Meet the Peng Ji Lab team members. We welcome requests for information about our work and collaboration opportunities.
Principal Investigator
Peng Ji, MD, PhD, FCAP
Marie A. Fleming Professor of Pathology Vice Chair for Research, Department of Pathology Chief Pathology Officer, Silver Family Blood Cancer Institute Director, Pathology Physician-Scientist Training Program (PSTP)
peng-ji@fsm.northwestern.edu
Lab Manager
Ermin Li, MD, PhD
I earned my Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in 2010 and completed a Master’s in Hematology by 2013. After two years of clinical residency, I returned to academia in 2015 to pursue a Ph.D., gaining extensive experience in cell and molecular biology, as well as training in scientific writing, presentations, and critical thinking. Seeking translational research experience, I joined Dr. Peng Ji’s lab at Northwestern University as a postdoctoral fellow, where I’ve applied advanced technologies to study hematological disorders in both human and mouse models.
Graduate: MD Degree in Clinical Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University. PhD Degree in Pathology, Fudan University
ermin.li@northwestern.edu
Postdoctoral Fellows
Honghao Bi
Hello, my name is Honghao. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Peng Ji’s lab, where my research focuses on the mechanisms of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and genetic predispositions to hematopoietic diseases, as well as exploring new therapies for these conditions. Collaborating with colleagues both within and outside our lab, we have established a comprehensive system for investigating the mechanisms of genetic predisposition, from clinical studies to cellular and mouse models. Our investigative approach encompasses a wide range of wet lab technologies and bioinformatics tools. We have made significant progress by identifying connections between predisposition genes and genome structure and stability. Looking forward, I am excited to delve deeper into the genomic and molecular biology mechanisms involved in hematopoietic diseases. If you are interested in learning more about my work or discussing potential collaborations, please feel free to contact me.
Graduate:Ph.D. in Genetics and Genomics, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY. Master of Medicine, ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY. Bachelor of Medicine, ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY.
With undergraduate training in Laboratory Medicine and graduate training in Pathology, I have built a strong understanding and compassion for human diseases. Through performing autopsies during my Ph.D. training, I strongly realized how difficult it is to get the whole picture of the progression of diseases under the microscope, yet basic science research is the unneglectable pathway to gaining an understanding of the mechanism of disease development, which would ultimately translate into disease prevention and treatment. As a postdoc at Dr. Peng Ji’s lab at Northwestern University, I am exposed to state-of-art technologies like spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing which greatly helped me dissect the detailed pathological changes in human hematological disorders. I am always driven by the passion and curiosity to pursue the answers to scientific questions, which are the key components to a sustainable and fruitful research career to my understanding.
Graduate: PhD Degree in Pathology, Fudan University
As a predoctoral student, my research focused on transcriptional regulation in erythropoiesis, where I identified a transcription factor/cofactor loop that offers insights into human erythropoiesis and a potential therapeutic target for polycythemia vera. I also completed a systematic review on transcriptional regulation and related cofactors. Currently, as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Peng Ji’s lab, I study erythropoiesis and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). My work includes investigating the JAK/STAT/PLEK2 signaling complex in MPNs and leading a project on MPN metabolomics to understand metabolic drivers of disease and treatment response. I welcome opportunities to connect and collaborate.Please feel free to reach out.
Graduate: PhD Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Central South University
Inspired by the myth of Prometheus, who endured daily regeneration of his liver as a symbol of life’s persistence and renewal, my research embodies this regenerative spirit in a modern context. As an aspiring physician-scientist, I am deeply invested in exploring the impact of DDX41 gene mutations on the efficacy of stem cell transplants in elderly patients. Utilizing innovative approaches such as mouse models, induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs), and bone marrow organoids, I am dedicated to dissecting the complexities of the bone marrow microenvironment. If you can’t find me in the lab, I am probably watching Premier League, exploring new places all over the world, or enjoying Lake Michigan.
