Yanlan Mao

Yanlan Mao is a British biologist who is a professor at University College London. Her research considers cell biology and the molecular mechanisms that underpin tissue formation. She was awarded the Royal Microscopical Society Medal for Life Sciences in 2021.

Early life Mao's father was a mathematician, and she spent her childhood at academic conferences. She considered pursuing a career as a mathematician, but then realised the beauty of biology; in particular, she was fascinated by patterns in nature. Mao joined Cancer Research UK as a postdoctoral research fellow, where she became interested in tissue mechanics and the role of mechanical forces in cell division. It was previously unclear how the mechanical properties of cells influence the formation of organs. She makes use of Drosophila genetics and computational modelling to understand the mechanisms that underpin tissue growth.

Awards and honours 2018 L'Oréal UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship 2019 EMBO Young Investigator Programme 2019 Biophysical Society Early Career Award in Mechanobiology 2021 Royal Microscopical Society Medal for Life Sciences 2022 MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship

Selected publications