Education
2005 – 2010, Ph.D. in Chemical Biology, University of Chicago
2001 – 2005, B.S. in Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China
Professional Experience
2019 – present, Professor, School of Life Sciences, Peking University
2012 – 2018, Assistant, Associate & Full Professor, School of Life Sciences, Peking University
2014 – present, adjunct principle investigator, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University
2013 – present, Principle Investigator, Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center (SFBC), Peking University
2012 – present, Principle Investigator, Center for Life Sciences
2010 – 2011, Postdoctoral fellow in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Chicago
Honors and Awards
XPLORER PRIZE(Medical Sciences), 2024
The 18th China Youth Science and Technology Award, 2024
Shulan Medical Youth Award, 2024
The 8th Chinese Chemical Society - Royal Society of Chemistry Young Chemist Award, 2022
Mao Yisheng Beijing Youth Science and Technology Award, 2022
Zhongyuan Xiehe Life Science and Medicine Innovation Breakthrough Award, 2022
The National Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholars, 2018
National ten thousands plan program-leading talents in science and technology Innovation, 2018
The 16th Henry Fok Ying Tung Young Teachers Fund, 2018
OKeanos-CAPA Young Investigator Award, 2018
Bayer Investigator at PKU, 2018
Chinese Chemical Society Chemical Biology Award, 2018
The 10th `Yaoming Kangde Life Chemistry Research Award` scholar award, 2016
Chinese Chemical Society Youth Chemistry Award,2016
The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 2016
IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2011
Porfessional Society Affiliations
2017 - present, the Chinese Cell Biology Society
2013 – present, the RNA society
2013 – present, the Chinese Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
2012 – present, the Chinese Crystallographic Society
2012 – present, the Chinese Chemical Society
Our laboratory sits at the forefront of life sciences, pioneering research across three interconnected pillars: epitranscriptomics, genome editing, and synthetic biology. By leveraging innovative methodologies, we seek to decode the fundamental mechanisms of life and engineer cutting-edge technologies with transformative clinical potential.
Epitranscriptomics
We investigate the landscape of RNA epigenetic modifications. Our work centers on discovering novel RNA modifications, mapping their profiles, and elucidating their underlying biological functions.
Genome Editing
We specialize in the development and application of next-generation gene-editing technologies. Our efforts focus on assessing off-target effects, engineering novel RNA-editing platforms, and designing robust, versatile genome-editing systems to expand the boundaries of genetic manipulation.
Synthetic Biology
We advance genetic code expansion technologies to diversify protein synthesis using non-natural amino acids. Furthermore, we harness AI-driven RNA design and directed evolution to develop next-generation mRNA vaccines for oncology.
1. Zhuang Y, Zhu Q, Wu H, Lin X, Yan Y, Geng P, Yang R, Shen R, Zhang Y, Lei Z, Meng H, Wang A, Cui M, Xiang H, Yi C. Single-strand deaminase-assisted editing for functional RNA manipulation. Nat Biotechnol. 2026 Jan 2. doi: 10.1038/s41587-025-02956-7.
2. Liu J, Yan X, Wu H, Ji Z, Shan Y, Wang X, Ran Y, Ma Y, Li C, Zhu Y, Gu R, Wen H, Yi C, Chen PR. RNA codon expansion via programmable pseudouridine editing and decoding. Nature. 2025 Jul;643(8074):1410-1420.
3. Luo N, Huang Q, Dong L, Liu W, Song J, Sun H, Wu H, Gao Y, Yi C. Near-cognate tRNAs increase the efficiency and precision of pseudouridine-mediated readthrough of premature termination codons. Nat Biotechnol. 2025, 43(1):114-123.
4. Bai D, Zhang X, Xiang H, Guo Z, Zhu C, Yi C. Simultaneous single-cell analysis of 5mC and 5hmC with SIMPLE-seq. Nat Biotechnol. 2025, 43(1):85-96.
5. Sun H, Lu B, Zhang Z, Xiao Y, Zhou Z, Xi L, Li Z, Jiang Z, Zhang J, Wang M, Liu C, Ma Y, Peng J, Wang XJ, Yi C. Mild and ultrafast GLORI enables absolute quantification of m6A methylome from low-input samples. Nat Methods. 2025 Jun;22(6):1226-1236.
6. Song J, Dong L, Sun H, Luo N, Huang Q, Li K, Shen X, Jiang Z, Lv Z, Peng L, Zhang M, Wang K, Liu K, Hong J, Yi C. CRISPR-free, programmable RNA pseudouridylation to suppress premature termination codons. Mol Cell. 2023, 83, 139-155.
7. Sun H, Li K, Liu C, Yi C. Regulation and functions of non-m6A mRNA modifications. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2023, 24(10):714-731.
8. Liu C, Sun H, Yi Y, Shen W, Li K, Xiao Y, Li F, Li Y, Hou Y, Lu B, Liu W, Meng H, Peng J, Yi C *, Wang J.* Absolute quantification of single-base m6A methylation in the mammalian transcriptome using GLORI. Nat Biotechnol. 2023,41,355-366.
9. Zhang M, Jiang Z, Ma Y, Liu W, Zhuang Y, Lu B, Li K, Peng J, Yi C*. Quantitative profiling of pseudouridylation landscape in the human transcriptome. Nat Chem Biol. 20 2023 Oct;19(10):1185-1195.
10. Lei Z, Meng H, Liu L, Zhao H, Rao X, Yan Y, Wu H, Liu M, He A,Yi, C*. Mitochondrial base editor induces substantial nuclear off-target mutations. Nature. 2022,606, 804–811
11. Chen L, Zhu B, Ru G, Meng H, Yan Y, Hong M, Zhang D., Luan C, Zhang S., Wu H., Gao H, Bai S, Li C, Ding R, Xue N, Lei Z, Chen Y, Guan Y, Siwko S, Cheng Y, Song G, Wang L, Yi C, Liu M, Li D. Re-engineering the adenine deaminase TadA-8e for efficient and specific CRISPR-based cytosine base editing. Nat Biotechnol. 2023, 41(5):663-672.
12. Zhuang Y, Liu J, Wu H, Zhu Q, Yan Y, Meng H, Chen PR, Yi C*. Increasing the efficiency and precision of prime editing with guide RNA pairs. Nat Chem Biol. 2022; 18:29-37.
13. Lei Z, Meng H, Lv Z, Liu M, Zhao H, Wu H, Zhang X, Liu L, Zhuang Y, Yin K, Yan Y, Yi C.* Detect-seq reveals out-of-protospacer editing and target-strand editing by cytosine base editors. Nat Methods. 2021; 18:643-651.
14. Cui Q, Yin K, Zhang X, Ye P, Chen X, Chao J, Meng H, Wei J, Roeth D, Li L, Qin Y, Sun G, Zhang M, Klein J, Huynhle M, Wang C, Zhang L, Badie B, Kalkum M, He C, Yi C* and Shi Y*. Targeting PUS7 suppresses tRNA pseudouridylation and glioblastoma tumorigenesis. Nat Cancer.2021; 2:932–949.
We probe the pathways and mechanisms of RNA/DNA modification. In order to do so, we integrate multiple disciplines including chemical biology, epigenetics, RNA modifications, genome editing, single-cell omics and genomics tools. An ultimate goal is to uncover new functions and regulatory mechanisms of the epigenetic RNA/DNA modifications, with an emphasis on RNA biology to impact disease diagnoses and thearpy.
