Members

Yi Zhang, PhD

I’m an Assistant Professor at Duke University School of Medicine in the Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics. I obtained BS from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and PhD in Bioengineering with Dr. Jun S. Song at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I did postdoc at Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard University School of Public Health mentored by Shirley Liu, Myles Brown, and Xihong Lin. I have been developing integrative genomic methods to identify functional gene regulatory mechanisms behind disease-associated human genetic variants. I have also recently been developing machine learning, and artificial intelligence methods that leverage large-scale single-cell datasets to understand cell states in tumor microenvironment. My ongoing work include deep learning models of high-resolution spatial transcriptomics, computational pathology, and statistical models for genetics and functional genomics. For fun, I enjoy running, hiking, music and wildlife photography.


Email: yi.zhang [at] duke [dot] edu

Address: Duke University MSRB1 199B, 203 Research Dr, Durham, NC 27705


Zion Sheng

I am a Research Technician at Duke Neurosurgery, supervised by Dr. Yi Zhang. I completed my undergraduate training at CUFE and UCLA, followed by a master’s degree in ECE at Duke. Prior to my current position, I engaged in various projects at Duke Pathology, Duke ECE, and Mizzou EECS, where I co-authored several publications and presentations. My research is centered around highly efficient learning algorithms and digital biomedicine. In Dr. Yi Zhang’s lab, I am dedicated to the development of innovative and useful computational methods for integrative omics data analysis across multiple modalities. Outside work, I enjoy working out, reading, and having fun with friends.


Zhujun (Christina) Yao

I am a first-year PhD student in Biology at Duke University, working as a rotation student in Yi’s lab since December 2024. I received my bachelor’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at Duke Kunshan University. My research interest is to integrate computational tools and molecular biology experiments to promote disease diagnostics or therapeutic development. In my free time, I enjoy drawing, swimming, and listening to Taylor Swift.


Tong Cheng

My name is Tong (Roxy) Cheng, and I am currently a second-year Master student in Biostatistics at Duke University. I hold a dual bachelor’s degree in mathematics and psychology from Boston University. I aim to develop impactful research projects that drive the creation of innovative medical treatments and therapies. In my free time, I enjoy playing video games, such as League of Legends, cooking, and reading.


Zijia Tang

My name is Zijia (Thomas) Tang, and I am a undergraduate research intern in Yi’s lab starting June 2024, majoring in Computer Science. I am a freshman at Duke University starting in September 2024. My research interests lie in computational biology and machine learning. Previously, I delved into single-cell perturbation, employing Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) to predict cellular responses to perturbations. I’m eager to increase the interpretability of my previous work and learn ways to combine privileged information and new information found by neural networks. In my free time, I enjoy playing drums, exercising, and reading science fiction.


Palak Jolly

I’m Palak Jolly, a third year undergraduate student studying Computer Science, Bioinformatics and on the pre-medical track. I’m primarily interested in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to larger biomedical questions, supporting the development of more effective disease response through predictive modeling and precision medicine. Previously, I have delved into protein structure prediction, and computationally modeling synthetic gene circuits for oncological applications. When free, I enjoy cooking, writing poetry and singing classical Indian music.


Siven Panda

I am Siven Panda, and I am a freshman studying Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Bioinformatics at Duke University. My interests in research lie primarily within bioinformatics, deep and machine learning, with the goal of creating and implementing transformative and impactful computational solutions to biological questions to produce a real impact to disease research, response, and prevention. Previously, I have worked on feature reduction on genomic tracks using autoencoders, as well as utilizing gene ontologies to identify significant associations between particular categories and chromosomes. In my free time, I enjoy long walks, nature and cityscape photography, cooking, and making cool things.


Bo Chi

I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Math and Computer Science with a minor in Computational Biology & Bioinformatics. My research interests include developing optimized sequence and spatial multi-omic models to better understand cancer biology. In my free time, I enjoy playing word games, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and watching football.


Yitong Zhou

My name is Yitong Zhou. l am a junior data science student with expertise in machine learning, graph neural networks, and anomaly detection. l’ve experienced in interdisciplinary projects combining quantitative research, algorithm optimization, and data visualization. l am passionate about cutting-edge research in graph-based learning, robust machine learning techniques, and neural networks. With my strong programming skills in Python, MATLAB, and Java with proficiency in advanced machine learning tools. I am also equipped with strong ability to handle complex data sets and perform dimensionality reduction, anomaly detection, and predictive modeling.


Yuqian Zhang

I am a undergraduate student majoring Applied Mathematics. My previous research experience includes work on spatio-temporal analysis using ML/DL method, physical image encoding, and generative models for general inverse problem. My interests extend to Computer Graphics&Vision, and Neural Rendering, as well as Graphics&Motion&Game Design. I love about exploring computational techniques and digital creativity across interdisciplinary applications.

Alumni

Name Role Current status
Huiyue Li Biostatistics PhD rotation student Biostatistics
Xingyuan Zhang CBB PhD rotation student CBB
Chuhanwen Sun Master student, Research Intern PhD student
Yijia Alva Jiang Master student, Harvard DBMI, Shirley Liu lab PhD student, UPenn
Jack Jiajinlong Kang Master student, Harvard CBQG, Shirley Liu lab PhD student, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Yingxiao TK Shi PhD student, Harvard BBS, Shirley Liu lab PhD student, Harvard & Dana-Farber Cancer Institute