Zhipeng Lu

RNA molecules fold into structures and intermolecular interactions to execute a second layer of genetic instructions beyond encoding proteins. Functions of RNA structures are pervasive and diverse, including many levels of gene regulation, guiding, scaffolding and catalysis. RNA molecules are directly involved in a variety of human diseases, such as genetic disorders resulting from mutations in noncoding RNAs, RNA binding proteins, and infections caused by RNA viruses (like HIV, HCV, Ebola, etc.). My research combines computational, chemical and biological approaches, and aims to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of “RNA machines”. These studies will lead to new understanding and therapies targeting human diseases.

• Fudan University: People’s Scholarship, 2005
   – 2008
• Siyuan Foundation, HK, China: Siyuan Scholarship, 2006
   – 2007
• UNC Chapel Hill: Graduate Student Transportation Grant, 2013
   – 2013
• Damon Runyon Foundation, Sohn Foundation: Damon Runyon-Sohn Fellowship, 2015
   – 2017
• RNA Society: RNA Society Scaringe Award, 2017
   – 2017
• Stanford University: Jump Start Award for Excellence in Research, 2016
   – 2017
• NHGRI: K99/R00 NIH Pathway to Independence Award, 2017
   – 2022

• Fudan University, Shanghai, China — BS — 07/2008 — Biology
• UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA — PhD — 08/2014 — Biology
• Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA — Postdoc — 06/2018 — Biology

• Decoding global RNP topologies in splicing regulation
  NIH · R01HG012928 · May 15, 2023 – Feb 28, 2027 · Role: Principal Investigator
• High Throughput Determination of RNA 3D Structures and Dynamics in Vivo
  NIH · R35GM143068 · Aug 15, 2021 – Jul 31, 2026 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Decoding the RNA Structurome: Method Development and Function Analysis.
  NIH · R00HG009662 · Dec 17, 2018 – Nov 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Decoding the RNA structurome: method development and function analysis
  NIH · K99HG009662 · Aug 15, 2017 – May 31, 2019 · Role: Principal Investigator

• New chemical and computational technologies for the analysis of RNA structures and interactions
• Organizing principle of the transcriptome in live cells: a molecular social network
• RNA structures and interactions controlling gene expression and development
• RNA structures and interactions in genetic and infectious diseases

• Structural biology: Topographical transcriptomes (06/29/2016)
• RNA structure: PARISian arches (06/16/2016)
• PARIS: Detecting RNA Structures in Living Cells (05/20/2016)
• The hidden lives of RNA molecules revealed by Stanford technique (05/12/2016)
• Damon Runyon, Sohn Conference Foundations name 4 new pediatric cancer research fellows (07/09/2015)

• Harris, Michael
• Lieber, Michael
• Lee, Wilson
• Haworth, Ian
• Farnham, Peggy
• Thomas, Paul