Feng is a post-doctoral fellow in the Shalek Lab. His current project focuses on applying single-cell genomic and experimental approaches to understand the cellular interactions and the transcriptional regulations in M. tuberculosis granulomas. His broader interest in the Shalek Lab is to translate what we have learned about the immune system in animal models to humans, characterize the commonality of the immune microenvironment across diseases, and identify new targets for immunotherapies.

Under the mentorship of Dario A.A. Vignali and the co-mentorship of Takis Benos (University of Florida), Feng was trained as a systems cancer immunologist to use computational tools for single-cell RNAseq analysis in conjunction with CRISPR-Cas9 knockout technology to determine the transcriptional regulators and signatures of regulatory CD4+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, he worked on identifying the gene regulatory networks that control functionally active Tregs in the TME.

Feng lived in several cities in China before coming to the States. He completed his undergraduate degree in medicinal chemistry at China Pharmaceutical University and master’s degree in pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh. Outside the lab, Feng enjoys playing basketball, Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch, cooking, skiing and travelling with his wife.