Peying Fong’s journey into the world of biophysics is rooted in both her early life and a deep curiosity about the natural world. Growing up in the Rondout Valley, nestled between the Shawangunk Ridge and the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York state, Fong was always encouraged to explore the outdoors. Despite her family’s modest means, her parents provided her with the freedom to roam the land surrounding their small two-bedroom house. “I consider my interest in the natural world to be a natural extension of having grown up in the Rondout Valley,” she reflects. The land around her became her playground, sparking an early interest in the physical world, from the progression of blooming flowers to the laws of physics she discovered while sledding down hills.
Fong’s parents, first-generation immigrants from Chusan Island, China, had limited formal education, yet instilled in her a strong work ethic and the belief that she could pursue whatever path she wanted, as long as she did her best. “My parents didn’t know what science education entailed, but they supported me with a fundamental freedom: they encouraged me to do my best, to engage with whatever opportunities arose,” she recalls. This was a freedom that allowed Fong to explore her scientific curiosity without any restrictions, shaping her academic trajectory in the years to come.
In high school, she quickly realized her passion for science. As a student at Yale University, Fong initially considered a broad range of subjects, even contemplating a career in art. However, it was during her time in graduate school that she was first exposed to biophysics as a distinct field. “In retrospect, I think I was drawn to the details, and I interpreted this to mean that a future in science was possible,” she notes. Her exposure to biophysics at this stage deepened her understanding of physiology through a new lens, eventually leading her to major in biology and pursue a PhD in physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. There, she focused on chloride transport pathways in primary airway epithelial cultures under the mentorship of Jonathan Widdicombe. “It became clear to me that this was the kind of research I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Fong recalls.
After completing her PhD, Fong’s postdoctoral journey took her to the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked in Richard Steinhardt’s lab on muscle calcium homeostasis. But it was a fellowship in Hamburg, Germany, that would shape her future. Funded by the Human Frontiers in Science Program, she joined Thomas Jentsch’s lab at the Center for Molecular Neurobiology. There, she delved into voltage-gated CLC channels, a discovery that would become central to her research career. “We now understand CLC channels not just as ion channels, but also as transporters. The molecular insights we gained have informed research on diseases like cystic fibrosis and polycystic kidney disease,” she explains.
Throughout her career, Fong has returned repeatedly to CLC channels, seeing them as a key area of inquiry. Her initial exposure to CLC transporters, which occurred over many years in her studies of epithelial anion transport, eventually led her back to the field during the COVID-19 lockdown. “Lockdown gave me the time to catch up on recent developments in CLC transporters, and I found myself back in the field that had always fascinated me,” she remembers. This reconnection spurred a collaboration with Michael Pusch, a fellow biophysicist, and solidified her commitment to studying these transporters. Today, Fong is a professor in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research continues to focus on the regulation of chloride transporters, specifically the CLC family of proteins, by pH and chloride. “My research revolves around understanding how these transporters function at a molecular level, and the impact that their regulation can have on cellular processes,” she says.
Fong’s faculty role is divided between teaching, administration, and research. As a teacher in the pre-clinical veterinary curriculum, she finds that “the most rewarding aspect of my work is enabling students to understand and respect the relevance of basic science to their professional applications.”
Despite the joy she finds in research and teaching, Fong’s career has not been without challenges. She recalls a difficult period in which she had to face bullying from a supervisor. “It wasn’t easy, but with some courage and the support of a friend who was a university ombudsman, I managed to navigate the situation with integrity,” she shares. Though the experience was challenging, she reflects with pride on how she was able to handle it with dignity intact.
Looking to the future, Fong is optimistic about the evolving landscape of biophysics, especially the role of AI in advancing the field. “AI will have a massive impact on biophysics, particularly in areas like data analysis and predictive modeling,” she predicts. As both a researcher and educator, she hopes to bridge biophysics not only with health sciences but also with the humanities. “Understanding how science connects with society and human experience is something I hope to foster in future generations,” she explains.
For young people considering a career in biophysics, Fong has simple but vital advice: “Read broadly, engage with others, and stay open to opportunities.” Her own career has been shaped by this philosophy—remaining open to new ideas and engaging with others in the scientific community. Through her long-standing membership in the Biophysical Society, she has formed lasting friendships and collaborations, which have enriched both her professional life and her personal growth. “The Biophysical Society has been a hub for cutting-edge expertise and a place where I’ve made many enduring friendships,” she says.
While she has had a successful career in biophysics, Fong shares that if she weren’t in science, she might have pursued a career in the arts. “If I weren’t a biophysicist, I might have pursued teaching ballet. Ballet is a form of expression, much like science—a way of exploring and understanding the world,” she muses. She still enjoys practicing ballet and yoga in her free time.