Hao Wu

Hao Wu, PhD is an Associate Professor of Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He is a Core member of the Penn Epigenetics Institute, Member of the Penn Cardiovascular Institute (CVI), Member of the Penn Institute of Regenerative Medicine (IRM), and Member of the CHOP Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine (CMEM).

His educational background includes:

• B.S. in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology from Tsinghua University (2002)
• Ph.D. in Epigenetic regulation of neural stem cell differentiation from University of California Los Angeles (2009)

Dr. Wu's research focuses on understanding how epigenetic processes regulate gene expression to establish diverse cell types and respond to environmental signals. His lab combines experimental approaches with bioinformatics to study cell-type specification and maturation from mammalian stem cells, particularly in cardiovascular and neural lineages. The Wu lab investigates molecular mechanisms regulating the interaction between environment and epigenome, and how extrinsic signals modify epigenetic marks to influence development or disease. Their long-term goal is to quantitatively analyze and engineer cell-type specific epigenomes to inform therapeutic approaches for human diseases.

Analysis of Dr. Wu's recent publications reveals a strong focus on single-cell and spatial multiomic technologies to investigate epigenetic regulation. His work spans cardiovascular biology, neuroscience, and stem cell biology, with emphasis on DNA methylation/demethylation, transcriptional control, and development of novel genomic sequencing methods. Recent publications highlight advances in single-cell epigenomic profiling, time-resolved RNA sequencing, and their application to neural development, cardiac maturation, and disease mechanisms.

As a mentor, Dr. Wu oversees a diverse research group including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, research specialists, and undergraduates. His lab members work on various projects related to epigenomic profiling, epigenome editing, and single-cell technologies. Dr. Wu's research is supported by grants enabling the development of innovative genomic technologies and their application to understand fundamental biological processes.

The Wu Lab maintains a collaborative environment focused on developing high-precision single-cell epigenomic profiling methods, novel epigenome editing tools, and time-resolved single-cell RNA sequencing approaches. Current projects investigate neural development, cardiac lineage specification, and the environment-epigenome interaction, bridging fundamental epigenetic mechanisms with translational applications.