chromatin regulation, genome stability, epigentics, 

stem cell, aging, 

functional genomics, nanopore sequencing

2000-2004 Nanjing University (B.A.)

2004-2010 State Universtiy of New York at Stony brook (Ph.D.)

2010-2018 Cold Spring Harbor laboratory (Postdoc)

2018-         Beijing Institute of Genomics, CAS (Principle Investigator)

1.     Ren J, Wang CL & Sternglanz R. Promoter strength influences the S phase requirement for establishment of silencing at the Saccharomyces cerevisiae silent mating type loci.  Genetics, 2010 Oct; 186(2):551-560. (Issue highlight)

2.     Zaratiegui M, Castel S*, Irvine DV*, Kloc A*, Ren J*, Li F, Castro E, Marin L, Chang A, Goto D, Cande WZ, Antequera F, Arcangioli B & Martienssen R. (* equal contribution, listed alphabetically). RNAi promotes heterochromatic silencing through replication-coupled release of RNA pol II. Nature, 2011 Oct; 479(7371):135-138.

3.     Ren J & Martienssen R. Silent decision: HP1 protein escorts heterochromatic RNAs to their destiny. EMBO Journal, 2012 Aug; 31(15):3237-3238.

4.     Castel S*, Ren J*, Bhattacharjee S, Chang A, Sánchez M, Valbuena A, Antequera F & Martienssen R (* co-first author). Dicer promotes transcription termination at sites of replication stress to maintain genomic stability. Cell, 2014 Oct; 159(3): 572-583.

5.     Ren J, Castel S & Martienssen R. Dicer in action at replication-transcription collisions. Molecular & Cellular Oncology, 2015 Mar; 2(3): e991224.

6.     Zhu K, Liu M, Fu Z, Zhou Z, Kong Y, Liang H, Lin Z; Luo J; Zheng H, Wan P, Zhang J, Zen K, Chen J#, Hu F#, Zhang C#, Ren J# & Chen X# (# co-corresponding author). Plant microRNAs in larval food regulate honeybee caste development. PLoS Genetics, 2017 Aug; 13(8): e1006946.

7.     Yang X, Liu QL, Xu W, Zhang YC, Yang Y, Ju LF, Chen J, Chen YS, Li K, Ren J#, Sun QW# & Yang YG# (# co-corresponding author). m⁶A promotes R-loop formation to facilitate transcription termination. Cell Research, 2019 Oct; 29(12):1035-1038.

Transcription-replication collisions have a profound impact on genome and epigenome stability, which in turn plays a prominent role in cancer and aging. A sophisticated network of pathways in replication fork protection and restart, RNA polymerase release and reactivation, damage repair and checkpoint, which is coordinated by novel aspect of RNA mediated chromatin regulation, responds to resolve the conflict. With an accurate dissection of the molecular mechanisms that prevent transcription-induced replication stress, we will provide a framework to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer and aging. This knowledge, together with newly developed genomic tools, will be translated into applications in precision medicine.

1.     Analyze mechanisms resolving transcription-replication collisions to maintain genome and epigenome stability for precision medicine;

2.     Apply RNA-mediated chromatin regulation in stem cells and aging;

3.   Assemble multidimensional functional genomics pipelines with novel single molecule direct sequencing technologies.

                                             RNA mediated chromatin regulation

张禹  ZHANG Yu, 2018

何明  HE Ming, 2018

王柳明 WANG Liuming, 2018

易从杨 YI Congyang, 2018

王滋豪 WANG Zihao, 2019

张梦琦 ZHANG Mengqi, 2019

李琪   LI Qi, 2019

苏思毅 SU Siyi, 2019

田舒冉 TIAN Shuran, 2019

张爱翠 ZHANG Aicui, 2019

Peer Reviewed Journal Reviewer (Selected): 
Cell Reports, EMBO Journal, Current Biology, Molecular Cell, PNAS, Nature Genetics, Nucleus, Genome Research, PLoS One, Genome instability and disease 
Ad hoc Grant reviewer: 
Poland National Science Center (OPUS and PRELUDIUM funding schemes)

Potential students with diverse background, including biology, medicine, chemistry, mathematics, etc. are encouraged to apply. A successful graduate student will master experimental and/or bioinformatic skills, be able to discover and resolve questions.