Principal investigator
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology
Wei Li is a computational biologist who develops statistical and AI methods for functional genomics and genome engineering. His work focuses on CRISPR screens, transcriptomics, and models of gene function in human disease.
Research
Computational and experimental functional genomics
With training in computer science and computational biology, Wei develops algorithms and machine learning methods to study gene function. His research connects computational predictions with CRISPR-based experiments and single-cell measurements, with applications in cancer and childhood diseases.
The lab has developed widely used methods for analyzing genome-scale CRISPR screens and continues to work on AI-guided genome engineering, perturbation modeling, and regulatory genomics.
Training and experience
From computer science to functional genomics
Postdoctoral training
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard
Postdoctoral research in X. Shirley Liu’s laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Doctoral training
University of California, Riverside
PhD in computer science, completed in 2012 under the mentorship of Tao Jiang.
University training
Tsinghua University
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and technology under the mentorship of Yannan Zhao.
Previous appointment
Before joining the University of Maryland, Wei was an associate professor with tenure at Children’s National Hospital and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. At Children’s National, he held the Mrs. Mary Elizabeth McGehee Joyce Chair in Genetic Research.
Explore the lab
Learn more about the research program, current team, and opportunities to join the lab.