Tzumin Lee

Tzumin Lee is Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan and Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His research explores neural development using Drosophila models, with an emphasis on genetic mechanisms underlying brain assembly and evolution.

The Lee Lab developed MARCM (mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker) for lineage-based neural circuit mapping. Current work examines temporal patterning in neural stem cells, hormone-mediated neuronal differentiation, and genomic bases of brain diversity across species.

Recent innovations include CRISPR-based tools for precise genetic manipulation and programmable lineage recording systems. Research integrates molecular genetics, advanced imaging, and computational approaches to reconstruct neural development from stem cells to functional circuits.