The Qi lab | Programmable Control of Dynamic Cell State
Engineering principles to control living systems
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From Programmable Tools to Principles of Cell State Control
We develop foundational platforms to program and understand dynamic cell state, integrating CRISPR-based perturbations, live-cell and super-resolution imaging, and computational design. Our work focuses on revealing the principles by which molecular interactions give rise to stable, adaptive, and spatially organized cell states, enabling causal discovery in biology and the rational design of therapeutic cells.
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From Perturbation to Dynamic Control
Biology has become exceptionally good at measuring static cells, but far less effective at controlling dynamic behaviors. Our lab addresses this gap by building closed-loop systems that combine programmable perturbation with real-time imaging to learn how living cells respond, adapt, and stabilize over time. This framework moves beyond correlation toward causal and predictive control of cell state.
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From Single-Cell Phenotype to Cell–Cell Communication
Our work spans both immune and neural systems, with a particular focus on the mutual interplay between T cells and neurons. We seek to understand how programmable molecular control of each cell type and their interactions shapes systems-level physiology and neurodegeneration.
From Tool to Translation
A compact, nuclease-dead CRISPR epigenetic editor from the lab has advanced to first-in-human clinical testing for a neuromuscular disease (FSHD; NCT06907875), illustrating how principle-driven tools can translate into therapies. Distinct from mutation-centric approaches, our lab focuses on epigenetic control as a unifying therapeutic theme, enabling programmable interventions across broad classes of incurable and age-associated genetic diseases.
