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Shiming Chen, PhD

Dr. Bernard and Janet R. Becker Distinguished Professor

Program affiliation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Neurosciences

Research summary
Molecular mechanisms regulating photoreceptor gene expression in healthy and diseased retinas

Key words
Gene expression regulation, transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, photoreceptor development and degeneration, mouse models, gene therapy

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Yao Chen, PhD

Assistant Professor

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
Understanding the function of neuromodulators and sleep through the spatiotemporal dynamics of molecular signals

Key words
neuromodulator, sleep, dynamics, sensors, actuators, signaling, G protein coupled receptors, imaging, microscopy, learning, plasticity, engineering

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Malay Choudhury, PhD

Assistant Professor

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Our current research focuses on delineating the cellular, molecular, and metabolic processes involved in the development of fibrotic disorders such as Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and how these metabolic adaptations may in turn be targeted therapeutically for IPF.

Key words
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), metabolic networks, targetable mechanisms driving fibroblast function and fibrosis

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Brian Clark, PhD

Assistant Professor

Program affiliation
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
Genetic and epigenetic control of retinal development and retinal cell fate specification

Key words

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Jonathan Cooper, PhD

Professor

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
Disease mechanisms and treatments for inherited childhood neurodegeneration

Key words
Batten Disease, Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, NCL, Lysosomal Storage Disease, pathogenesis, pre-clinical therapies, enzyme replacement, gene therapy

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Kevin Cox Jr, PhD

Assistant Professor

Program affiliation
Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Research summary
Our research centers around studying spatial biology, or the spatial organization of genes, in plant systems. We investigate this through two research areas; plant-microbe interactions and duckweed biology.

Key words
plant biology; transcriptomics; spatial biology; imaging; molecular biology

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Clair Crewe, PhD

Assistant Professor

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
Understanding extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated signaling during homeostatic and pathologic metabolic regulation

Key words

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Zhiyu Dai, PhD

Associate Professor

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
My research aims to understand the lung vascular homeostasis and the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases using novel animal models, integrated pharmacological approaches, genome editing and single cell RNA-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.

Key words
cardiovascular, lung, vascular, single cell, spatial transcriptomic

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Nicholas Davidson, MD

Professor

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science

Research summary
Mammalian gene expression: Regulation through mRNA editing and RNA stabilization

Key words
gene expression, RNA, cancer, mRNA editing, mRNA stability

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Anthony Dell, PhD

Ecologist

Program affiliation
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Computational and Systems Biology
Plant and Microbial Biosciences

Research summary
We integrate metabolic, movement, and community ecology to address core and applied ecological and evolutionary questions. Spanning diverse species and habitats, our research links individual physiology to global biodiversity patterns using theory, data, experiments, and field studies. We aim to understand ecological systems, including human impacts, to inform effective management and policy.

Key words
metabolism, movement ecology, community ecology, behavior, species interactions, human-nature interactions, biogeography, global change, computer vision, eco-informatics, complex systems, biodiversity, great river systems, ecological management