Yawen Shen is a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Wolfgang Zierer at the division of biochemistry at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of storage root development in cassava, a crucial staple crop for food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the CASS project, Yawen will concentrate on identifying and analyzing key regulators of cambium activity and xylem parenchyma cell formation in cassava roots. Her work aims to enhance the sink strength of storage roots, ultimately contributing to improved cassava yields.