Amid the rapid development of biomedical engineering and cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields, a young student from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering, Shantou University, with solid research foundations and a tenacious spirit of exploration, has opened the door to the School of Future Technology at Peking University, making a name for himself in the field of hematopoietic stem cell development and immune microenvironment research. He is Xiao Zhiqing, a 2023 undergraduate graduate in Biomedical Engineering and currently a PhD student at Peking University and head of the Organization Department of the Youth League Committee.

01

Campus Days:

Planting the seeds of scientific research in "Block A."

Xiao Zhiqing's dream of medical engineering began in the classroom and laboratory of the College of Engineering at Shantou University at the foot of Sangpu Mountain. During his time at university, the harmonious and equal relationships between faculty and students, as well as the open and inclusive academic atmosphere in the Department of Medical Engineering, deeply moved him. Unlike rigid theoretical indoctrination, teachers often integrate cutting-edge topics with engineering practice into their teaching—Eric Hald's "Introduction to Biomedical Engineering" left a deep impression on him, and the mentor-friend guidance laid a solid foundation for his four years of professional study; Professor Guo Weijin opened the doors of the medical micro-nano laboratory to him in the Multidisciplinary Building (MRC), guiding him step by step to the full range of processes from laser cutting machines to soft lithography, which strengthened his determination to pursue scientific exploration.

In his spare time, Xiao Zhiqing is a regular at the "Block A" study room. This space, called a "sacred place" by medical engineering students, has carried the happiest moments of his four years—organizing English Corners with classmates from different grades, cooking preserved vegetables and oyster porridge in the small kitchen, steaming red peach cakes, and even setting up a pot to cook Chaoshan beef hotpot. From the grilled meat window on the second floor of Sifan to the rooftop barbecue outside the East Gate, from the raw pickled meat at the entrance of Tuozhong Road to the teaching and research room still lit at 2 a.m., these vivid moments piece together his deepest attachment to Shantou University.

At the SLC Student Mutual Aid Center, he learned the "learning method that gets straight to the essence" from senior brother Zheng Yuandong, and passed on this spirit of "passing down and mentoring"—starting in his freshman year, he began taking notes and serving as a mentor, teaching "Organic Chemistry" and "Digital Circuits" to younger students. The College of Engineering's cultivation philosophy of "pragmatism, innovation, and autonomous learning," along with the communication, collaboration, and project management skills honed through team-based learning, became his confidence to "dare to set out and be good at arriving when facing the unknown" in the future.

02

Academic Journey:

From Shantou University to Yanyuan, searching for coordinates in the scientific research wilderness

After graduation, thanks to his excellent grades and extensive research experience, Xiao Zhiqing was recommended to study for a doctoral degree at the School of Future Technology at Peking University. Transitioning from an engineering student to a biotechnology-led lab, he got up to speed and mastered the entire chain of solutions from molecular biology and single-cell transcriptome sequencing to massive data processing in his first year of graduate school.

Currently, he focuses on research on hematopoietic stem cell development and the immune microenvironment, while undertaking multiple major projects, achieving phased results through continuous experimentation and focus. To date, he has published seven SCI papers in journals such as Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, BMC Medicine, and Biosensors, presented seven papers at international conferences like IEEE MEMS 2022, participated in the National Natural Science Foundation project "Biomaterials and Technologies for Anti-Bone Aging," and gave a joint presentation at the 12th Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine of the Chinese Society for Biomedical Engineering.

Faced with the long cycles and high risks of pharmaceutical research, he developed a habit of planning projects from days, months, and years to 'end-game thinking': 'Quickly grasp key issues, design experiments cleverly, and achieve the first significant result as soon as possible.' He keenly observed that large models and multi-omics integration are reshaping the paradigm of pharmaceutical R&D. Organoid digitization and intelligent agent tools have greatly improved research efficiency—and in this wave, the ability to ask questions and critical thinking are the core strengths that Shantou's "Integrated Thinking" course has given him.

