Research
Research
Life is the emergent physical and chemical properties of the molecular circuitry in the cells, tissues and organs of living systems. The fundamental units or components in the circuitry are the DNA, RNA and proteins molecules which are chemically synthesized by decoding the genomes through highly selective and regulated molecular interactions (protein-DNA, protein-RNA, DNA-RNA, and protein and small molecules). Logically, the deterministic understanding of human physiology and diseases requires the precise measurements of the biomolecules and the networks of their interactions. Despite the recent technological advances, our ability to determine the sequences of genomes, RNA and protein molecules, and to enumerate or measure the quantity of those molecules in cells or any biological samples remains highly inadequate.
Life is the emergent physical and chemical properties of the molecular circuitry in the cells, tissues and organs of living systems. The fundamental units or components in the circuitry are the DNA, RNA and proteins molecules which are chemically synthesized by decoding the genomes through highly selective and regulated molecular interactions (protein-DNA, protein-RNA, DNA-RNA, and protein and small molecules). Logically, the deterministic understanding of human physiology and diseases requires the precise measurements of the biomolecules and the networks of their interactions. Despite the recent technological advances, our ability to determine the sequences of genomes, RNA and protein molecules, and to enumerate or measure the quantity of those molecules in cells or any biological samples remains highly inadequate.
The mission of our research is to develop the genomic and proteomic technologies that will enable the ultraaccurate sequencing and digital counting of DNA/genomes, RNA and protein molecules in single cells or any biological/clinical samples with single-molecule sensitivity. Broadly, we apply and integrate the fundamental principles and tools of molecular biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science, electrical engineering and materials science, to tackle these grand scientific and engineering challenges. We have made great strides over the past several years. Building upon the momentum, we are working towards the ultimate aim: engineering of an integrated device that is capable of sequencing the genome with close to 100% accuracy, and sequencing and counting of all RNA and protein molecules from a single cell or any biological samples very rapidly and inexpensively (say, < 1 hour @US$100). Currently, we are focusing on the following areas:
The mission of our research is to develop the genomic and proteomic technologies that will enable the ultraaccurate sequencing and digital counting of DNA/genomes, RNA and protein molecules in single cells or any biological/clinical samples with single-molecule sensitivity. Broadly, we apply and integrate the fundamental principles and tools of molecular biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science, electrical engineering and materials science, to tackle these grand scientific and engineering challenges. We have made great strides over the past several years. Building upon the momentum, we are working towards the ultimate aim: engineering of an integrated device that is capable of sequencing the genome with close to 100% accuracy, and sequencing and counting of all RNA and protein molecules from a single cell or any biological samples very rapidly and inexpensively (say, < 1 hour @US$100). Currently, we are focusing on the following areas: