WKU Graduate | SONG Kunping: A Youth Going Straight for Doctorate (G5) in Britain, with Scientific Research Experience and Entrepreneurship to Fuel His Dream

Joining the scientific research team in the first college year, starting paper publishing in international journals and a corporation as the founder and managing director in the third college year, promoting the grade point from 3.1 to 3.7… All these footprints have witnessed the growth of Song Kunping in composure and placidity throughout his four-year college l

Graduate of 2024: Song Kunping
Major: Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology Option)
Graduate School: University College London (Doctorate)
Origin: Wuhu, Anhui Province

As the college application season in 2024 is drawing to an end, Song from the biology department has reaped quite a good harvest: an offer from University College London for the doctoral program in Cancer Institute, an offer from the University of Manchester for the doctoral program in Microbiology, an offer from the Johns Hopkins University for the master’s program in Microbiology and an offer from University of Michigan Ann Arbor for the master’s program in Immunology. In his opinion, it is his experience in scientific research and business startups that has contributed to his harvest of all these offers.

Frankly, Song said he was of little consideration with respect to his future development direction when he entered Wenzhou-Kean University with the aspiration to broaden his horizon. The unique cultivation mode of WKU introduced by Dr. Eric Yang, Vice President for Academic Affairs, at the convocation, spurred interest in this freshman who had never thought “scientific research” would by any means concern him thus far and guided his unwavering commitment to pursuing study in biology, which paved a foundation for him to materialize his “scientific research dream.” Being always prepared to take a shot, Song brooked no delay in registering when he was still a freshman with a scientific research project posted by Prof. Choo Siew Woh for recruitment and successfully became part of the project. The project, specializing in animal-scale research and the antibacterial property of its metabolites, was an “accidental” but “fated” go for him to start his four-year journey of scientific research.

In the project, Song screened and tested their antibacterial property of metabolites derived from animal scales. However, he did not go well with the project from the beginning. As he said, “At the very beginning, I suspected whether my efforts were worthwhile when dozens of tests turned out to be in vain. It was perseverance that took me to uncover the value of my work.” Over one year of persistent efforts finally paid off with identifying the most effective combination of antibacterial metabolites, which can also be synthesized artificially. This discovery was a foundation for his domestic and international invention patents and provided substance for him to publish, as the first author, in internationally renowned journals. Song did not stop at patenting of his research results. Considering the high safety,  sound antibacterial effect and stability of the organic acid combinations, he came across the idea of converting experimental results into physical products. To materialize the idea, with Prof. Choo’s and his team’s support, Song decided to start a business. In December 2022, Song founded Wenzhou Li’en Biotech Co., Ltd. and was positioned as the legal representative and managing director, responsible for product R&D and monitoring. His team has, through multiple tests, developed the company’s first product – antimicrobial laundry detergent. Besides, he teamed with fellow CBPM students and became very visible with the project in the Wenzhou City-level College Students’ Entrepreneurship Competition.

When asked whom he was the most grateful for during his four-year college life, he mentioned Prof. Choo Siew Woh without hesitation. Prof. Choo's dedicated instruction and encouragement were an incredible drive to bring his GPA from 3.1 to 3.7 and a push for him to complete five-stage academic research. Prof. Choo imparted to him not only knowledge but also the vision and courage to go straight for the doctorate, turning him from a green introvert into a young entrepreneur who was bold enough to take responsibility and willing to take challenges.

The learning experience in WKU has given Song more comprehensive insights into biology and lent him a way leading to his earnest aspiration. His goal is to complete his doctoral program before the age of 25. Afterward, he would like to return to Wenzhou and find a position in the education sector to continue his exploration into scientific research, hoping to contribute to society through teaching, research, and technological conversion.