Abstract

Cells are not independent; they communicate and work synergistically in the brain. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on bulk assays, novel spatial technologies preserve the tissue's architecture at near single-cell resolution, allowing for more precise functional interpretation of the cell types and states. In this talk, I will introduce spatial proteomics and spatial epigenetics, two leading methods that enable in situ detection of proteins and open chromatin. Compared to spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics directly addresses key challenges in visualizing cellular morphology and evaluating whether RNAs are the best proxies for proteins. I will discuss how these approaches advance our understanding of brain function and disease, particularly in psychiatric disorders and traumatic brain injury.

Short Bio

Yang Xiao is a molecular pathologist and bioengineer working to understand the cellular changes in cerebral microenvironments following traumatic brain injury. Dr. Xiao’s research integrates spatial transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic data to build a cellular “Google Map” of the brain, and to uncover the gene regulatory control mechanisms involved in injury remodeling and mood disorders.

Dr. Xiao completed her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology at McGill University in Canada, and conducted her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Yale University under the mentorship of Dr. Rong Fan. She carried out postdoctoral work in Systems Neuroscience and Gene Editing at Columbia University, working with Dr. Kam Leong.