Albert Cheng, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Farmington, CT

Engineers and applies artificial DNA and RNA binding proteins to study the genome, epigenome, and transcriptome.

The JAX Cancer Center

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Contact me at: 207-288-6000

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About Albert Cheng, Ph.D.

Albert Cheng obtained his BSc in Biochemistry and MPhil in Biology from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2005 and 2007, respectively. He studied neurotrophin signaling and C. elegans developmental genetics. He then pursued his PhD in Computational & Systems Biology at MIT in the labs of Profs Christopher Burge and Rudolf Jaenisch and worked on various topics on epigenetics, gene regulation and alternative splicing in stem cells, reprogramming, cancer metastasis, erythropoiesis and differentiation. Cheng and colleagues identified H3K27ac as a signature for active enhancers. He analyzed alternative splicing in epithetlial-mesenchymal transition, cancer metastasis as well as erythropoiesis and identified splicing factors regulating these processes. He constructed CRISPR-on, an artificial RNA-guided activator based on CRISPR/Cas. After graduating in 2014, he joined the Jackson Laboratory at Bar Harbor, ME, as one of the first JAX scholars where he continued to work on understanding and improving the CRISPR/Cas technology. In July 2015, he started his own lab as an assistant professor at the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine campus at Farmington, CT.

Albert Cheng on Google Scholar

Albert Cheng Personal Lab Site

Selected Publications

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Research HighlightNovember 10, 2020
Pediatric brain cancer research reveals the potential for precision therapies
Cancer researchers have identified the enhanced expression of many signaling pathways implicated in cancer initiation and maintenance.
- Cancer/Tumors
- Cancer
Research HighlightOctober 31, 2019
Improving transgene research with split selectable markers
JAX Assistant Professor Albert Cheng led a team to develop split selectable markers, a method that can indicate the successful integration of multiple transgenes.
Press ReleaseJanuary 10, 2018
$3.2 million grant to JAX scientist for epigenetic studies to advance precision medicine
A grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute to JAX Assistant Professor Albert Cheng, Ph.D., will fund the creation of a molecular “toolkit” to explore the effects of epigenetic modifications
Search MagazineMay 06, 2016
Molecular marvels
Albert Cheng, Ph.D., is taking the key attributes of CRISPR/Cas and making it more versatile.

Research HighlightJune 12, 2020
Using CRISPR technology to control RNA splicing
A research team led by Albert Cheng developed a new method, CASFx, that leverages CRISPR technology to alter messenger RNA splicing and precisely control protein isoform production.
Research HighlightSeptember 20, 2019
An epigenetic eraser
The genome editing tool, Casilio, can be used to efficiently remove methyl groups from DNA and activate expression of methylation-silenced genes in experimental systems. Casilio was created by Jackson Laboratory Assistant Professor Albert Cheng.
Search MagazineMay 16, 2016
Casilio unlocks the potential of CRISPR/Cas9
JAX scientists have modified CRISPR/Cas9 to make it more versatile and useful for researchers. JAX Assistant Professor Albert Cheng explains Casilio.
Press ReleaseJanuary 15, 2016
Casilio gives CRISPR-Cas an upgrade
A new gene regulation and labeling platform dubbed "Casilio" is expanding researchers' ability to study gene function and chromosome structure.