As a pioneer in the field of epigenomics, Dr. Bing Ren has devoted his career to unraveling the complexities of the human genome. A professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at UC San Diego and the founding director of the university’s Center for Epigenomics, Dr. Ren has spent more than three decades on groundbreaking efforts to understand how genes are controlled within different cell types, and how alterations in this process can lead to diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer.
Dr. Ren’s work includes the mapping of millions of regulatory elements within the human genome, the creation of comprehensive gene regulation maps for the brain and other vital organs at the single-cell level, and the uncovering of fundamental principles governing the organization of chromatin—the substance within chromosomes—in the nucleus. Dr. Ren is also a driving force in shaping the trajectory of the field through his involvement with multiple genomic consortia, including ENCODE, the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium, the International Human Epigenome Consortium, the 4D Nucleome Consortium and the Brain Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN).
Dr. Ren obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Harvard University in 1998 and joined the faculty of UC San Diego in 2001, after completing postdoctoral training at the renowned Whitehead Institute. Recognized for his exceptional contributions, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2013, and is a recipient of the Chen Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement in Human Genetic and Genomic Research. Driven by a steadfast commitment to advancing human health,
Dr. Ren has also launched two biotech companies – Arima Genomics and Epigenome Technologies – with the goal of harnessing cutting-edge epigenome technologies to translate scientific discoveries into tangible clinical solutions.