Biography

Dr. Chang  received his B.Sc. (2001) from Peking University and his Ph.D (2006) from Ohio  State University. After completing his postdoctoral training (2011) at Yale  University, he worked as an instructor at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and  Immunology, and then started his own research lab at Shanghai Institutes for  Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2018, Dr. Chang joined  Westlake University as an associate professor. Dr. Chang is investigating  molecular mechanisms regulating lymphocyte development. Based on unique  mechanisms of lymphocyte development, he is also developing incisive new tools  to increase our understanding of biology and to discover treatments for human  disease. His work led to many peer-reviewed publications,  including Immunity (2018,2011), Molecular  Cell (2018), Science  Signaling(2017), Nature  Methods (2016), eLife (2016), PNAS (2015), JEM (2005,2006).   

Research

1. By combining  components of bacterial and vertebrate immune system, we developed targeted  cytosine deaminase (TAM), which enables diversifying mammalian endogenous DNA  and molecular evolution (Nature  Methods, 2016). We  further demonstrate TAM can modulate RNA splicing and correct splicing defects  associated with human diseases (Molecular  Cell,  2018)

2. We have  identified multiple RNA-binding proteins, and post-transcriptional mechanisms  critical for immune cell development and immune tolerance (Immunity, 2018; P.N.A.S. 2015).

Academic area:  Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell biology, Genetics