We study the functional importance of the non-coding genome in development and disease.

It is increasingly clear that the vast non-coding genome encodes important genetic information that regulates development and disease. The overall focus of the He lab is to understand the biological functions and the molecular regulation of various non-coding transcripts, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and retrotransposons. Using mouse and frog genetics, genomics, cell and molecular biology, we aim to dissect the functional interplay between protein-coding genes and non-coding genes in development and disease. In particular, we will dissect the molecular mechanisms that define the totipotent stem cell cell fate in preimplantation embryos, and will elucidate the cellular and molecular events that promote cancer metastasis.