Jingxin Wang

Jingxin Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Genetic Medicine Section at the University of Chicago's Department of Medicine. Previously, he held an Assistant Professor position at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy's Department of Medicinal Chemistry. He earned his B.S. from Peking University (2006), Ph.D. from University of Maryland (2011), and completed postdoctoral training at Scripps Research Institute (2019) and Johns Hopkins University (2014).

His research focuses on chemical biology and drug discovery, with two core directions:

• Developing small molecules to control RNA splicing for diseases like spinal muscular atrophy and autoimmune conditions
• Creating bifunctional chimeric molecules for novel biological functions, such as antiviral therapies and neurodegenerative disease treatments

Recent work includes CRISPR-based assays for splice isoform quantification, SARS-CoV-2 RNA-targeted inhibitors, and rapafucin macrocycles for new drug targets. His group relocated to the University of Chicago in 2024, joining the Biological Sciences Division. Advising includes Dr. Shalakha Hegde, who received the Irsay-Dahle Memorial Fund Award in 2025. Research funding includes support from undisclosed sources, with a focus on translational drug discovery.

Labs and teams are based at the University of Chicago, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to undruggable targets and RNA-based therapies.