Yu Lab Research

Fundamental epigenetic and chromatin mechanisms

Jia-Ray Yu, PhD, joined VCU School of Medicine in Dec 2025. His lab is affiliated with the Division of Cellular and Molecular Pathogenesis in the Department of Pathology and Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Yu received his Bachelor’s degree from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. He completed his PhD training under Dr. Linda Van Aelst in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in 2015 and postdoctoral training under Dr. Danny Reinberg in Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and New York University School of Medicine (NYUSoM) in 2021.

Dr. Yu’s lab investigates fundamental epigenetic and chromatin mechanisms in the context of cancer and development. Specifically, his lab studies protein machineries that regulate chromatin and gene expression using integrated approaches, such as reconstituted biochemical systems, CRISPR/Cas9 genetic tools, cell biology and imaging tools, and next generation sequencing (NGS). His lab is interested in interrogating fundamental mechanisms underlying the molecular pathogenesis of cancer and developmental disorders and translating basic knowledges into potential clinical solution by drug discovery approaches.

Please check his Lab's website for more details.