Associate Professor @UUtah @UofUMedicine | sperm RNA-mediated epigenetic inheritance, embryo development, small RNAs, RNA modifications & diseases
Joined November 2015
- Tweets 1,497
- Following 834
- Followers 1,604
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89 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
20 Aug 2025
Perhaps our boldest hypothesis… we propose a model for RNA Structural Memory propagation @NatureCellBio, where RNA conformation is reshaped by stress, locked by RBPs, copied prion-like in condensates & passed across generations—all without altering DNA.🧵
rdcu.be/eBwPJ
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Jun 1
After years of crystallization, now in @NatureBiotech, @ZernickaGoetz and I discuss the evolutionary origins of multicellularity and how physical constraints inevitably drive cellular self-organization.
Harnessing these rules may help us better understand and engineer life – Build to understand. rdcu.be/flTKa
19 Nov 2023
Thanks Qi for the heartfelt words and bringing back fond memories of our discussion of self-assembly in our first 2014 and 2017 models. Chatting with you always inspires a deeper understanding of life’s complexities. Let’s keep reflecting on ancient wisdom and carry it forward ..
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Sharing this perspective reinforced for me the idea that constraints are not obstacles. In biology, they can drive self-organization and the emergence of complexity. I suspect similar principles may operate far beyond biology, in the organization of cultures, ideas, and societies
Jun 1
After years of crystallization, now in @NatureBiotech, @ZernickaGoetz and I discuss the evolutionary origins of multicellularity and how physical constraints inevitably drive cellular self-organization.
Harnessing these rules may help us better understand and engineer life – Build to understand. rdcu.be/flTKa
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Qi Chen retweeted
Decoding the origins of cellular self-organization for engineered biology go.nature.com/4e1m3Br
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May 21
I’m thrilled to share that our paper is out in Molecular Cell! We developed Ribo-Tweezer, a new technology that lets us rapidly and reversibly remove specific proteins from mature ribosomes to ask what they actually do in translation.
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Feb 22
I fed this post/picture to Gemini's new Lyria 3 model, asking for a soundtrack based on the vibe.
I wasn't prepared for the result... it captures the weight of this journey so beautifully that I'm almost in tears...
What a time to be alive...
23 Dec 2025
A road trip to Monument Valley and the wonders of the west, as an anniversary of lab’s 10th year operation…look forward to the journey ahead…
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Jan 20
1/5 It took us some time to connect the dots...now in @embojournal we use PANDORA-seq to start decoding the 'sperm RNA code of aging'
We find a conserved rsRNA length shift that reflects aging in both mouse & human sperm, and an 'aging cliff' at mid-life🧵
link.springer.com/article/10…
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Jan 20
Perhaps the most puzzling part:
We see a paradox: the rsRNA length shift is progressive⏳yet the global RNA profile shows an "Aging Cliff"📉.
Cliff or Progression? Maybe the gradual shift is the forerunner—accumulating silently until it triggers the cliff.
x.com/qichen_lab/status/2013…
Jan 20
1/5 It took us some time to connect the dots...now in @embojournal we use PANDORA-seq to start decoding the 'sperm RNA code of aging'
We find a conserved rsRNA length shift that reflects aging in both mouse & human sperm, and an 'aging cliff' at mid-life🧵
link.springer.com/article/10…
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Qi Chen retweeted
Jan 23
Scientists discover a hidden RNA ‘aging clock’ in human sperm.
New research from @UofUHealth sheds light on connection between paternal age and elevated health risks for the unborn.
attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff…
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Qi Chen retweeted
Jan 20
Advanced paternal age is linked to adverse health outcomes of offspring. Discovery of how sperm age, enabling a sperm RNA code or aging clock link.springer.com/article/10… @EMBO
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Jan 21
New research led by @qichen_lab @UUHSResearch reveals an “aging cliff” in sperm RNA, a molecular marker tied to increased health risks in children of older fathers. This suggests a molecular clock tied to sperm aging in both mice and humans. Learn more: uofuhealth.utah.edu/newsroom…
Jan 20
Perhaps the most puzzling part:
We see a paradox: the rsRNA length shift is progressive⏳yet the global RNA profile shows an "Aging Cliff"📉.
Cliff or Progression? Maybe the gradual shift is the forerunner—accumulating silently until it triggers the cliff.
x.com/qichen_lab/status/2013…
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Qi Chen retweeted
Jan 20
2/5 The first revelation: In mice, PANDORA-seq uncovers a sharp "Aging Cliff"📉in sperm RNA profiles at mid-life—a non-linear shift distinct from chronological age.
Crucially, this cliff signal (genomic & mitochondrial tsRNAs/rsRNAs) is invisible to traditional small RNA-seq.
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Jan 20
3/5 Perhaps the most surprising discovery: we see an age-dependent "Length Shift" in rsRNAs, exclusively found in sperm heads.
Specifically, longer fragments accumulate while shorter ones decrease with age—a sign of altered RNA cleavage/processing efficiency (e.g., enzymatic).
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Jan 20
4/5 Crucially, beyond mouse data, we validated the sperm-head-specific rsRNA length shift signal in two independent human cohorts (longitudinal & cross-sectional).
This suggests an evolutionarily conserved feature, which may stem from shared (enzymatic) mechanisms during aging.
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Jan 20
1/5 It took us some time to connect the dots...now in @embojournal we use PANDORA-seq to start decoding the 'sperm RNA code of aging'
We find a conserved rsRNA length shift that reflects aging in both mouse & human sperm, and an 'aging cliff' at mid-life🧵
link.springer.com/article/10…
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Jan 20
5/5 Connecting mouse and human sperm data to uncover this conserved rsRNA length shift has been a privilege. Made possible by unique resources at @UtahUrology @UofUMedicine @UofUResearch @huntsmancancer, seeding translational potential with future cohorts & validation...
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Jan 20
Big thanks to the trainees & collaborators who made this happen! @Junchao_Shi @XudongZhang_RNA @cai000chen @happy_jjcc @ShichaoLiu4 @ZhouLabUCR @tongzhoulab @jimhotalingmd @aaronquinlan @shishenyxx @EmmaRae9 @JKunisaki
Enabling new biology with PANDORA-seq
x.com/qichen_lab/status/1578…
8 Oct 2022
Great to see our PANDORA-seq nature.com/articles/s41556-0…
&
Perspective on the exploration of small RNA universe nature.com/articles/s41556-0…
both highlighted @NaturePortfolio among the collection of key methods & resources of the noncoding RNA field👇
nature.com/collections/ceegh…
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