Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Chen Shi Research Team PI. Graduated with a Ph.D. from the University of Macau in 2021, specializing in Biomedical Sciences. Engaged primarily in research related to pathogenic microorganisms, focusing on investigating the pathogenic mechanisms and microbial physiological properties during infection processes of pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, fungi). Key research contributions include publications as first or corresponding author in journals such as Nature Microbiology (cover feature), Clinical Microbiology Reviews (cover feature), PLOS Genetics, and Virulence. Principal investigator of 1 National Natural Science Foundation project, 1 sub-project of a Ministry of Science and Technology key special task, and 1 Shenzhen talent project.

Exploring Pathogenic Mechanisms of Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens Using Multi-omics Approaches

Applying genomics, comparative genomics, and transcriptomics, combined with bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology experiments, to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms and regulatory mechanisms of common clinical pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus, Candida, and Talaromyces. Concurrently, co-infection events of pathogenic bacteria and fungi are prevalent among clinical patients. Utilizing multi-omics approaches to understand the mutual interactions between pathogenic bacteria and fungi, as well as their interactions with the infected host, can provide theoretical foundations and potential drug targets for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Transcriptional Regulation Studies in Microorganisms

Transcription, as a crucial step in the central dogma of genetics, represents the first step in manifesting genetic information into various biological features. Whether in prokaryotes or eukaryotes, the cellular gene transcription process is finely regulated to ensure precise adaptation to various environmental conditions. Transcription factors, proteins capable of recognizing and binding specific target DNA sequences, play a pivotal role in transcriptional regulation. Using existing research techniques, including ChIP-Seq, RNA-seq, and DNA-pull down, in combination with large-scale screenings of mutation libraries in response to environmental stimuli and comparative transcriptional responses, studies are conducted on various microbial physiological processes, including bacteria and fungi. Additionally, genomic comparisons of new environmental and clinically isolated strains explore their physiological characteristics, dynamics, and real-time monitoring of response reactions during pathogen invasion processes, aiming to uncover evolutionary changes in clinical strains from multiple aspects such as genomics and epigenetics.