Li Zhao
@lizhao.bsky.social
Associate Professor at the Rockefeller University. We study gene origination, molecular evolution, and the genetic basis of adaptive traits.
Pinned
Li Zhao
@lizhao.bsky.social
· Jul 15
Gene regulatory networks and essential transcription factors for de novo-originated genes
Nature Ecology & Evolution - A combination of computational methods applied to single-cell RNA sequencing data and genetic experiments shows that a small number of transcription factors are...
rdcu.be
Our latest paper is out: rdcu.be/ev6Ym — one of my favorite projects. It began about 8 years ago when Nobel laureate Torsten Wiesel asked me: what transcription factors regulate new genes? I had no idea then. Now we have some answers.
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
SAVE THE DATE: the yearly NY Population Genetics meeting will be back on March 9 2026, generously hosted by the
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
@simonsfoundation.org. Details to follow. Please RT.
November 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Our NY area population genetics meeting is back and "upgraded", as Simons Foundation @simonsfoundation.org generously agreed to host. Please save the date: March 9, 2026. Look forward to seeing many of you from NY and beyond.
Reposted by Li Zhao
We are deeply saddened to share that our friend and colleague Jim Hudspeth passed away on Saturday. We will remember and continue to be inspired by Jim’s integrity, his humility, and his unwavering commitment to discovery.
A. James Hudspeth, neuroscientist who unlocked secrets of hearing, has died - News
A. James Hudspeth, a Rockefeller neuroscientist who discovered how sound waves are converted into electrical signals in the ear's cochlea, died Saturday at his home in Manhattan. A pioneering scientist and dedicated mentor, he was the university's F.M. ...
www.rockefeller.edu
August 18, 2025 at 7:59 PM
We are deeply saddened to share that our friend and colleague Jim Hudspeth passed away on Saturday. We will remember and continue to be inspired by Jim’s integrity, his humility, and his unwavering commitment to discovery.
Reposted by Li Zhao
I am delighted to be starting as an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at the University of Florida in January 2026. The lab is broadly interested in the functional, developmental, and evolutionary genetics of cell types and organs across flies and beyond 🪰🧬
June 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I am delighted to be starting as an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at the University of Florida in January 2026. The lab is broadly interested in the functional, developmental, and evolutionary genetics of cell types and organs across flies and beyond 🪰🧬
Our latest paper is out: rdcu.be/ev6Ym — one of my favorite projects. It began about 8 years ago when Nobel laureate Torsten Wiesel asked me: what transcription factors regulate new genes? I had no idea then. Now we have some answers.
Gene regulatory networks and essential transcription factors for de novo-originated genes
Nature Ecology & Evolution - A combination of computational methods applied to single-cell RNA sequencing data and genetic experiments shows that a small number of transcription factors are...
rdcu.be
July 15, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Our latest paper is out: rdcu.be/ev6Ym — one of my favorite projects. It began about 8 years ago when Nobel laureate Torsten Wiesel asked me: what transcription factors regulate new genes? I had no idea then. Now we have some answers.
Reposted by Li Zhao
I'm very excited to share a new method my grad student @linhngk.bsky.social and I have developed. Here's Topsicle a new computational method for analyzing long read sequencing data and estimate telomere length. Please see our preprint or this thread for detail!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Topsicle: a method for estimating telomere length from whole genome long-read sequencing data
Telomeres protect chromosome ends and its length varies significantly between organisms. Because telomere length variation is associated with various biomedical and eco-evolutionary phenotypes, many b...
www.biorxiv.org
July 15, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I'm very excited to share a new method my grad student @linhngk.bsky.social and I have developed. Here's Topsicle a new computational method for analyzing long read sequencing data and estimate telomere length. Please see our preprint or this thread for detail!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Li Zhao
Rockefeller's @lizhao.bsky.social has spent nearly a decade cataloguing evolutionarily young genes. Now, complementary studies in @pnas.org and @natecoevo.nature.com are the first to demonstrate how these new genes are regulated and expressed.
How new genes get switched on - News
Scientists discovered an identical neural circuit that operates differently in male and female mice.
www.rockefeller.edu
July 14, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Rockefeller's @lizhao.bsky.social has spent nearly a decade cataloguing evolutionarily young genes. Now, complementary studies in @pnas.org and @natecoevo.nature.com are the first to demonstrate how these new genes are regulated and expressed.
