Programs

Program affiliation
Neurosciences
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Computational and Systems Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology

Research summary
We develop innovative computational analytical methodologies for studying brain health and neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. The lab employs AI and multimodal neuroimaging — including PET, MRI/fMRI, and EEG — as well as behavioral, clinical and genetic approaches for designing predictive models, identifying disease heterogeneity dimensions and facilitating precision medicine

Key words
Neuroimaging, neurophysics, neuroinformatics, computational neuroscience, clinical research, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, big data, neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, neuroimaging-genetics, neuroimaging-behavior

Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Neurosciences
Molecular Cell Biology

Research summary
Non-canonical mechanisms of voltage-dependent regulation of membrane signaling.

Key words
voltage-dependent gating, ion channels, GPCR, single-molecule fluorescence, cryo-EM, electrophysiology, ligand binding, Allosteric corregulation

Program affiliation
Neurosciences

Research summary
My research focuses on investigating system biological immune responses in neurodegenerative disease. Using various PET radiotracers, the lab works to detect brain and whole-body inflammation and links these imaging biomarkers to underlying blood and tissue cellular and molecular readouts using appropriate techniques.

Key words
Molecular imaging, neuroimmune interactions, translational research, myeloid cell responses, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases

Program affiliation
Biomedical Informatics and Data Science
Computational and Systems Biology

Research summary
Health and economic burden of obesity and surgical treatments of obesity, transplant outcomes, multiple myeloma prevention and control, and health disparities.

Key words

Program affiliation
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Neurosciences

Research summary
Characterizing and dissecting the molecular mechanisms of opioid receptor signaling

Key words
GPCRs, Analgesics, Side effects, opioid receptors, opioids, opioid alternatives

Program affiliation
Molecular Cell Biology
Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
The Chen lab utilizes multi-omic and high-throughput screening approaches to investigate the regulation and function of circRNA and uncover the molecular mechanisms of circRNA-mediated disease.

Key words
Circular RNA, Oxidative Stress, RNA Translation, Cancer Vaccine

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

Research summary
Defining drivers of premalignant states in skin

Key words
epigenetics, aging, cancer, premalignancy, dermatology, melanoma, nevi, squamous cell carcinoma

Program affiliation
Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology
Cancer Biology

Research summary
Molecular genetic studies of kidney diseases and cancer

Key words
Molecular genetics, kidney diseases, cancer, single cell omics, spatial omics

Program affiliation
Cancer Biology
Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Research summary
Identifying new therapeutic targets of small cell lung cancer

Key words
Lung cancer, DNA damage repair, immunology, drug resistance, genetic screening, translational research, drug development, targeted therapy, precision therapy

Program affiliation
General

Research summary
Advances the field of NeuroSonics by integrating breakthroughs in neuroscience and ultrasonics to deepen our understanding of brain function and transform the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases.

Key words
Brain, neuroscience, cancer biology, imaging, ultrasound