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Yue Wan

Born in: China
Primary research category: Genomics
Research location / employer: Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore
Fellowship dates: 2014-2019

Academic Career

  • Independent fellow, Genome Institute of Singapore 2013
  • PhD in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, USA 2013
  • B.S in Cell Biology/Biochemistry, University of California-San Diego, USA 2006

Fellowship Research

While much effort has been focused in the past decade on understanding DNA and transcription, relatively less is known about gene regulation at the RNA level. RNA information is encoded in both its sequence and structure. RNA can fold into specific, and dynamic structures, to interact with cellular factors including proteins, nucleotides and metabolites for gene regulation. This structural malleability of RNA can be precisely controlled by microorganisms to enable RNA to act as molecular sensors and genetic regulators under different environmental conditions. Inhibiting the ability of RNA to sense and respond to important cellular signals can impact a microorganism’s capacity to adapt to its changing environment and diminish its ability to survive. As such, Dr. Yue Wan intends to use high throughput structural and genomics approaches to identify and characterize these functional RNA regulatory units in pathogenic microorganisms. This will potentially broaden our repertoire of drug targets and facilitate future drug development.

Major Awards

  • A*STAR Investigatorship 2016
  • Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award Finalist, JCI, Singapore 2016
  • EmTech MIT TR35 Asia honoree 2015
  • Singapore National Academy of Science- Young Scientist Award 2015
  • Genomeweb Young Investigator 2015
  • National Science Scholarship, PhD, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 2007
  • Outstanding Achievement Award in Cell/Biochemistry, University of California- San Diego 2006
  • Norris Award, Revelle College, University of California- San Diego 2005
  • National Science Scholarship, B.S., Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 2003