Our Research

Spatial RNA localization regulates the spatiotemporal organization of RNAs and proteins. This is particularly important in neurons and is disrupted in some neurological disorders including ALS, FTD, FXS, and SMA. However, the regulatory mechanisms, functional roles, and pathological relevance of spatial RNA localization are not well understood, largely due to limited tools. The Han lab is interested in answering these questions by developing cutting-edge synthetic biology, chemical biology, and CRISPR tools to profile and engineer the spatial transcriptome. The long-term goal is to explore novel therapeutic strategies for treating neurodegenerative diseases from the perspective of spatial transcriptome.

Research Interests

Engineering the RNA-targeting CRISPR systems for better performance to study RNA biology.

Mechanistic study of spatial RNA localization, particularly focusing on how posttranslational modifications of RNA and RNA-binding proteins regulate spatial RNA localization.

Functional interpretation of the spatial transcriptome using CRISPR-mediated high-throughput screening in neurons and cancer cells.

Investigating the pathological relevance of aberrant spatial transcriptome in neurological disorders.

Exploring novel therapeutic strategies for treating neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)) by engineering the spatial transcriptome.