Scholarship: Fully-funded
Degree: Bachelor, Master, Ph.D
Nationality: International Students
Location: USA
Application deadlines: Open
Scholarship Description:
Dr. Sai Zhang is expected to join the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at Yale University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in October 2025.
Dr. Zhang earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Tsinghua University in 2017, under the supervision of Professor Jianyang Zeng. From 2017 to 2021, he conducted postdoctoral research in the Department of Genetics at Stanford University, working with Professor Michael Snyder, and later served as a Lecturer there from 2021 to 2022. In January 2023, he joined the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) to establish an independent lab.
Dr. Zhang has published multiple papers as first or corresponding author in journals such as Cell, Nature Biotechnology (accepted), Neuron, Cell Systems, and Genome Research. He is also a long-term program committee member for top conferences in computational biology and bioinformatics, including RECOMB and ISMB.
Research Focus
The lab aims to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to integrate and analyze large-scale genetic, multi-omics (including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and proteomics), and clinical data to uncover the pathogenic mechanisms of complex human diseases. The goal is to construct precise and efficient disease prediction, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to ultimately enhance human health.
Current key research areas include:
- Development of machine learning algorithms related to single-cell genetics, funded by the NIH.
(Project link: NIH Project) - Exploring the dynamic regulatory mechanisms of genetic variation using genomic language models.
- Building disease diagnosis and prediction models based on proteomics data (e.g., doi:10.1101/2025.02.19.25322536).
- Developing deep learning models for genetic risk prediction of diseases (e.g., doi:10.1101/gr.279694.124).
- Integrative analysis of single-cell multi-omics (e.g., scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq) and spatial omics data.
- Genetic and multi-omics studies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The lab’s current funding includes the NIH Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA), Yale University startup funds, the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), and the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research.
For more detailed information, please visit the lab’s homepage: https://sai-zhang.com/.
Available Subjects:
- AI4Biomed
Eligibility criteria:
- Ph.D. in Computer Science, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
- Experience in developing machine learning algorithms for biomedical problems or the ability to analyze large-scale single-cell or spatial omics data.
- At least one high-quality research paper published as the first author.
- Strong English communication and writing skills.
- Excellent communication skills and a collaborative spirit.
- Candidates applying for the Associate Researcher position must have at least two years of postdoctoral research experience.
Application Procedure:
Please send your cover letter (briefly introducing your research experience and future research interests), CV, and contact information for 2-3 references to [email protected].
Use the following format for the email subject: [Application position] – [Name] (e.g., Postdoc – Sai Zhang).
We will respond as soon as possible upon receiving your application materials and arrange for subsequent interviews.
Note: All application materials should be submitted in English.
