Ruoyu Wang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Zhou Lab, is among five exceptional early-career scientists awarded a Quantitative Biology Fellowship by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

Created to encourage quantitative scientists to pursue careers in cancer research, the program invests in research that combines techniques from both “wet” and “dry” labs. The fellowship provides each honoree $240,000 over three years to train under the joint mentorship of an established computational scientist and a cancer biologist.

“In the five years since we named the first class of Quantitative Biology Fellows, it has only become more evident that these scientists bring fresh perspectives and creative approaches to cancer research in addition to their robust computational skills,” said Yung S. Lie, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

Dr. Wang is paired with mentors Jian Zhou, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, and W. Lee Kraus, Ph.D., Director of the Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences. Drs. Kraus and Zhou are both members of UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.

With only five presented this year, the Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship is a prestigious and highly selective award, Dr. Zhou noted. “It recognizes computational scientists who bring innovative quantitative approaches to open biological questions. Ruoyu is exceptionally qualified for this as someone who has uncommon depth of knowledge and expertise in both biology and AI.”

Combining generative artificial intelligence (AI) models with single-molecule regulatory genomics, Dr. Wang hopes to uncover principles governing the cancer regulatory genome with unprecedented resolution and precision.

“Many opportunities of this project arise from connecting experimental insights and computational modeling,” Dr. Zhou said. “The two-mentor collaboration gives Ruoyu access to the full spectrum of tools required to tackle the problem. With strong expertise in both experimental and computational biology, he can draw on each lab’s strengths in a way few researchers can, giving the project a unique advantage.”

Dr. Wang’s research focuses on understanding how certain genetic changes – specifically those in noncoding regions of DNA, the parts that don’t directly make proteins – contribute to cancer development and progression.

Many cancer mutations occur in these noncoding regions of the human genome, Dr. Wang said. These regions serve as vital regulators of gene expression, and mutations here can contribute to various hallmarks of cancer.

“Understanding these regulatory elements and their malignant variants is critical for advancing our knowledge of cancer biology and developing precision medicine. Deep learning sequence models can significantly enhance our understanding of the regulatory genome in both health and disease,” he continued.

Dr. Wang’s primary goal is to build an in silico epigenome observatory – a computational platform that analyzes epigenetic modifications across the genome – for cancer gene regulation and to identify key mechanisms of noncoding genetic alterations.

“By understanding how these ‘regulatory typos’ drive cancer, we can potentially develop new therapies that specifically counteract their effects,” he said. “This could lead to the development of completely new classes of cancer therapies.”

Dr. Wang said the honor of being selected for the fellowship is incredibly significant to him.

“The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is renowned for supporting innovative, high-impact cancer research, and to be recognized by them validates our work and its potential,” he said. “The funding will allow me to explore my research deeply and boldly, pursue novel avenues, and ultimately advance our understanding of cancer gene regulation. Beyond financial support, this honor connects me to a prestigious network of leading cancer researchers – an invaluable resource for my career development.”

After completing a Bachelor of Science in biology/biological sciences from the University of Science and Technology of China, Dr. Wang earned both a Master of Science in biomedical sciences and a Ph.D. in genetics and epigenetics from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He joined UTSW in March 2024.

“I was drawn to UT Southwestern by its exceptional research environment, collaborative spirit, and strong emphasis on basic gene regulation research,” Dr. Wang said. “The opportunity to work alongside world-class faculty and access state-of-the-art facilities was a major factor. Specifically, the strength in integrating quantitative biology and cancer research here, coupled with the chance to collaborate with experts across various disciplines, made UTSW the ideal place to pursue my postdoctoral research and push the boundaries of my field.”