I use bioinformatics and genomics to identify genes controlling plant metabolism and stress, focusing on their evolution to understand how plants adapt to changing environments.
Currently, my research employs advanced genomic and bioinformatic approaches to identify genes and regulatory elements associated with specialized metabolites, aiming to elucidate the evolutionary mechanisms that drive metabolic diversity. I am also investigating the functional significance of "private genes" within pan-genomes and their pivotal roles in plant stress resilience.
My academic foundation was built during my Ph.D. at China Agricultural University, where I focused on transposable elements (TEs) in maize. During this period, I led the construction of the world’s largest maize Mutator (Mu) insertional mutant library (ChinaMu), a significant resource that continues to support the global maize research community. To facilitate this work, I developed MuT-seq—a high-throughput TE tagging and enrichment technique based on Tn5 transposase—and established the accompanying bioinformatic pipelines. Recognizing that transposable elements are primary drivers of genome evolution and trait formation, I integrate TE analysis into my current research to uncover the complex genetic architecture of plant adaptation.