Grad to Watch: Jackie Fule Liu’s research focuses on better outcomes for diabetes patients

For Jackie Fule Liu, the path into biomedical research didn’t begin in a lab but in a kitchen. After studying Culinary Management at George Brown College and working as a cook, a curiosity for how things work, and a desire to tackle bigger, long-term challenges, led her back to the classroom to study biotechnology at McMaster University.

That switch set her on a path to translational research that bridges lab discoveries with real-world solutions. Hands-on lab courses and co-op placements, including research and development at STEMCELL Technologies in Vancouver, B.C., helped her see how practical and meaningful research could be.

Liu recently completed her PhD under Professor Shirley X.Y. Wu, where she focused on designing advanced drug delivery systems and biomedical devices for diabetes care. Millions of people still live with suboptimal treatments and the heavy cost of care, Liu says, and her goal is to help develop technologies that improve quality of life and patient outcomes. Her doctoral work included designing two biomedical devices, both submitted for provisional patents and built into working prototypes, milestones she’s proud to have reached.

Liu’s interest in Professor Wu’s lab started back in undergrad, when one of Wu’s projects came up in a biopharma lecture. A visit to the lab sealed the deal. “It really clicked with my interest in research that connects science with real-world application,” Liu says. Wu’s openness to innovation and entrepreneurship gave her the space to push ideas forward, both in the lab and through initiatives like PRiME’s Building a Biotech Venture, where her team Zearup Biomed reached the final pitch stage, and the MaRS x JLABS Rapid Fire Showcase.

The road hasn’t been without challenges. Working on entirely new ideas often means there’s no clear path to follow, and dealing with uncertainty has been one of the biggest hurdles. “What helps is setting a big-picture goal and breaking it into small, doable tasks,” she says. Equally important is making time to recharge.

Those lessons have shaped how Liu sees her future: leading projects that turn research into tangible products, mentoring others and championing more leadership opportunities for women in science and healthcare. As a teaching assistant and conference presenter, she’s learned how to communicate complex ideas to different audiences, skills she credits as essential to any translational research career.

Outside the lab, Liu finds balance in nature, hiking and camping whenever she can, and in community. In her time at the Faculty, she served as vice-chair and co-chair of the University of Toronto’s American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) Student Chapter, helped organize events with Let’s Talk Science, and co-led the team that won the 2023 AAPS Student Chapter Award. She’s also part of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Canada Toronto Chapter, helping organize development events and mentoring workshops focused on women’s leadership in healthcare.

“It keeps me grounded and motivated,” she says. “It’s something I want to keep building throughout my career.”