Yunsheng Cheng

Raised in a village in Anhui Province, China, he earned his bachelor's degree from Anhui Normal University and went on to graduate study at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In an interview with eLife, he described being drawn to genetics because it felt like detective work—following clues to solve biological mysteries. His research has focused on how neurons release neurotransmitters, including work on how Synaptotagmin 1 and Rab3 help control rapid, repeated signaling at synapses.

He has also spoken about enjoying country music and, at the time of the interview, hoped to continue his training abroad as a postdoctoral researcher.