Over the past two years, I’ve made a shift from the world of business to the cutting edge of global health, diving deep into how blockchain technology can be applied to healthcare. Studying Global Health at Duke Kunshan University has been more than just an academic experience—it’s been a journey of self-discovery.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d move from auditing to global health, and eventually find myself researching blockchain in Zurich, one of the world’s leading tech hubs, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. But that’s the beauty of life—it often takes you places you never expected.
As an undergraduate, I majored in auditing. By conventional standards, my path was clearly laid out—working at an accounting firm, buried in endless audit reports. But in 2019, when Facebook introduced the cryptocurrency Libra, I stumbled upon the world of blockchain. Something about its potential immediately struck a chord with me.
After years of exploring, it wasn’t until the second year of my master’s program that things truly clicked: I wanted to break the boundaries between healthcare and blockchain, and dive deeper into areas like the tokenization of medical data. Looking back, I believe it was Duke Kunshan University’s unique blend of Chinese and Western influences, its rich academic resources, and the professors who constantly encouraged me to think boldly that made this unconventional journey possible.
The Bounded Campus and the Unbounded Education
At DKU, the campus has boundaries, but learning knows no limits. The university fosters an open, supportive environment where I’ve been free to pursue my academic passions and venture into uncharted territory.
Though most professors in the Global Health program weren’t familiar with blockchain technology, they were open-minded and eager to support the emerging topics. They went out of their way to provide resources, connect me with experts, and encouraged me to take bold moves and think creatively. I’m especially grateful to Professor Chenkai Wu for his guidance and support throughout my research and academic journey.
I also benefited immensely from the rich resources and learning opportunities provided by DKU, including the Duke semester exchange, hands-on research projects, internships, class presentations, exams, and lectures. This intensive “input” and “output” provided me with tremendous training, allowing me to quickly develop a professional understanding and solidify my future career direction.
In the “Silicon Valley” of Blockchain
As part of the master’s program, each student can choose a country for field research based on their interests and career goals. For me, Zurich of Switzerland, was an easy choice. Zurich is often referred to as the “Silicon Valley of Blockchain” in Europe. Its business-friendly financial policies have attracted a multitude of cutting-edge blockchain projects and startups to establish and grow their operations here.
During the summer of 2024, I took part in the “Deep Dive into Blockchain 2024” program in Zurich. It gave me a solid, hands-on understanding of blockchain technologies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, while also exposing me to how blockchain companies operate and implement their technologies. I was especially struck by the potential blockchain holds for transforming the healthcare sector.
I also engaged in deploying smart contracts and designing tokens, from which I learned how the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is shaping the way traditional healthcare systems handle data privacy. Blockchain, with its decentralized, tamper-proof, and transparent nature, offers a compelling solution to meet these regulatory standards. In another words, blockchain is a distributed ledger and database system, featuring data integrity through decentralization, immutability, traceability, and collective maintenance. These features make blockchain a trustworthy and transparent tool—an ideal framework for enabling secure data sharing in healthcare. Its reliability helps bridge the information gaps between stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, making collaboration and coordination more effective.
“Zurich’s spirit of innovation fueled my passion and helped me discover a research direction that truly resonates with me. Each challenge I faced only strengthened my belief that the intersection of technology and health holds endless possibilities for the future. “
This experience gave me a first taste of what it’s like to design token economies and explore decentralized systems for managing health data. I realized that theory and practice don’t have to live in separate worlds—they can go hand in hand. And academic research can be just as dynamic and alive as the technologies it seeks to understand.
A journey of dedication and immersion
For my thesis, I worked on turning health data into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) using the ERC-1155 multi-token standard. By integrating passkey encryption with biometric authentication—like fingerprint or facial recognition—I created a system where each NFT was secured with a unique personal identifier. This means users could not only access their health data but fully own and control it. I also received the Dean’s Research Award by Duke University’s Graduate School, which provided me with funding and institutional support for the project’s work.
Beyond the blockchain, my studies in the global health program pushed me to reflect on what academic work truly means. I’ve always been goal-oriented—someone who sets a target and throws everything into reaching it. In the past, that sometimes meant chasing outcomes too quickly, without leaving space for reflection. Over time, I’ve learned to slow down. I’ve started focusing more on the process: the curiosity, the creativity, the why behind each question I ask. I’ve come to value research not just for the answers it gives, but for the responsibility it carries—and the impact it can have on people’s lives.
Recently, I was selected as an ambassador for the Blockchain Center at the University of Zurich. In this new role, I no longer see myself as working in isolation. I’ve become a bridge builder—linking the University of Zurich with Duke and Duke Kunshan University, science with real-world applications, and blockchain technology with public health needs. Blockchain and global health may seem like worlds apart, but they share a common vision: making systems more transparent, equitable, and accessible to all. That vision is what drives me—and what I’ll keep working toward.
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