Lab Members

Chen Ying

Chen Ying graduated from National University of Singapore (NUS), in 2018. After receiving ISPE scholarship, she joined JL lab at IMCB, A*STAR as a PhD student and enrolled in NUS (under department of biological science). Upon graduation in 2022, she continued as a research fellow in JL lab. Her research focused on the spatial profiling of human thymus to study the developmental and ageing aspects of this primary lymphoid organ. During free time, she enjoyed playing different games, including board games and video games.

Jackie Teo

Jackie graduated from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore with a degree in Biological Sciences in 2020. During his studies, he participated in undergraduate research projects at NTU's School of Biological Sciences, School of Medicine, and the National Cancer Centre Singapore, gaining proficiency in various molecular techniques. He later joined JL Lab, where he further developed his expertise in genome and transcriptome profiling techniques. Jackie's research interests lie in epigenetics, and his current projects center around studying RNA modifications. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring specialty coffee and keeping up with the latest indie games, TV series, and anime.

Kiyofumi Hamashima

Kiyo is a researcher with a background in RNA biology and computational biology. He completed his undergraduate studies at Keio University, where he developed a passion for computational biology. He then pursued his graduate degree, specializing in RNA biology, which deepened his expertise. His current research interests focus on RNA epigenetics, particularly single-cell epitranscriptomics in cell fate control. Outside of academia, he enjoys water sports such as surfing and swimming, which help him maintain a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

Lei Junjie

Lei Junjie earned his master’s degree in bioinformatics in 2024 through a joint program between the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and BGI Research Institute, where he specialized in spatial transcriptomics and single-cell transcriptomics data analysis. After graduation, he joined JL Lab as a research officer. His current research interests are focused on integrating multi-omics and multimodal data to identify key factors influencing cell fate decisions and developmental processes. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, which helps him relax, stay active, and clear his mind.

Liu Tongming

He earned his Ph.D. in Genetics from the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. With 20 years of experience, he specializes in research on human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for gene and cell therapies targeting cartilage and bone repair. His work includes identifying genes that regulate MSC differentiation, MSC immortalization, iPSC-derived MSCs, disease modeling, drug screening, and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles. He has secured multiple national research grants and holds patents related to stem cell gene therapy. Outside of work, he enjoys swimming, growing flowers, and keeping ornamental fish.

Nadia Omega Cipta

Nadia earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from Philipps University Marburg and a master’s degree in Neuroscience from Goethe University Frankfurt, where she also gained research experience at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. After completing her master’s, she worked as a research assistant at the Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Indonesia. She then pursued a PhD at the National University of Singapore through the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) scholarship. Now a postdoctoral scientist, her research focuses on stem cells and their applications. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and traveling.

Padmapriya Sathiyanathan

Priya Sathiyanathan’s research focus is on cell isolation/ expansion strategies for stem cell manufacturing and safety profiling for extracellular vesicle production. She is currently the Project Manager at JL Lab, while also contributing to wet lab. Priya received her B.Sc. from the School of Biological Sciences, NTU, and was awarded the A*STAR Graduate Scholarship to pursue her doctoral degree (NTU). She then joined the Glycotherapeutics group at IMB where her research identified a novel donor selection strategy for stem cells. She then expanded her expertise in diagnostic assay development at the Center for Genome Diagnostics in GIS before transitioning to her current role at IMCB. Outside the lab, Priya enjoys painting, baking, and exploring for great food.

Pongsatorn Horcharoensuk

Pong graduated from the Veterinary School at Khon Kaen University, Thailand, in 2019. He is currently a PhD student in the JL Lab at IMCB, A*STAR, co-supervised by Prof. Reshma Taneja, and is enrolled at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. His research explores the cell fate commitment of CB-HSPCs as they differentiate into NK cells, focusing on key transitional states, molecular mechanisms, and cytotoxic functions using lineage tracing and scRNA-seq. Passionate about bioinformatics, he is enhancing computational skills. Outside the lab, he enjoys survival games.

Tang Shin Yi

Shin Yi received her PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS), her work focuses on harnessing stem cells as an unlimited source of immune cells for cancer treatments. She then continued her training in the cancer immunotherapy industry, gaining insight into how research can be translated into clinical products. She is also deeply passionate about the fundamental science behind these therapies, with an ultimate goal to develop innovative therapies and improve outcomes for cancer patients. Outside of her research, she enjoys exploring new places, reading and listening to music.

Tong Xingyuan

Tong Xingyuan is a PhD student from NKU, majoring in stem cell and development biology. He is skilled in molecular biology. His project will be focusing on totipotency of different species.

Tuan Chun Tan

Tuan Chun is a research officer focusing on Mesenchymal Stem Cells and scale up bioprocessing.

Jia Ming Nickolas Teo

Nickolas is a fresh post-doc from HKU, bringing with him his skills in immunology, bioinformatics, and cell cultures. His work will focus on thymic involution.

Gao Xin

Gao Xin is a specialist in stem cells and early embryonic development. She finished her PhD in China Agricultural University. She is well-versed in CRISPR as well.

Zhang Qi

Zhang Qi graduated from Nankai University in 2024 with a Doctor of Science degree. Subsequently, she served as a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where she focused on research related to RNA modifications and their interactions. In early 2026, she joined the JL Laboratory to engage in research on P-bodies and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). In her spare time, she enjoys exploring various cuisines and participating in ball sports.

Liu Hao

Before joining A*STAR, Liu Hao earned his master’s degree from the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he studied Parkinson’s disease using dopaminergic neurons derived from iPSCs. He completed his PhD in Biomedicine at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain, focusing on early embryonic development and using 2CLC/8CLC models to investigate totipotency in mouse and human. Recreationally, he enjoys swimming.