When Sean Luk was just a child, she'd eagerly slip into an oversized lab coat and help her mom with experiments at Johns Hopkins University. Those magical moments sparked a passion that would eventually light the way toward potentially life-saving medical breakthroughs.

Now a senior at MIT, Luk is doing far more than pipetting chemicals—she's designing cutting-edge proteins that could transform how we fight cancer and other devastating diseases. Her personal motivation runs deep: watching her grandparents face cancer battles taught her that every day counts when it comes to advancing immunotherapy.

"The idea of creating something that is actually able to improve human health is what really drives me now," Luk shares warmly. Rather than feeling helpless, she channeled her emotions into excellence, determined to make a real difference for patients and families everywhere.

Working in Professor Dane Wittrup's lab throughout her MIT career, Luk has already co-authored two published research articles—an impressive feat for an undergraduate. Her current project focuses on developing ultra-stable cyclic peptide drugs for autoimmune diseases that patients could potentially take orally instead of through injections. Imagine the freedom and comfort that could bring to millions of people managing chronic conditions!

Even more exciting is her work engineering an interferon gamma construct that targets and reprograms cells in the tumor microenvironment. "We're trying to reprogram the immunosuppressive cells surrounding cancer cells so they can license T cells to attack cancer and kickstart the cancer immunity cycle," she explains with infectious enthusiasm.

But Luk's compassion extends far beyond the laboratory. Inspired by her high school work with Best Buddies, she identified a crucial challenge facing children with Down syndrome: communication barriers that can leave them feeling isolated and frustrated. Her innovative response? Co-founding EasyComm, an engaging online game platform that helps these children develop verbal communication skills while having fun.

"Communication is crucial to everything that we do," Luk emphasizes. "We want to be able to interact with our peers." She and her co-founder recently filed a provisional patent and are working to share this meaningful technology with families worldwide.

Luk's journey reflects a beautiful blend of cultures and experiences. Growing up in Hong Kong, she became a competitive jump roper, winning bronze at the Asian Jump Rope Championships at just 9 years old. She also courageously joined her brother's soccer team as the only girl, supported by understanding coaches and family despite cultural discouragement.

After moving to Maryland in fifth grade, her family tackled new challenges together, building closer bonds while adapting to American life. That resilience—combining Hong Kong's strong work ethic with American innovation—shaped who she is today.

At MIT, Luk continues excelling on the soccer field as team captain while maintaining her academic focus. She loves that her team embodies both competitive spirit and academic excellence, proving you don't have to choose between passions.

Sean Luk represents the best of what's possible when brilliant young minds combine scientific expertise with genuine compassion. Her research promises hope for cancer patients, her technology empowers children with special needs, and her story inspires us all to transform challenges into opportunities for positive change.