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Junjie Guo, PhD

Associate Professor of Neuroscience
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Additional Titles

Co-Director of Graduate Studies, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program

Education

PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Neuroscience (2011)


BA
Peking University, Biology (2006)


About

Titles

Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Co-Director of Graduate Studies, Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program

Biography

Junjie Guo received his B.A. in Biology from Peking University and completed his Ph.D. thesis in the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, working on neuronal DNA methylation. During his postdoctoral training at the Whitehead Institute/MIT, he developed a series of high-throughput computational and experimental methods to investigate circular RNAs and intracellular RNA folding. He joined the Department of Neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine in Fall 2017.

The Guo lab is broadly interested in questions at the intersection of RNA biology and Neuroscience, with a focus on understanding the mechanisms and functions of mRNA translation control in the nervous system as well as its dysregulation in neurological disorders caused by nucleotide repeat expansions.

Appointments

Education & Training

Postdoctoral Fellow
Whitehead Institute/MIT/HHMI (2017)
Postdoctoral Associate
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2012)
PhD
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Neuroscience (2011)
BA
Peking University, Biology (2006)

Research

Overview

1. RNA dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases

An increasing number of neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have been linked to the instability and expansion of nucleotide repeat sequences in the genome. These mutations can interfere with gene expression and cause neurotoxicty in a variety of mechanisms. We apply molecular and genomic approaches in patient-derived stem cells and neuronal models to investigate these mechanisms and how they impact diseases, with the goal of developing novel therapeutics.

2. Noncanonical mRNA translation in neuronal development and functions

In contrast to the "one mRNA, one protein" dogma, some mRNAs can encode more than one protein isoform. We have recently discovered that mRNAs encoding synaptic organizers such as neuronal pentraxin receptor (NPR) can produce two distinctly localized protein isoforms by having two alternative translation initiation sites. Applying biochemical and transcriptomic approaches in primary neurons and genetically engineered mouse models, we are identifying novel roles of alternative mRNA translation and protein isoforms in synapse formation and functions.

3. Neuronal mRNA transport and local translation

In polarized cells like neurons, newly transcribed mRNAs are often trafficked to distinct subcellular locations (e.g., dendrites and axon), where they can be locally translated in response to external stimuli. We are developing novel technologies that can help better understand the spatial and temporal regulation of mRNA transport and local translation.

Medical Research Interests

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Computational Biology; Frontotemporal Dementia; Genomics; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Motor Neuron Disease; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neurons; RNA; RNA Transport; RNA-Binding Proteins

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Junjie Guo's published research.

Publications

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2016

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • activity

    Society for Neuroscience

  • activity

    American Society for Cell Biology

  • activity

    RNA Society

  • activity

    American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  • activity

    Neuroscience Research-In-Progress Seminar Series

Teaching & Mentoring

Teaching

  • Didactic

    INP 701: Principles of Neuroscience

    Co-InstructorLecture Setting

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number

Locations

Events

Mar 202524Monday