Dr. He’s research program spans a broad range of chemical biology, nucleic acid chemistry and biology, epigenetics, and bioinorganic chemistry. He discovered the first RNA demethylase and continue to explore gene expression regulation mediated by dynamic and reversible RNA modifications. He developed enabling tools to map DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and its oxidation derivatives in mammalian genomes and continue to study DNA 5-methylcytosine (5mC) oxidation and demethylation in biological regulation. We revealed the presence of DNA 6-methyladenosine (6mA) in eukaryotic genomes and continue to investigate functional roles played by this new DNA mark in eukaryotes. He studies virulence and antibiotic resistance regulation in human pathogens. He also studies metal ion homeostasis and selective metal ion recognition by naturally occurring and engineered proteins.
Training
- BS, 1994, University of Science and Technology of China
- PhD, 2000, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Postdoctoral Fellow, 2000-2002, Harvard University