Jonathan Ho
As a logistics officer in the Singapore Army, Jonathan Ho witnessed a level of poverty that inspired him to pursue a career in healthcare that would eventually lead him to UC Davis.
Ho, now a fourth year majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, sought out UC Davis because of the caliber of the College of Biological Sciences, one of only three colleges in the United States dedicated to the study of biological sciences. While at UC Davis, Ho volunteered at the Knights Landing One Health Student Clinic where he witnessed how social determinates of health can impact a rural community.
A Q&A with Wai Lone Jonathan Ho
Congratulations to Wai Lone Jonathan Ho, a graduating senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, for being one of the recipients of this year’s Ronald and Lydia Baskin Research Award and the recipient of the College of Biological Sciences Medal. The Ronald and Lydia Baskin Research Award recognizes graduating undergraduate students for excellence in biological sciences research. The College of Biological Sciences Medal is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student.
“I saw that the problems people in community had related to hypertension, diabetes and other disease were things that are really dependent on lifestyle and diet. They are things that are very hard to treat with a one-time visit to a clinic,” he said. “I wanted to do something more to help.”
Ho worked with other students to secure more than $50,000 to build a community garden for the Knights Landing Community. The garden, which broke ground in 2019, promises to be a source of fresh produce for citizens and a positive activity for the youth of Knights Landing.
“With everything we’ve done, our goal has been not to impose something on the community, but rather to be a resource to help them get what they are looking for,” he said. “We are very sincere with our actions and really want to help improve the lives of other people.”
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