…?

3 minute read

Published:

This idea came about a few weeks ago when I was staying at my friend’s place… But the more I think about it, the more symptoms I realised I have and some past events and behaviors starting to make more sense now …

Change is imminent

less than 1 minute read

Published:

With one month away from finishing my current placement (I’m taking a 3-week + holiday in June), two months away from AZ internship, and five months away from starting MPhil, I find myself in a reflective state this week and it’s clear that change is imminent on many levels.

My Chemistry UG in one post

5 minute read

Published:

Reflection of my Chemistry UG at Imperial College London (2020-2023). The first two years were extremely hard and painful. There was a depressed period when I disconnect with any friends and families for months. It’s a period of exploring, learning, sadness, failure, incompetency. It is also a period I search for my values, identities, believes, and growth.

My high school in one post

7 minute read

Published:

This is a reflection of my high school life in one post. I always think it’s quite dangerous to ruminate the past coz you don’t want to get EMO-ed too much about past events. E.g. did I get the most out of it? Is there things I regret doing/ not doing? How did certain events in that period shape the next couple of years etc. But this post contains some of the key memories of my high school anyway.

MUBJC

portfolio

posts2

Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer

less than 1 minute read

Published:

This book actually helps a lot. I was so just anxious in the ever since I started uni without me realising it (ie base anxiety level is high). I probably “keep” the anxiety unconsciously because I thought it will help push me forward with the academic side of thing. This book kinda taught me it isn’t really the case and it’s more beneficial to realise where does the anxiety come from and don’t let it to take control. I started reading this book at night when I was just too anxious a couple of days ago - I have now kinda regained a level of calmness which felt really good.

1Q84/2Q84 by Haruki Murakami

1 minute read

Published:

I don’t read fiction a lot (although I probably should have read more) but this is the book I am currently reading when I want a brief escape from reality. This book is written in a first-person perspective (which I really like), essentially I am in the mind of the characters when I am inside this book - It is intriguing to go inside the mind of the different characters in the book.

Getter Better by Michael Rosen

less than 1 minute read

Published:

This is more of a semi-autobiography book in which the author take us all the way back and tell us the story of his life in a book. He is not a big figures/ celebrity (not that I am aware of), but more like a ordinary citizen who has quite a dramatic life I’d say (including loss of a child; living with an chronic disease without knowing it for 10 + years etc). He has his own set of believes and values after living his life essentially and in this book I am getting a glimpse into it.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 by Tina Seelig

less than 1 minute read

Published:

I think I read this book in Yr1 - I don’t remember much now but I do remember it’s quite good. Each chapter is kinda a life lesson on its own. Low-key this book might help shaped some of my decisions during Uni - Definitely read this if you ever feel stuck/ lost in your early 20s or if you are starting uni (in that case you will suddenly have lots of decisions to make yourself, all of which will shape you as who you are in the next couple of years)

Mindset by Carol Dweck

less than 1 minute read

Published:

I think I read this in F5 and this is probably the most influential book to me in my life so far. Again I think the author is a Professor in Stanford so it’s actual real psychology backed by research and not just some motivational BS videos on youtube etc. It basically teaches me to be resilient and not to give up easily on things that I am not good at. Trust me you gonna need it coz there will be so many things you felt incompetent starting uni (how you deal with that feeling is what this book is about).

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

less than 1 minute read

Published:

I read most of the books by Malcolm Gladwell he is definitely one of my favourite authors. His book is just so well-written and a pleasure to read (Prob bc he worked as an journalist back then so the stories in the book are very captivating). This is a must-read for the 10,000 hour rules. I also love his work as he always give loads of real world case-study which is always very fun to read (I love story!).

Freakonomics series by Steven Levitt

less than 1 minute read

Published:

This series is so much fun. The author basically tell loads of stories (we always love story) about e.g. hidden economy of abortion and like how profitable is a gang (it is so much fun). I read this ages ago can’t remember much now but it was a very fun read.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

less than 1 minute read

Published:

I think this was the first Fiction book I finished (excluding Harry Potter series) - I missed this book … Fiction is always a good escape from reality and into the mind and life of the character. The book is medium-level “dense” but I am sure you will find revelations/ your own take-away from the book etc in this book.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson

less than 1 minute read

Published:

This book is soooo fking good (I think I read this in Yr1/2 just when I needed it the most), so it bonded with me quite strongly. It’s like a life lesson book but in a very unconventional manner (but very revealing) and I learn so fking much after reading this. Mark Manson also has a youtube channel and I watch it quite often as well it’s very insightful. He also has a new book called Everything is Fucked - it’s on my to-read list.

Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal

less than 1 minute read

Published:

Finished a while ago. Overall an easy-reading book with many interesting stories/ case study about psychology etc.

The Dealmaker by Guy Hands

less than 1 minute read

Published:

Currently reading, and it has been a very interesting read.

Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu

less than 1 minute read

Published:

Again highly recommended, a beautifully written memoir detailing Ken’s growing up in the US as a TW immigrant and how he cope with/ live with the sudden death of his best friend.

publications

Structural and regulatory insights into the glideosome-associated connector from Toxoplasma gondii

Published in eLife, 2023

Recommended citation: (1)Kumar, A.; Vadas, O.; Dos, N.; Zhang, X.; Chao, K.; Darvill, N.; Rasmussen, H. H.; Xu, Y.; Gloria Meng-Hsuan Lin; Stylianou, F.; Jan Skov Pedersen; Rouse, S. L.; Morgan; Soldati‐Favre, D.; Matthews, S. Structural and Regulatory Insights into the Glideosome-Associated Connector from Toxoplasma Gondii. eLife 2023, 12. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.86049. https://elifesciences.org/articles/86049

Molecular mapping and functional validation of GLP-1R cholesterol binding sites in pancreatic beta cells

Published in eLife, 2024

Recommended citation: (3)Oqua, A. I.; Chao, K.; Eid, L. E.; Casteller, L.; Miguéns, A.; Barg, S.; Jones, B.; Bernadino, J.; Rouse, S. L.; Tomas, A. Molecular Mapping and Functional Validation of GLP-1R Cholesterol Binding Sites in Pancreatic Beta Cells. bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) 2024. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.101011.1. https://elifesciences.org/reviewed-preprints/101011

Coarse-Grained Simulations of Adeno-Associated Virus and Its Receptor Reveal Influences on Membrane Lipid Organization and Curvature

Published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2024

Recommended citation: (4)Nichakorn Pipatpadungsin; Chao, K.; Rouse, S. L. Coarse-Grained Simulations of Adeno-Associated Virus and Its Receptor Reveal Influences on Membrane Lipid Organization and Curvature. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03087. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03087

Coupling and Activation of the β1 Adrenergic Receptor-The Role of the Third Intracellular Loop

Published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2024

Recommended citation: (5)Qiu, X.; Chao, K.; Song, S.; Wang, Y.-Q.; Chen, Y.-A.; Rouse, S. L.; Yen, H.-Y.; Robinson, C. V. Coupling and Activation of the β1 Adrenergic Receptor - the Role of the Third Intracellular Loop. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2024. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c11250. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jacs.4c11250

talks

teaching

Teaching experience 1

Undergraduate course, University 1, Department, 2014

This is a description of a teaching experience. You can use markdown like any other post.

Teaching experience 2

Workshop, University 1, Department, 2015

This is a description of a teaching experience. You can use markdown like any other post.