I was born and raised in Jiangsu province, China. I went to Beijing and earned my Bachelor degree at Tsinghua University. I then joined Dr. Adrienne Roeder’s laboratory at Cornell University, studying the developmental robustness. My PhD study, integrating time-lapse confocal imaging and computational modeling, unveiled the pivotal role of developmental timing in ensuring robust organ morphogenesis. Subsequently, I moved to Dr. Philip Benfey’s laboratory at Duke University, where my research centers on the dynamic interaction between roots and the soil environment. My major project involves leveraging the single-cell and spatial transcriptomic techniques to better understand Arabidopsis and rice root responses to various soil conditions. I am also interested in Circumnutation, the helical root tip movement, which facilitates the root navigation in heterogenous soil environments.
I enjoy engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, through mentorship, collaboration or conference interactions. I am looking forward to meeting with talented researchers across the world at the New Phytologist Next Generation Scientists Conference 2024.
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Single cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal how rice root tissues adapt to soil stress
Soil compaction represents a major challenge to modern agriculture. One major problem caused by soil compaction is that it exerts water stress on roots as moisture release is reduced from the smaller soil pores. Despite its agronomic importance, how roots respond to compacted soil conditions at the cellular level remains unclear. Here, we harmonize single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from over 79,000 rice root cells to generate a comprehensive organ-scale atlas for rice primary root tips. We also employed spatial transcriptomic technology to explore in-situ gene expression profiles simultaneously for multiple genes under normal gel conditions. To delve into the cell-level mechanisms governing root responses to soil compaction, we pioneered the use of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics on rice roots grown in soils. Through differential expression analysis, we identified a significant up-regulation in the expression of genes responsible for water impermeable barrier formation in the outer root (exodermis) tissues. This gene up-regulation was induced by an enhanced biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) and its release from the inner (phloem) tissues. In summary, our single cell resolution study revealed how root tissues coordinate to facilitate the retention of water in root tips during soil compaction stress.