Van Truong is a PhD Candidate in Genomics and Computational Biology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and MA Candidate in Statistics and Data Science at the Wharton School of Business. Her research focuses on improving the limited understanding of autoimmune diseases using computational multi-omics approaches. She previously completed an MS in Biotechnology with concentrations in Bioinformatics and Drug Discovery jointly at Johns Hopkins University and the National Cancer Institute. Van also has an unconventional background in the arts and humanities, which shape her approach to collaborative and transparent science. She received her BA in Anthropology at the University of Florida and completed multiple post-baccalaureate research fellowships at Virginia Tech PREP, Harvard University, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is passionate about making science accessible - ranging from publishing quality control procedures, mentoring underrepresented students, and exhibiting public interactive sculptures. Van believes that cross-disciplinary collaboration and public engagement are essential for a healthy civic society.