Faculty Profiles

• Molecular and nanotechnology for single-molecule DNA and protein sequencing
• Genomics, proteomics and medical diagnostics
• Lab-on-a-chip microfluidics, protein and nano device engineering
• DNA data storage and molecular computing
• Modeling, numerical simulations and deep machine learning

Our research focuses sharply on the development of digital molecular technologies for decoding the molecular circuitry and operating system (OS) of living systems. Life is a collection of the emergent physical and chemical properties of the molecular instructions encoded digitally by the genomes. The deterministic and predictive understanding of living systems and human physiology and diseases would require the highly accurate sequencing of the genomes, and the precise digital enumeration of the RNA and proteins molecules that are decoded from the genomes. Using the fundamental principles and state-of-the-art tools of molecular biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science and electrical engineering, we aim to develop technologies and engineer devices for single-molecule sequencing and digital counting of DNA/RNA and proteins in single cells, or any biological/clinical samples for biomedical applications.

Capsule Bio:

Xiaohua Huang received his Ph.D. degree in Biophysical Chemistry from Stanford University, where he used laser microscopy and protein engineering to study how amino acid sequences influence the structures and dynamics of proteins. He did his postdoctoral work in genetics and pathology at Yale University School of Medicine, where together with Paul Lizardi and David Ward, he co-invented and developed the rolling circle amplification (RCA) technology for single-molecule DNA amplification, and mutation detection and counting in single human cells. He developed his interest in genome sequencing technologies and bioengineering while doing postdoctoral work with George Church at Harvard Medical School. He has been involved in and made contributions to the NIH?s $1000 genome project for the past decade. He has invented several technologies and devices for DNA and single-molecule protein sequencing. His current research focuses on developing digital molecular technologies for decoding the operating system of living systems. Dr. Huang was a recipient of the NSF CAREER award. He is a member of the editorial board of Scientific Reports.