I am a MD/PhD candidate at Western University. My research interest lies in elucidating how genetic changes ultimately lead to human diseases through the lens of molecular genetics and functional genomics. Using techniques such as RNA-seq and other applications of next-gen sequencing, I hope to translate the valuable insights I gain at the bench to directly benefit patient-care.

I am a member of Dr. Anthony Nichols' Translational Head and Neck Cancer group, where I am currently research mechanisms of treatment resistance in HPV-positive head and neck cancer, one of the fastest rising cancer types, and anaplastic thyroid cancer, one of the most lethal human cancers. I use cutting-edge computational and experimental technique in the hope to identify factors leading the treatment failure.

During undergrad at McMaster University, I researched with Dr. Mattew S. Miller (McMaster University) studying the function of the protein SETX, a DNA/RNA helicase linked to two juvenile neurodegenerative disorders ALS4 and AOA2, in the antiviral response against HSV1. We demonstrated that HSV-1 infection may cause dysregulation of pathways known to be involved in neurodegeneration by acting on both the host and viral transcriptome. Our results suggest that enviromental triggers such as viral infections could play important roles in the initiation of ALS.

If you are interested getting in touch with me, please email me at peter.zeng [at] lhsc.on.ca - I could also be reached on twitter at @peteryufanzeng.