Nelson C. Lau

Nelson C. Lau is an Associate Professor at Boston University and Director of the Genome Science Institute (GSI). His research focuses on RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms, particularly the PIWI/piRNA pathway, which safeguards genomes from transposable elements (TEs). He is based at the Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC) and leads the Lau Lab, which explores TE regulation, gene silencing, and their implications in aging and disease.

• PhD in Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Research Interests: The Lau Lab investigates how small regulatory RNAs and proteins like PIWI and ARGONAUTE suppress TEs to prevent genomic damage. Their work spans transposable element regulation, RNAi pathways, aging-related genomic instability, and viral interactions in mosquitoes. Collaborations with the NEIDL and other BUMC groups extend their research to virology and neurodegeneration.

Article Trends: Recent publications highlight studies on mosquito small RNA responses to flaviviruses, TE dynamics in aging Drosophila, and CRISPR-based genome editing tools. The lab emphasizes comparative genomics, host-pathogen interactions, and computational analysis of TE and viral RNA suppression.

Lab Members: The team includes postdocs, researchers, and technicians specializing in genomics, virology, and biochemistry, with projects spanning TE biology, neurodegeneration, and host-microbiome interactions.