People
Principal Investigator
Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin
Peter is Assistant Professor of Genetics and Pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine. He is interested in understanding how genetic variation affects disease biology and using genetic and genomic analyses to infer the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular diseases. His full CV is available here.
NIH Grants
- R01NS131610: Molecular and Cellular Characterization of Congenital Hydrocephalus (Role: PI)(Active)
- R01NS111029: Human Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Congenital Hydrocephalus (Role: Co-PI) (Active)
- U19NS130607: INTERCEPT: Integrated Research Center for Human Pain Tissues (Role: Project 1 Co-PI and Data Core Co-PI) (Active)
- UM1DA058219: WashU-VAI Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Program Genome Characterization Center (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
- U24NS132103: WashU Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Program. Organizational Center (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
- R01AR067715: Genetic Risk Factors for Severe Scoliosis (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
- R01NS117609: Human Genetics and Molecular Mechanisms of Vein of
Galen Aneurysmal Malformation (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
- R01NS106298: Genomic Insights into the Neurobiology of Cerebral Palsy (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
- R01NS127108: Genomic analysis of the Multiplex, Autozygous Populations in Cerebral Palsy (MAP CP) cohort: a focused approach to a complex disease (Role: Co-Investigator) (Active)
Selected Honors and Awards
- NIH Early Career Reviewer Program, 2023
- Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium and Cardiovascular Development Data Resource Center Challenge Prize, 2022
- Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation Project Grant, 2022-2027
- Hydrocephalus Association Innovator Award, 2021
- Children’s Discovery Institute Faculty Scholar, 2021-2026
- Children’s Discovery Institute Zebrafish Models for Pediatric Research Services Cooperative Micro-Grant Award, 2021
- Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Research Funding Program Award, 2020
- K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, NHLBI, NIH
- American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship
- James Hudson Brown – Alexander B. Coxe Fellowship, Yale School of Medicine
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Yale School of Medicine
- Fellow, Lucille P. Markey Special Emphasis Pathway in Human Pathobiology, Markey Foundation, Washington University School of Medicine
Faculty, Postdoctoral Researchers and Staff Scientists
Yung-Chun (David) Wang, Instructor
David earned a B.S. in Agriculture Chemistry from the National Taiwan University. He did his Ph.D. with Dr. Shiyou Chen studying the mechanism underlying the regulation of JAK3 in abdominal aortic aneurysm at the University of Georgia. David has received a prestigious Center of Regenerative Medicine Postdoctoral Fellowship. He is focused on genetic analyses and functional genomics of congenital hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy projects.
Graduate Students
Shujuan Zhao, Ph.D. Candidate and Markey Pathway Fellow (Molecular Genetics and Genomics)(Joint with Kris Kahle at MGH)
Shujuan is a sixth year Ph.D. student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Pharmaceutical Engineering at the Central South University. She is working with Dr. Jin and Dr. Kahle at Massachusetts General Hospital to figure out the genetic etiology and molecular mechanisms of Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation and Moyamoya disease.
Nahyun Kong, Ph.D. Candidate and Mogam Science Scholar/Precision Medicine Pathway Fellow (Human & Statistical Genetics)
Nahyun is a fourth year Ph.D. student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Biological Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. She is developing genomic apporaches to figure out the genetic etiology and molecular mechanisms of rare movement disorders.
Zitian Tang, Ph.D. Candidate and Precision Medicine Pathway Fellow (Biomedical Informatics & Data Science)
Zitian is a third year PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is developing computational strategies and tools to elucidate the impact of short tandem repeats and contribute to the somatic variation catalog for the Somatic Mosaicism Across Human Tissues consortium.
Jenna Ulibarri, Ph.D. Candidate and T32 CMB/IMSD Fellow (Molecular Genetics and Genomics)
Jenna is a third year PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Biology at the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque. She is focusing on the development of computational and functional genomic strategies within the context of studying Proteogenomics in peripheral neuropathy.
Emma Casey, Ph.D. Student and IMSD/NINDS Diversity Supplement/Precision Medicine Pathway Fellow (Molecular Genetics and Genomics)
Emma is a second year PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She earned her BS in Environmental Science from DePaul University, followed by a master’s degree in Public Health from Emory University. Her research interests lie in utilization of human genetics and functional genomics to understand how mitochondrial and nuclear genomes influence the pathomechanisms of peripheral neuropathy and congenital hydrocephalus.
Purva Patel, Ph.D. Student (Computational & Systems Biology)
Purva is a second year PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She earned her BS in Biology from University of Missouri-Columbia, followed by a master’s degree in Bioinformatics from University of Missouri-Kansas City. Her research interests lie in utilization of human genetics and functional genomics to uncover the genetic underpinnings of congenital hydrocephalus.
Zefan (Vivien) Li, Ph.D. Student and Precision Medicine Pathway Fellow (Molecular Cell Biology)
Vivien is a second year PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She earned her BS in Biological Science from Peking University. Her research interests lie in utilization of human genetics and multi-omics genomics to uncover the genetic underpinnings of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy.
Julie Choi, Ph.D. Candidate and T32 GATP/Precision Medicine Pathway Fellow (Molecular Genetics and Genomics)(Joint with Jeff Milbrandt)
Julie is a fourth year Ph.D. student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Biology and Public Health at the University of Texas at Austin. She is working with Dr. Jin and Dr. Jeff Milbrandt to figure out the genetic etiology and molecular mechanisms of hereditary neuropathy.
Wendy Dong, MSTP Candidate and T32 GATP Fellow (Computational & Systems Biology)(Joint with Jeff Milbrandt)
Wendy is a fourth year MD/PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her BS in Biomedical Engineering at the Duke University. She is co-mentored by Dr. Jeffery Milbrandt and Dr. Jin to elucidate comprehensive molecular/cellular phenotypes that underlie human pain transduction, transmission, and processing.
Staff
Elvisa Mehinovic, Bioinformaticist
Elle is a bioinformaticist and master’s student at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed a BS degree in computational biology at Webster University. Her favorite hobbies include cuddling with her cat and drawing.
Andrew Ruttenberg, Bioinformatics Research Analyst
Andrew is a Bioinformatics Research Analyst at Washington University in St. Louis after getting his BS in Computer Science and Mathematics there. He is studying the role de novo structural variants play in neurodevelopment movement disorders.
Jason Bedwinek, Research Lab Supervisor
Jason earned his M.S. in biotechnologies at University of Missouri St. Louis. His main area of interest is nucleic acid chemistry, especially as it relates to sequencing technologies. His main focus is on using functional genomic assays to associate underlying genetic variants with neurological pathologies.
Rotation Students and Interns
Brian Yu, Undergraduate Student (U of Chicago Computer Science)
Owen Limbrick, Undergraduate Student (WashU PreMed)
Lab Pets
Ziggy
Alumni
Rotation Students:
Wilber Palma - Rotation Student (Molecular Genetics and Genomics), 2025/01 - 2025/04, currently graduate student in Mike Meers’s lab.
Sam Greenberg - Rotation Student (Molecular Genetics and Genomics), 2025/01 - 2025/03, currently graduate student in Priyanka Verma’s lab.
Yu Liu - Rotation Student (Molecular Cell Biology), 2024/10 - 2025/02, currently graduate student in Kelly Bolton’s lab.
Tingkuan Chu - Rotation Student (Molecular Genetics and Genomics), 2024/09 - 2024/11
Qichen Fu - Rotation Student (Molecular Genetics and Genomics), 2023/11 - 2024/01, currently graduate student in Ting Wang’s lab.
Justin Chen - Rotation Student (Computational and Systems Biology), 2023/04 - 2023/07, currently graduate student in Ting Wang’s lab.
Yu-Liang Yeh - Rotation Student (Biomedical Informatics & Data Science), 2023/01 - 2023/04, currently graduate student in Michael Meers’s lab.
Ai Zhang - Rotation Student (Human & Statistical Genetics), 2022/09 - 2022/11; currently graduate student in Gautam Dantas’s lab.
Vincent Gillespie - Rotation Student (Molecular Genetics and Genomics), 2022/07 - 2022/09; currently graduate student in Gautam Dantas’s lab.
Yuxiao Xu - Rotation Student (WashU MSTP), 2022/05 - 2022/06; currently graduate student in Mayssa Mokalled’s lab.
Lei Lu - Rotation Student (Computer Science & Engineering), 2022/01 - 2022/02; currently graduate student at Northeastern University.
Mariam Khanfar - Rotation Student (Human & Statistical Genetics), 2021/09 - 2021/12; currently graduate student in Malachi Griffith’s lab.
Kuangying Yang - Rotation Student (Human & Statistical Genetics), 2021/09 - 2021/12; currently graduate student in Angela Hirbe’s lab.
Prashant Kumar Kuntala - Rotation Student (Computational and Systems Biology), 2021/09 - 2021/11; currently graduate student in Ting Wang’s lab.
Changfeng Chen - Rotation Student (Molecular Cell Biology), 2021/02 - 2021/04; currently graduate student in Benjamin Humphreys’s lab.
Jian Ryou - Rotation Student (Human & Statistical Genetics), 2020/11 - 2021/02; currently graduate student in Gautam Dantas’s lab.
Undergraduate Students:
Tugce Iyiyol - Undergraduate Student (WashU PreMed), 2022/08 - 2024/05
Summer Interns:
Aria Ma - McDonnell Genome Institute OGR Summer Student, 2024/06 - 2024/08; currently a senior at Tufts University
Athziri Marcial Rodriguez - McDonnell Genome Institute OGR Summer Student, 2022/06 - 2022/08; currently a Physician-Scientist Kornfeld Post-Bac Scholar at WashU.
Cabria Shelton - McDonnell Genome Institute OGR Summer Student, 2022/06 - 2022/08; currently a Neuroprep Scholar at WashU.
Max Wrubel - McDonnell Genome Institute OGR Post-Baccalaureate Extensive Study Student, 2021/11 - 2022/07; currrently bioinformatician in Alison Goate’s lab at Mount Sinai.
Kareena Joshipura - Mount Holyoke College’s Lynk Fellow, 2021/04 - 2021/09; currently a software engineer at Capgemini.
Staff:
Po-Ying Fu - Bioinformaticist, 2020/06 - 2023/04, currently data engineer at the Cathay United Bank.
Devin Qiu - Research Assistant, 2022/07 - 2022/12; currently graduate student at Van Andel Institute.
Master’s Students:
Xiaobing (Dean) Yu - Master’s student (Computer Science & Engineering), 2021/03 - 2021/11; currently graduate student in Aristeidis Sotiras’s lab.
Sam Peters - Master’s student (Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at SLU), 2020/05 - 2021/04; currently research specialist at the McDonnell Genome Institute.
Spencer King - Master’s student (Computer Science & Engineering), 2020/05 - 2021/05; currently data scientist at Geneoscopy.