Abstract:

Next generation sequencing ushered in the new “omics” era of unbiased genome-wide analyses for fresh insights into diseases and therapies. Epigenetics dictates switching on and off genes, forming another layer of regulation on top of gene sequence. Epigenomic dynamics are strongly affected by both genetic and environmental factors, thus have long been speculated to be the critical mediator in processes ranging from inflammation, cancer, to psychiatric disorders. In this talk, I will discuss the role of microfluidics in conducting low-input, single-cell, and spatial epigenomic assays using scarce tissue samples. I will then highlight several projects that produce cell-type specific epigenomic and multiomic profiles of tissue samples for molecular insights into psychedelic treatment of depression, impact of stress on addiction, and tumorigenesis in lung cancer. 

Biography:

Chang Lu is the Fred W. Bull professor of chemical engineering at Virginia Tech. He is also an Assistant Director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lu received his PhD in chemical engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and conducted postdoctoral work in applied physics at Cornell. He was an associate professor of biological engineering at Purdue University prior to his Virginia Tech appointment. Lu pioneered the development of microfluidic tools for low-input, single-cell, and spatial epigenomic assays. Using these tools and multiomic bioinformatic analysis, his lab discovered molecular drivers and features behind diseases ranging from schizophrenia, addiction, to cancer. His other works include development of flow-through electroporation for harnessing microscale fluid mechanics to enhance gene delivery and various flow cytometry tools for single-cell studies. His research has been supported by various institutes of NIH including NCI, NIBIB, NIGMS, NHGRI, NINDS, and NIDA. His scientific awards include Wallace Coulter Foundation Early Career Award, NSF CAREER Award, and VT Dean’s award for research excellence. Dr. Lu is a fellow of AIMBE and AAAS.