Kaiyi JIANG

Kaiyi Jiang’s research focuses on leveraging biological diversity and machine learning to develop a robust cellular engineering toolbox for programmable control of the cell's genome, transcriptome, and proteome. This toolkit enables new possibilities for treating diseases like cancer, aging, and autoimmune disorders, as well as for understanding the molecular mechanisms of complex biological processes, such as tumor evolution and immune dysregulation.

Kaiyi developed reprogrammable ADAR sensors (RADARS) and Craspase, the first RNA-guided protease system for efficient RNA sensing and cell state monitoring in mammalian cells. His work has revealed surprising diversity and functionality of CRISPR systems and ancestral RNA-guided nucleases, including the first report of eukaryotic RNA-guided nucleases (Fanzors) and the RNA-guided nuclease-protease system within the Cas7-11/Csx29/Csx30 complex. These discoveries expand our understanding of the evolution of these systems and provide resources for the development of gene editing and therapies.

He demonstrated how deep learning models can be used for rapid protein evolution, successfully creating highly active miniature nucleases and efficient mRNA expression systems. This framework has the potential to revolutionize the biopharmaceutical field.

Overall, Kaiyi Jiang’s research has laid the foundation for the development of next-generation genetic and cell therapies, particularly in the understanding of disease treatment and molecular biological mechanisms.