Chu, Tinyi
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Genome Sciences
Education
- Ph.D., Computational Biology, Cornell University
- Postdoc, Computational Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- Postdoc, Biostatistics, Yale University
Contact Information
1335 Lee Street, West Complex
3rd Floor, MSB 3238
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Email: tchu@virginia.edu
Website: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=0O-NG5YAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Disciplines
Biomedical Engineering, Cancer Biology, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Data Science in Medicine, Statistics, Translational Science
Research Interests
Computational Biology; Machine Learning; Statistical Modeling; Single Cell Biology; Spatial Biology; Liquid Biopsy
Research Description
My lab develops statistical learning, deep learning, and AI methods to decode single‑cell and spatial omics data. We hope to use these tools to extract mechanistic insights into how cells sense and respond to perturbations and how they interact with their microenvironment across space and time. Leveraging large‑scale training datasets, our long‑term goal is to design and optimize in silico perturbations that can be translated into interventions for inflammation, cellular senescence, and cancer. A second major focus is liquid biopsy. We develop rigorous machine‑learning methods and integrate experimental innovation to analyze circulating nucleic acids in human biofluids, enabling noninvasive early detection, disease monitoring, and prediction of treatment outcomes. Across both areas, we emphasize collaborative science to deliver tools that are robust in the lab and translatable to the clinic.