Transcriptional regulation largely determines the spatiotemporal specificity and dynamic patterns of gene expression during development and in response to environmental stimuli. We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the precise control of gene expression in the nervous system and how changes in the regulation contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD) and Lewy body diseases (LBDs). We employ multiple cutting-edge computational and experimental approaches to understand the gene regulatory controls. We take snapshots of the regulatory systems using single-cell omics and imaging assays. We develop computational algorithms to integrate data and generate testable models of gene regulatory pathways to guide our experimental design and test our predictions in model systems. Our long-term goal is to provide novel insights into the mechanism of disease pathogenesis and new biomarkers and targets for disease diagnosis, prevention and treatment development. Highlights of current exciting research projects in our lab:
Single nucleus transcriptome comparison of AD and PD human brains
Dissect the molecular mechanisms of selective neuronal and regional vulnerability in Lewy body diseases (LBDs) using single-cell multi-omics
Development of computational methods to interpret high-dimensional and single-cell transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics data
Mammalian Regulatory Module Detector (MrMOD)
LRInteraction: a tool for single cell ligand-receptor interaction network
