Deciphering how risk variants alter gene regulation in brain diseases with advanced genetic, genomic, and bioinformatic tools
My long-term research interests include developing innovative bioinformatic tools/methods and utilizing cutting-edge (epi)genomic techniques to gain a comprehensive understanding of gene regulation in mammalian models and humans, particularly in neuropsychiatric disorders.
My early works uncover the evolution of species, the post-transcriptional regulation, and the epigenetic reprogramming of human disease. Over the past five years, I participated in the BRAIN Initiative and have made key contributions to the mapping of epigenetic landscapes in thousands of distinct cell types from >3 million individual cell nuclei in both human and mouse adult brains. I also focused on developing and applying innovative computational tools, deep learning models and advanced single-cell epigenetic technologies to annotate cell types, decipher gene regulatory programs in both mice and humans, and interpret non-coding risk variants of human neuropsychiatric disorders.
I believe that my research interests will align well with the mission of the Hope Center.