Heng Xu

Dr. Heng Xu is an associate professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, affiliated with the Institute of Theoretical and Interdisciplinary Physics. His research focuses on gene regulatory networks, embryo development, and cell fate determination, employing quantitative experimental and theoretical approaches. Dr. Xu's work includes studies on transcriptional regulation in Drosophila embryos using high-resolution fluorescence imaging and stochastic modeling. His research interests also encompass fluorescence microscopy, quantitative imaging, and stochastic modeling of biological processes. Dr. Xu obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Nanjing University in 2003 and his Ph.D. in Physics from Brown University in 2010. He joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2017 through the Thousand Talents Program for Young Professionals.

Heng Xu is a professor at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, with research interests in gene regulation, transcriptional dynamics, and single-cell biophysics. His work focuses on understanding the stochastic nature of gene expression at the single-cell level using advanced imaging techniques and quantitative biology approaches. Xu's research explores how transcriptional regulation varies across individual cells, including the dynamics of mRNA and protein production, promoter state switching, and the role of enhancer-promoter interactions. His studies also integrate single-molecule imaging and computational modeling to uncover hidden drivers of cellular individuality and transcriptional noise. Key areas of investigation include single-cell analysis, stochastic kinetics, and the development of novel imaging technologies for biological applications.