Shirley was obsessed with biology since high school and decided to pursue a degree in Comparative Physiology at University of Toronto, Mississauga (UTM). Her goal was to become a physician, until her discovery of the biomedical visual communication field during her study at UTM.

Without exposure to visual art as she grew up, Shirley’s creative side was awoken in the third year of her undergraduate studies, when she used her art skills to help understand complex scientific concepts. Upon realizing that visual storytelling could be such a powerful tool in communicating science, her vision slowly shifted toward becoming a medical illustration.

Shirley spent two years refining her art skills via formal art training, before her matriculation into the Johns Hopkins University graduate program in Medical and Biological Illustration at the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine. She hopes to use her visual storytelling skills to help spark people’s interest in science, and to promote efficient communications between science professions.

In her spare time, Shirley enjoys cooking and playing with her feline friend, Chickadee.