If you are an SMBE member and received the election email (it may have gone to your junk folder), I would be honored if you would consider voting for me for councilor. You may also choose to vote for other scientists, and I encourage you to participate in the election. Thank you!
June 20, 2025 at 6:38 PM
If you are an SMBE member and received the election email (it may have gone to your junk folder), I would be honored if you would consider voting for me for councilor. You may also choose to vote for other scientists, and I encourage you to participate in the election. Thank you!
Reposted by Li Zhao
I hope to take a PhD student in the coming application cycle. Please reach out if you are interested in joining our lab in EEB at Yale, especially if interested in working on the natural history/ phylogenetics/ morphology/ population biology/ development/ genomics of siphonophores. dunnlab.org
The Dunn Lab
Casey Dunn's laboratory in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University.
dunnlab.org
June 11, 2025 at 6:42 PM
I hope to take a PhD student in the coming application cycle. Please reach out if you are interested in joining our lab in EEB at Yale, especially if interested in working on the natural history/ phylogenetics/ morphology/ population biology/ development/ genomics of siphonophores. dunnlab.org
Reposted by Li Zhao
Postdoc job opportunity! We're looking for ECR in evolutionary genomics to study the relation between intra-specific gene expression variability, polymorphism, and macro-evolutionary rates. We have the data in 3 fishes & amphioxus, just waiting for your expertise and enthusiasm!
tinyurl.com/3aewk286
tinyurl.com/3aewk286
Opportunités de carrière : Postdoctoral position in evolutionary genomics (22280)
Saisissez une liste de termes, que nous allons rechercher dans le titre du poste et sa description. \nAstuces\xa0:\n\nNous rechercherons tous les mots figurant dans la recherche.\nLes r\xe9sultats…
tinyurl.com
May 13, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Postdoc job opportunity! We're looking for ECR in evolutionary genomics to study the relation between intra-specific gene expression variability, polymorphism, and macro-evolutionary rates. We have the data in 3 fishes & amphioxus, just waiting for your expertise and enthusiasm!
tinyurl.com/3aewk286
tinyurl.com/3aewk286
Reposted by Li Zhao
Congratulations to Feng Zhang (Vallee Scholar 2013) (Broad Inst, MIT, HHMI Investigator) who received an honorary doctorate from Duke University on Sunday!
today.duke.edu/2025/04/duke...
today.duke.edu/2025/04/duke...
Duke to Award Three Honorary Degrees at 2025 Commencement Ceremony | Duke Today
today.duke.edu
May 13, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Congratulations to Feng Zhang (Vallee Scholar 2013) (Broad Inst, MIT, HHMI Investigator) who received an honorary doctorate from Duke University on Sunday!
today.duke.edu/2025/04/duke...
today.duke.edu/2025/04/duke...
I’m very glad to share our recent publication
@pnas.org
, led by UnJin Lee from our lab at
@rockefelleruniv.bsky.social
: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/.... In this work, he 1) developed a method to efficiently compare single-cell RNA-seq data from rapidly evolving tissues across multiple species, and
@pnas.org
, led by UnJin Lee from our lab at
@rockefelleruniv.bsky.social
: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/.... In this work, he 1) developed a method to efficiently compare single-cell RNA-seq data from rapidly evolving tissues across multiple species, and
Comparative single-cell analysis of transcriptional bursting reveals the role of genome organization in de novo transcript origination | PNAS
Spermatogenesis is a key developmental process underlying the origination of newly
evolved genes. However, rapid cell type–specific transcriptomic ...
