Contact information
Research groups
Julius Lau Jin Xiang
DPhil Student
Research interests
My research interests focus on the intersection of genomics and cancer biology, particularly on applying genetic and genomic approach to early cancer detection and therapeutic development. Currently, I am investigating the epitranscriptomic signature of circulating cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) using a method developed in our group, known as 2-bromoacrylamid-assisted cyclization sequencing (BACS). This technique enables the detection of pseudouridine – an essential RNA modification that influences the structure and function of messenger RNA, transfer RNA, and ribosomal RNA. By leveraging BACS, I aim to characterize pseudouridine profiles in cfRNAs and identify robust biomarkers for the early detection of cancer.
Background
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering with an extended major in Artificial Intelligence from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). During my undergraduate studies, I conducted research on identifying copy number variations and single nucleotide variations in lung cancer patients and those with brain metastases. For my undergraduate thesis, I utilized AlphaFold to design cyclic peptide binders targeting the receptor-binding proteins of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV).