Chia-Lin Wei, Ph.D., appointed JAX Director of Genome Technologies

Farmington, Conn., and Bar Harbor, Maine – Chia-Lin Wei, Ph.D., an international leader in genomics and sequencing, has joined The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) as director of genome technologies.

In her new role leading genome technologies across the Laboratory, Wei is based at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, Conn., developing and providing genomics and sequencing services for JAX and external researchers.

Wei comes to JAX from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, Calif., where she was head of production sequencing and led genomic technology development effort. She also held the post of senior staff scientist in the biosciences division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

“Our researchers are not only using powerful new tools, such as high-throughput genome sequencing, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and single-cell genomics; they are also identifying new applications and developing new clinical assays with these technologies,” says JAX Genomic Medicine Scientific Director and Professor Charles Lee, Ph.D.

Wei says, “I’m looking forward to bringing my expertise to JAX to open new frontiers in genomic technology, and moving to a more clinical setting to help improve patient outcomes.”

Wei earned a B.S. in medical technology from the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan, and her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of California, Davis. Following a postdoctoral fellowship in biology at MIT, she held positions at Large Scale Biology Corp. in Vacaville, Calif., and Odyssey Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover, N.J., followed by positions in genome biology and technology at the Genome Institute of Singapore.