pnas.org
May 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I’m very glad to share our recent publication
@pnas.org
, led by UnJin Lee from our lab at
@rockefelleruniv.bsky.social
: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/.... In this work, he 1) developed a method to efficiently compare single-cell RNA-seq data from rapidly evolving tissues across multiple species, and
@pnas.org
, led by UnJin Lee from our lab at
@rockefelleruniv.bsky.social
: pnas.org/doi/10.1073/.... In this work, he 1) developed a method to efficiently compare single-cell RNA-seq data from rapidly evolving tissues across multiple species, and
Reposted by Li Zhao
We are witnessing the destruction of science in America | Paul Darren Bieniasz
We are witnessing the destruction of science in America | Paul Darren Bieniasz
If we stay on this administration’s course, future life-saving medicines may never be invented
www.theguardian.com
April 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
We are witnessing the destruction of science in America | Paul Darren Bieniasz
Reposted by Li Zhao
I lost my job at the National Science Foundation yesterday, along with 167 of my colleagues, including some dear friends. This was the best job I've ever had, and I thought it would be my last. The PI community has been sympathetic and supportive, without exception. I will miss working for you.
February 19, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I lost my job at the National Science Foundation yesterday, along with 167 of my colleagues, including some dear friends. This was the best job I've ever had, and I thought it would be my last. The PI community has been sympathetic and supportive, without exception. I will miss working for you.
Reposted by Li Zhao
We're excited to announce the 2025 Larry Sandler Award recipient, @peiwei-chen.bsky.social 🎉
This award recognizes students completing a PhD in Drosophila research. Dr. Chen will present the Larry Sandler Memorial Lecture on evolutionary innovation in genome defense at #Dros25 in March.
1/3🧵
This award recognizes students completing a PhD in Drosophila research. Dr. Chen will present the Larry Sandler Memorial Lecture on evolutionary innovation in genome defense at #Dros25 in March.
1/3🧵
February 17, 2025 at 2:45 PM
We're excited to announce the 2025 Larry Sandler Award recipient, @peiwei-chen.bsky.social 🎉
This award recognizes students completing a PhD in Drosophila research. Dr. Chen will present the Larry Sandler Memorial Lecture on evolutionary innovation in genome defense at #Dros25 in March.
1/3🧵
This award recognizes students completing a PhD in Drosophila research. Dr. Chen will present the Larry Sandler Memorial Lecture on evolutionary innovation in genome defense at #Dros25 in March.
1/3🧵
Reposted by Li Zhao
Dear All, I believe that this thread will become one of my most important contributions to the fly field (I hope I will make other contributions)! Here, I introduce the Soy Milk Machine Fly Food Method, a.k.a., DeepCook!#Drosophila#NewPI
February 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Dear All, I believe that this thread will become one of my most important contributions to the fly field (I hope I will make other contributions)! Here, I introduce the Soy Milk Machine Fly Food Method, a.k.a., DeepCook!#Drosophila#NewPI
So sad to hear of the passing of Scott Hawley. In 2008, Michael Ashburner, Scott Hawley, and Casey Bergman held a Drosophila genetics and genomics course in China. This course was instrumental in shaping me as a junior researcher, and I am forever grateful about this eye-opening experience.
January 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
So sad to hear of the passing of Scott Hawley. In 2008, Michael Ashburner, Scott Hawley, and Casey Bergman held a Drosophila genetics and genomics course in China. This course was instrumental in shaping me as a junior researcher, and I am forever grateful about this eye-opening experience.
Reposted by Li Zhao
My book, An Intuitive Primer on Effective Functional Genomics Study Design, is published! I’d really appreciate it if you could help spread the word, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. I hope people will find it useful.
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
January 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
My book, An Intuitive Primer on Effective Functional Genomics Study Design, is published! I’d really appreciate it if you could help spread the word, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. I hope people will find it useful.
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
It’s available on Amazon: tinyurl.com/mx2hewen
Reposted by Li Zhao
Undergrads: apply to NYU's Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Biology!
10 weeks of research in a structured setting, featuring terrific mentors, exciting biology, housing in New York, and a stipend.
as.nyu.edu/biology/outr...
10 weeks of research in a structured setting, featuring terrific mentors, exciting biology, housing in New York, and a stipend.
as.nyu.edu/biology/outr...
Simons Foundation-NYU Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
as.nyu.edu
January 23, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Undergrads: apply to NYU's Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Biology!
10 weeks of research in a structured setting, featuring terrific mentors, exciting biology, housing in New York, and a stipend.
as.nyu.edu/biology/outr...
10 weeks of research in a structured setting, featuring terrific mentors, exciting biology, housing in New York, and a stipend.
as.nyu.edu/biology/outr...
