New technologies for high-throughput biology
Important biological discoveries are often enabled by groundbreaking new technologies. We are strongly committed to technology development, especially in the areas of epigenome profiling, single-cell sequencing, genome/epigenome editing, and synthetic biology.
Epigenome profiling. We have developed a series of methods for low-input and single-cell epigenome profiling, which includes ChIPmentation for histone marks and single-cell whole genome bisulfite sequencing (scWGBS) for DNA methylation. Moreover, we have established robust end-to-end pipelines for DNA methylation profiling (using an optimized RRBS protocol) and for chromatin accessibility profiling (using an optimized ATAC-seq protocol), with which we have processed several thousand patient samples each, in numerous projects and collaborations.
Single-cell sequencing. Our lab has been an early adopter of various single-cell sequencing technologies including Smart-seq, Drop-seq, and 10x Genomics profiling. Moreover, we have recently developed the scifi-RNA-seq method, which combines combinatorial indexing with droplet microfluidics for single-cell RNA-seq in millions of cells and thousands of samples.
CRISPR screening. We have developed the CROP-seq technology for CRISPR screening with single-cell transcriptome readout. This method enables functional biology at scale, with the potential of accelerating biological discovery and clinical translation. CROP-seq combines the scalability of pooled CRISPR screening with single-cell transcriptome sequencing as its readout, making it possible to screen for complex regulatory phenotypes.
Collectively, these methods – and additional new methods that are currently under development in our lab – enable us to study biological processes in high resolution and high throughput, in order to home in on disease-relevant mechanisms.
Publications
* shared first or shared senior authorship