Colleges
Zhiyuan Hu
DPhil; BSc
Postdoctoral Researcher in Developmental Genomics
One long-standing question within the field of developmental biology is to understand how a particular cell develops into a final cell type, known as cell fate decisions. To study this question, I am using an embryonic cell population, called the neural crest, as my model system. The neural crest exists in all vertebrates and exhibits extraordinary multipotency. It contributes to critical structures, e.g., the peripheral nervous system and the craniofacial skeleton. Dysfunctional development of the neural crest leads to birth defects, such as a cleft lip and palate. I am leveraging the state-of-the-art techniques, including single-cell sequencing, CRISPR and machine learning, to characterise developmental trajectories and lineages of neural crest cells. My work aims to shed light on general mechanisms involved in cell fate commitment and maintenance during normal development. It will also provide insights into inherited developmental abnormalities and malignancy.
Key publications
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The Repertoire of Serous Ovarian Cancer Non-genetic Heterogeneity Revealed by Single-Cell Sequencing of Normal Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells.
Journal article
Hu Z. et al, (2020), Cancer Cell, 37, 226 - 242.e7
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CIDER: an interpretable meta-clustering framework for single-cell RNA-seq data integration and evaluation
Journal article
Hu Z. et al, (2021), Genome Biology, 22
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The Oxford Classic Links Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition to Immunosuppression in Poor Prognosis Ovarian Cancers.
Journal article
Hu Z. et al, (2021), Clin Cancer Res, 27, 1570 - 1579
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Subtraction-free and bisulfite-free specific sequencing of 5-methylcytosine and its oxidized derivatives at base resolution.
Journal article
Liu Y. et al, (2021), Nat Commun, 12
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A pan-cancer genome-wide analysis reveals tumour dependencies by induction of nonsense-mediated decay.
Journal article
Hu Z. et al, (2017), Nat Commun, 8
Recent publications
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Single Cell Transcriptomics identifies a WNT7A-FZD5 Signaling Axis that maintains Fallopian Tube Stem Cells in Patient-derived Organoids
Preprint
Alsaadi A. et al, (2022)
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Cellular plasticity in the neural crest and cancer.
Journal article
Hu Z. and Sauka-Spengler T., (2022), Curr Opin Genet Dev, 75
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CIDER: an interpretable meta-clustering framework for single-cell RNA-seq data integration and evaluation
Journal article
Hu Z. et al, (2021), Genome Biology, 22
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Eating disorders treatment experiences and social support: Perspectives from service seekers in mainland China.
Journal article
Ma R. et al, (2021), Int J Eat Disord
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Adipocyte-like signature in ovarian cancer minimal residual disease identifies metabolic vulnerabilities of tumor initiating cells
Journal article
Artibani M. et al, (2021), JCI Insight