Abstract submission for SMBE2025 in Beijing is open. If you study gene duplication or new genes, please consider submitting an abstract for a talk for Symposium 7, The Origin, Evolution, and Phenotypic Contributions of New Genes. smbe2025.scimeeting.cn/en/web/index.... Deadline is Jan 30, 2025.
SMBE 2025 - Annual Meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution, 2025
2025年国际分子与生物进化，在线会议，会议直播平台，网络会议直播，美迪康会务通，学术会议管理系统，会议活动管理，注册签到管理，会场幻灯片传输转播，PPT传输，会议网络直播，电子壁报管理系统，医学会，会员管理系统
smbe2025.scimeeting.cn
January 22, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Abstract submission for SMBE2025 in Beijing is open. If you study gene duplication or new genes, please consider submitting an abstract for a talk for Symposium 7, The Origin, Evolution, and Phenotypic Contributions of New Genes. smbe2025.scimeeting.cn/en/web/index.... Deadline is Jan 30, 2025.
Dear Drosophila PIs, Please consider nominating your excellent recent graduate students for the Larry Sandler Award. The required materials are straightforward: their CV, thesis abstract, and your letter.
genetics-gsa.smapply.io/prog/larry_s...
genetics-gsa.smapply.io/prog/larry_s...
Larry Sandler Award Dros25 - Genetics Society of America
genetics-gsa.smapply.io
December 2, 2024 at 4:52 PM
Dear Drosophila PIs, Please consider nominating your excellent recent graduate students for the Larry Sandler Award. The required materials are straightforward: their CV, thesis abstract, and your letter.
genetics-gsa.smapply.io/prog/larry_s...
genetics-gsa.smapply.io/prog/larry_s...
Nicolas Svetec, David Begun, and I wrote a review article about de novo genes. If you are interested in this topic please take a look at this final open-access version at AnnualReviews
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
November 26, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Nicolas Svetec, David Begun, and I wrote a review article about de novo genes. If you are interested in this topic please take a look at this final open-access version at AnnualReviews
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
When I feel discouraged by the immigration policy, I often find comfort in watching Yo-Yo Ma and his sister's performance for President Kennedy - and the introduction by Leonard Bernstein. Share this with those who might also like it www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiwk...
7-Year-Old Cellist Prodigy Yo-Yo Ma's Debut Performance for President JFK | The Kennedy Center
YouTube video by The Kennedy Center
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2024 at 3:33 PM
When I feel discouraged by the immigration policy, I often find comfort in watching Yo-Yo Ma and his sister's performance for President Kennedy - and the introduction by Leonard Bernstein. Share this with those who might also like it www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiwk...
I am very glad to share a perspective from our lab, led by the talented postdoc UnJin Lee, w help from Shawn Mozeika academic.oup.com/gbe/article/.... We proposed a regulation-focused cultivator model for de novo gene evolution in this work.
academic.oup.com
June 13, 2024 at 1:44 PM
I am very glad to share a perspective from our lab, led by the talented postdoc UnJin Lee, w help from Shawn Mozeika academic.oup.com/gbe/article/.... We proposed a regulation-focused cultivator model for de novo gene evolution in this work.
Hello @elife.bsky.social and colleagues who have published papers in eLife under the new model. A bioRxiv reference we cited in our manuscript is "published" in eLife in Dec 2023 but is not indexed in NCBI. Is this the new normal for elife papers or the authors omission of certain steps? Thanks
May 23, 2024 at 4:13 PM
Hello @elife.bsky.social and colleagues who have published papers in eLife under the new model. A bioRxiv reference we cited in our manuscript is "published" in eLife in Dec 2023 but is not indexed in NCBI. Is this the new normal for elife papers or the authors omission of certain steps? Thanks
Do de novo-originated proteins have a stable structure? If so, what do they look like, and how do they evolve? I am thrilled to introduce one of our most proud work: www.nature.com/articles/s41... led by the excellent Junhui Peng!
January 30, 2024 at 9:29 PM
Do de novo-originated proteins have a stable structure? If so, what do they look like, and how do they evolve? I am thrilled to introduce one of our most proud work: www.nature.com/articles/s41... led by the excellent Junhui Peng!