Bo Xia, Ph.D.
Dr. Bo Xia is Gene Regulation Observatory Fellow and a Principal Investigator at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He is also a Junior Fellow of the Harvard University Society of Fellows.
Dr. Xia’s career started as an independent research associate in Dr. Chengqi Yi’s lab at Peking University, leading the development of chemical technologies for analyzing epigenomes. Dr. Xia received his Ph.D. degree from NYU School of Medicine in 2022, co-mentored by Drs. Itai Yanai and Jef D. Boeke. During Ph.D., Dr. Xia pioneered a few innovative studies on genome regulation and its impact on human development and evolution, including revealing the genetic basis of tail-loss evolution in humans and apes. He is a recipient of multiple highly prestigious awards, including the 2020 Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation, Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award (2022), and the NIH Director's Early Independence Award (2022).
Most recently, Dr. Xia started his laboratory in the Gene Regulation Observatory Program at the Broad Institute. The Xia laboratory combines both experimental technologies and computational approaches to understand the principles and mechanisms of genome regulation across development, disease, and evolution.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
07/2022 - present Gene Regulation Observatory Fellow and Principal Investigator, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
07/2022 - present Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows, Harvard University
07/2013 - 07/2015 Research associate (independent), Dr. Chengqi Yi’s laboratory, Peking University
EDUCATION & TRAINING
08/2015 - 02/2022 Ph.D., Stem Cell Biology, Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Thesis: Molecular mechanisms of human evolution: mutagenesis and its impact on phenotypic innovation
Advisors: Dr. Itai Yanai, Dr. Jef Boeke
08/2015 - 09/2017 M.S./M.Phil., Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Advisors: Dr. Itai Yanai, Dr. Jef Boeke
09/2009 - 06/2013 B.S., Biological Sciences, Honors Program, China Agricultural University
Thesis: Chemical labeling-assisted single-base resolution sequencing of 5-formylcytosine
Advisors: Dr. Chengqi Yi (Peking University)
HONORS & AWARDS
2022 NIH Director's Early Independence Award
2022 The Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award
2022 Junior Fellow, Society of Fellows, Harvard University
2022 Genetics Society of America (GSA) James F. Crow Early Career Researcher Award, finalist
2022 Extradentary Prize, Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad
2020 Grand prize winner, The 8th Regeneron Prize for Creative Innovation
2020 New York State Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM) Pre-doctoral Training Fellowship
2020 Science Alliance Leadership Training (SALT) Fellow at the New York Academy of Sciences
2019 Tony B. Academic Travel Award, 2019 Annual Meeting of Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening
2018 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening Graduate Education Fellowship Grant, finalist
2018 Charles J. Epstein Trainee Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Research – Semifinalist and Travel Award, 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics
2018 Outstanding Poster Presentation Award, The 7th Annual Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology Retreat
2016 F1000 Outstanding Presentation Prize, The New York Academy of Sciences: Chemical Biology Discussion Group Year-End Symposium
2013 Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Award (≤3%), CAU
2010 - 2012 Excellent Academic Performance Scholarship, CAU
2011, 2010 National Endeavor Scholarship, CAU
2011 First Prize, CAU 5th ‘Challenge Cup’ Undergraduate Research
2008, 2007 Second Prize, National Chemistry Olympiad