Graduate: MD Degree from Trakya University School of Medicine
My name is Laya Soleimani, and I earned my medical degree in 2020 in Iran. I developed a strong interest in research during my internship, which led me to publish several peer-reviewed papers in the field of endocrinology. In 2023, I joined the dermatology department at Northwestern University, where I further expanded my research experience. My passion for pathology has driven me to explore various areas within the field. Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Ji’s lab, focusing on the enucleation process of red blood cells (RBCs) and studying DDX41 and CUX1 gene mutations in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
Kara Tao is an undergraduate student at Yale University majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. In the Ji laboratory, she collaborates with her mentors Kehan Ren and Ermin Li to study the role of SRF in erythropoiesis. Outside the lab, Kara enjoys volunteering in the pediatric emergency department, contributing to Yale Scientific Magazine, and listening to music.
My name is Cristina Torres and I worked in Dr. Peng Ji's lab the summer of 2023 with the NU-CURE Northwestern University Cancer-Focused Undergraduate Research Experience. I worked under Dr. Honghao Bi and Inci Aydemir working on Characterizing DDX41 Expression Level and Subcellular Distribution During Erythroid Differentiation. I'm a Chicago native currently enrolled at Cornell University where I study Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, genomics, and development. In my free time I like to read and hang out with my friends!
Niva has been a dedicated summer student in our lab since 2022, showcasing exceptional talent and enthusiasm. Congratulations to her on being accepted to Boston University for 2024!
nivamusunuri@gmail.com
Niki Musunuri
Since joining our lab as a summer student in 2022, Niki has consistently demonstrated remarkable talent and dedication. We are thrilled to congratulate her on her acceptance to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine for 2024!
nikimusunuri@gmail.com
Jeffrey Lin
Hi, my name is Jeffrey Lin and I am a student at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School and I have an interest in studying biology and I have been shadowing in the lab during my school breaks. Experience at the lab: being at the lab was an extremely impactful experience since it allowed me to agin valuable insight on what it’s like to work alongside a group of people in a professional setting and this was made possible due to the kind and supportive people at JiLab who taught me many techniques that I would be able to use that technical knowledge in my future career as I am planning to major in biology once I am in college and hopefully being able to successfully apply for medical school later on.
Jeffreylin1298@gmail.com
Yongyi Chen
Hello, my name is Rongyi Chen. I attend Whitney Young Magnet High School. Some of my hobbies include reading and figure skating. I have always been interested in biology, and learning at Dr. Peng Ji’s lab has really helped me further my understanding of science.
Dr. Zhao received his research training in Dr. Peng Ji’s lab from 2012 to 2017, serving as both a Postdoctoral Fellow and a Research Assistant Professor. His work primarily focused on the molecular mechanisms of normal erythropoiesis and the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies, during which he contributed to identifying several novel drug targets (Haematologica 2014, Dev Cell 2016, JCI 2018).
Dr. Yijie Liu joined Dr. Peng Ji’s lab in February 2018 as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on erythropoiesis mechanisms under physiological and disease conditions using molecular biology techniques and mouse models. In a 2021 Blood publication, Dr. Liu's work highlighted the critical role of mDia formins in erythroid membrane integrity and organelle clearance. This study opens new avenues for exploring the relationship between the membrane skeleton and erythroid maturation. Dr. Liu is now an Assistant Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Scientific Director of the Clinical Flow Cytometry Lab at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Yang Mei
Professor of Hunan University
Dr. Mei joined Dr. Peng Ji’s lab in September 2013 as a postdoctoral researcher. His work primarily focused on erythropoiesis and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), uncovering the crucial roles of inflammatory signaling in the pathogenesis of MDS and its progression to leukemia. He also investigated the functions of the actin nucleator mDia formin proteins in hematopoiesis. Dr. Mei is currently a professor at Hunan University in China.
Jingxing Zhang
Associate Professor at Zhengzhou University
Xu Han
Dr. Xu Han is a professor at Central South University now.
Dr. Xu Han joined Dr. Peng Ji’s lab in July 2017 as a postdoctoral fellow. His work focused on two main areas: (1) developing Plek2 inhibitors to treat cancers such as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and prostate cancer. His findings on the efficacy of Plek2 inhibitors in MPNs were published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation (Han et al., JCI, 2023), and a related prostate cancer study is under revision; (2) investigating hematopoiesis in development and disease using spatial transcriptomics technologies, with a manuscript in preparation. He also contributed to a study on PPIL2, a Plek2 signalosome component, in erythropoiesis and MPNs, which has been accepted by The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
