Wankun Deng

Dr. Wankun Deng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine at the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). He joined UTHealth in February 2023 following a postdoctoral fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania, where he studied RNA dynamics. His expertise lies at the intersection of bioinformatics, machine learning, and systems biology, with a focus on deciphering biological mechanisms through multi-omics data integration.

Dr. Deng earned his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China (2017). His research spans post-translational modification (PTM) analysis, RNA regulation via m6A modifications and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), and the application of computational methods to neurodegenerative diseases. He aims to uncover disease mechanisms by systematically analyzing complex biological datasets.

His technical strengths include algorithm development for predicting biological pathways, transcriptomic/proteomic data interpretation, and leveraging machine learning for systems-level insights. While specific awards are not listed, his work reflects sustained innovation in biomedical informatics.

Dr. Deng’s current role at UTHealth continues his trajectory of integrating computational tools with biomedical questions, particularly in neurodegenerative disorders. His lab focuses on multi-omics approaches to trace complex traits in diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, though specific grants or student advisees are not detailed in the provided text.