03

Life wisdom:

Impervious to all poisons, forged into steel

Looking back on his academic journey, Xiao Zhiqing believes the most notable sign of growth is the improvement in stress resistance. The inclusive environment at Shantou University helped him develop the habit of "positive interpretation and reverse thinking," and after arriving in Beijing, he truly felt the tempering of society. "When you feel, as Heidegger said, 'thrown into this era,' Salvation lies within." He refused to complain with a victim mentality, but instead calmly considered "What should I do next?" and took action.

He summarized three key principles: First, capture the intention behind the emotions and don't let others' feelings become a burden to yourself; Second, learn to make mistakes correctly, cherish lessons but avoid "irreversible" errors; Third, approach life with a "covered call" mindset, ensuring the main theme remains stable while allowing yourself to occasionally do seemingly unrelated things to broaden your mental capacity.

04

Alma Mater Sentiment:

From childhood to the distant future, the mark of Shantou University has never faded

Xiao Zhiqing's connection with Shantou University predates the day he enrolled. As a toddler, he played on campus; in elementary school, he received ash cleaning tools at the "Golden Triangle"; in middle school, he ate seaweed rice noodle soup with rice from the second and third meals; and in high school, he represented local students at the unveiling ceremony of the Biomedical Engineering Department—April 23, 2018, that afternoon that destined him to be closely tied to this place.

At the Shantou University Library, he read books like "Motors and Drives" and "Arduino from Scratch." Although most of them were hard to understand at the time, his thirst for knowledge was fully awakened. After enrolling, from SLC to CDIO, from MRC to the seminar room on the sixth floor of the Science and Technology Building, every step left his mark on his quest. Now, when he happens to meet Shantou University alumni in Beijing, he always mentions the university's unique and charming educational atmosphere: "Recalling the glorious years past, at the foot of Sangpu Mountain, the scenery is just right." ”

05

A message to future students:

Move forward to your own beat

To the younger students at school, Xiao Zhiqing offered heartfelt advice: "Never study textbooks rotely, especially for students in biomedical engineering." The most important thing is to find a topic that interests you, read extensively about literature, and master a set of argumentation methods and reasoning logic—that is the soul of a professional. ”

He encouraged everyone to improve their stress resistance, to remain clear-headed and know what they want even under high pressure. Time is a weapon; plan wisely. Though the road is long, if you move forward, you will arrive. Thoreau wrote in Walden: "If a person and his companion are out of sync, perhaps it is because he hears a different drumbeat." He hoped his junior brothers and sisters would keep moving forward at their own pace, and rather than fear failure, they would fear boredom and mediocrity.

"Since we cannot be stripped of all social relationships like Sisyphus, we need to find our own coordinates in this society. Just do it!”

"Shantong Imprint"

Carrying out "Shantou University of Technology Imprint" alumni publicity is an important measure for the School of Engineering at Shantou University to inherit the spiritual roots and gather momentum for development. Since its founding in 1981, the School of Engineering has trained students from various industries. They tackle challenges on the front lines of engineering construction, continuously break new ground at the research frontier, and quietly contribute at the grassroots level, embodying the engineering spirit of "focus, rigor, and innovation" through hard work. Through the "Shantong Imprint," the college connects these scattered stories, making the struggles of the older generation alumni a spiritual beacon inspiring the new generation, and helping students find direction by learning from the growth trajectories of role models around them.

At the same time, the "Shantong Imprint" serves as an emotional bond between the college and its alumni. The promotional activities not only allow alumni to feel the attention and recognition of their alma mater, but also build a platform for resource sharing—alumni enterprises can collaborate with the college on industry-university-research projects, turning research achievements into industrial momentum; Entrepreneurial alumni can provide students with internship positions and entrepreneurial guidance, enabling the transfer of experience. This two-way interaction not only supports the development of alumni careers but also injects new vitality into the college's discipline development and talent cultivation.

In addition, the "Shantong Imprint" also serves as a window to showcase the college's educational achievements and enhance its social influence. When alumni take on important responsibilities in major engineering projects and win honors in the field of technological innovation, their achievements are the best proof of the quality of talent cultivation at the school. By promoting these achievements, the college can attract high-quality students, expand cooperative resources, further promote the implementation of the "dual-college collaboration" and "five educations in parallel" talent cultivation system, and supply more high-quality engineering talents to Shantou and the entire country's industrial development.