Ya-Wen is an Isidore Friesner Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and the Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She serves as the Scientific Director for the Institute for Airway Sciences, the Co-Scientific Director for the Center for Epithelial and Airway Biology and Regeneration, and the Director for the Developmental Origin of Health and Disease biorepository at Mount Sinai. Additionally, She is the Director of Basic Science Research for the Department of Otolaryngology. Ya-Wen is also a member of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute at Mount Sinai.

She pioneered work in lung organoid development and directed differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells to respiratory cells.

Ya-Wen received her BS in Biology from Tunghai University in Taiwan, MS in Tumor Biology from Georgetown University, PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She completed her postdoctoral work at the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology and the Columbia Center for Human Development at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She was a Parker B. Francis Fellow, Baxter Faculty Fellow, Catalyst Awardee, and Isidore Friesner Scholar. Most recently, she received the Parker B. Francis Jo Rae Wright Award for Scientific Excellence from the PBF Foundation and the 2025 Alumnus Award from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Ya-Wen is an active advocator for gender equality and LGBTQIA+ rights!

Ya-Wen is an Isidore Friesner Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and the Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She serves as the Scientific Director for the Institute for Airway Sciences, the Co-Scientific Director for the Center for Epithelial and Airway Biology and Regeneration, and the Director for the Developmental Origin of Health and Disease biorepository at Mount Sinai. Additionally, She is the Director of Basic Science Research for the Department of Otolaryngology. Ya-Wen is also a member of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute at Mount Sinai.

She pioneered work in lung organoid development and directed differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells to respiratory cells.

Ya-Wen received her BS in Biology from Tunghai University in Taiwan, MS in Tumor Biology from Georgetown University, PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She completed her postdoctoral work at the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology and the Columbia Center for Human Development at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She was a Parker B. Francis Fellow, Baxter Faculty Fellow, Catalyst Awardee, and Isidore Friesner Scholar. Most recently, she received the Parker B. Francis Jo Rae Wright Award for Scientific Excellence from the PBF Foundation and the 2025 Alumnus Award from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Ya-Wen is an active advocator for gender equality and LGBTQIA+ rights!

Ya-Wen is an Isidore Friesner Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and the Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She serves as the Scientific Director for the Institute for Airway Sciences, the Co-Scientific Director for the Center for Epithelial and Airway Biology and Regeneration, and the Director for the Developmental Origin of Health and Disease biorepository at Mount Sinai. Additionally, She is the Director of Basic Science Research for the Department of Otolaryngology. Ya-Wen is also a member of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute at Mount Sinai.

She pioneered work in lung organoid development and directed differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells to respiratory cells.

Ya-Wen received her BS in Biology from Tunghai University in Taiwan, MS in Tumor Biology from Georgetown University, PhD in Molecular Medicine from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She completed her postdoctoral work at the Columbia Center for Translational Immunology and the Columbia Center for Human Development at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She was a Parker B. Francis Fellow, Baxter Faculty Fellow, Catalyst Awardee, and Isidore Friesner Scholar. Most recently, she received the Parker B. Francis Jo Rae Wright Award for Scientific Excellence from the PBF Foundation and the 2025 Alumnus Award from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Ya-Wen is an active advocator for gender equality and LGBTQIA+ rights!