Tao Pan

Professor Tao Pan is a leading researcher in RNA biology at the University of Chicago's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. His laboratory pioneers methodologies for studying tRNA dynamics, epitranscriptomics, and microbiome-host interactions through innovative sequencing technologies.

His research spans three interconnected domains:

• tRNA biology: Developing high-throughput sequencing to measure tRNA abundance, charging, and modifications, revealing roles in translational control and extratranslational functions
• Microbiome characterization: Creating tRNA-seq as an RNA-based alternative to 16S/shotgun metagenomics to capture dynamic microbiome activity
• Epitranscriptomics: Investigating mRNA modifications like m6A in gene regulation, discovering the 'm6A switch' mechanism affecting RNA structure and protein binding

His publication trends demonstrate consistent innovation in RNA modification mapping techniques, with recent work focusing on nanopore sequencing applications, microbiome-induced epitranscriptomic reprogramming, and therapeutic mRNA engineering. Key recurring themes include tRNA modification dynamics, host-microbiome crosstalk, and RNA modification detection methodologies.

Scientific recognition includes:

• NIH Director's Pioneer Award (2011-2016)
• NIH EUREKA Award (2009-2013)
• AAAS Fellow (2015)
• Multiple early-career cancer research awards

His laboratory maintains substantial NIH funding through multiple R01 grants (current awards totaling >$5M annually), focusing on tRNA sequencing applications in cancer (R33CA272357), microbiome-host interactions (R21AI169280), and snoRNA functions (R01HG012780). The Pan Lab has established tRNA-seq as a novel microbiome characterization platform and pioneered discoveries in m6A-mediated RNA structural switching.

Research infrastructure includes development of specialized sequencing technologies for simultaneous tRNA modification and fragmentation analysis, with recent expansion into nanopore-based direct RNA modification detection. Current work explores therapeutic applications of tRNA modification knowledge in cancer and infectious disease contexts.