Her Story
About Yang (Claire)
I received my M.D. and Ph.D. in China, followed by postdoctoral training at Tsinghua University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Wyss Institute at Harvard. In 2020, I became an Instructor at Harvard Medical School, later transitioned to Senior Scientist, and ultimately founded DoriNano Inc., where I now serve as CEO and CTO. Over the past 17 years, I have dedicated my career to translational biomedical research, with the last nine years focused on nanoengineered therapeutics and DNA origami technology. My work has pioneered programmable DNA nanostructures for immunotherapy and vaccine development, resulting in two major publications in the Nature family of journals and several other publications from the team. Our platform has demonstrated the potential to generate stronger and more durable immune responses than current mRNA vaccines in preclinical models of cancer and infectious diseases, and is now being advanced toward clinical translation through DoriNano.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yang (Claire)
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think it's really my mindset. I'm naturally optimistic, I take action, and I don't give up easily. I don't spend much time calculating what's in it for me. If I believe something is worth doing, I'll put my heart into it and trust that the results will come over time. That approach has shaped both my career and my 18 years of marriage.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was, "Start first, then become the best over time." It reminded me not to wait until everything is perfect before taking action.
Another lesson I've learned is to listen carefully to advice and be willing to change when necessary, while still keeping the stubbornness that's often required for deep tech. I used to be stubborn about my ideas. Over time, I've learned to listen to different perspectives, but I've also realized that building something truly new requires believing in your vision even when others don't.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be incredibly resilient. You'll hear plenty of opinions, criticism, and judgments along the way, but none of them define who you are or what you're capable of. Embrace the challenges, embrace the uncertainty, keep learning, and just keep moving forward. If you truly believe in what you're building, don't give up too soon.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Fundraising is probably the biggest challenge. Investors naturally look for founders with previous startup exits or strong venture backgrounds, especially in deep tech. As a first-time founder, and as a woman and an immigrant, I've sometimes had to spend more time earning credibility. But that's also been an opportunity to build a stronger company and let our science, progress, and execution do the talking.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value kindness and integrity above all else. I also strongly believe in a "give first, take later" mindset. I try to be proactive and help people whenever I can, without expecting anything in return. More often than not, that kindness comes back in unexpected ways, but even if it doesn't, I don't regret it. I believe creating value for others is worthwhile in itself. I also believe in taking action. I don't wait until everything is perfect. I start, learn, adapt, and keep moving forward. That's how I've approached both my career and my life.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.