Chunxiao Song

Recognized for: Developing a pioneering sequencing method to detect DNA and RNA modifications, enabling early cancer detection and leading to the founding of a $410 million biotech company.

Areas of Research Interest and Expertise:
Chemical biology, Epigenetics, Nucleic acid modifications

Previous Positions:

• BSc, Peking University 
• PhD, University of Chicago (Advisor: Dr. Chuan He) 
• Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University (Advisor: Stephen Quake) 
• Principal Investigator, Ludwig Assistant Member, University of Oxford

Research Summary: 

Cancer often arises from chemical changes in DNA and RNA that disrupt normal cell function, but detecting these changes early is challenging. Chemical biologist Chunxiao Song, PhD, is developing innovative tools to map these modifications with high precision. Song’s groundbreaking TAPS [TET-assisted pyridine borane sequencing] technology enables damage-free detection of changes in DNA, which has already shown promise in identifying early-stage liver and pancreatic cancers. This work has led Song to found Base Genomics, acquired for $410 million, and continues to power advancements in non-invasive cancer diagnostics. Song’s efforts are paving the way for earlier detection and improved treatments, benefiting patients worldwide.

Key Publications:

1. Y. Liu, P. Siejka-Zielinska, G. Velikova, B. Bi, F. Yuan, M. Tomkova, C. Bai, L. Chen, B. Schuster-Böckler, C.X. Song. Bisulfite-free direct detection of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine at base resolution. Nature Biotechnology, 2019.
2. P. Siejka-Zielinska, J. Cheng, F. Jackson, Y. Liu, Z. Soonawalla, S. Reddy, M. Silva, L. Puta, M.V. McCain, E.L. Culver, N. Bekkali, B. Schuster-Böckler, P.F. Palamara, D. Mann, H. Reeves, E. Barnes, S. Sivakumar, C.X. Song. Cell-free DNA TAPS provides multimodal information for early cancer detection. Science Advances, 2021.
3. H. Xu, J. Chen, J. Cheng, L. Kong, X. Chen, M. Inoue, Y. Liu, S. Kriaucionis, M. Zhao, C.X. Song. Modular oxidation of cytosine modifications and their application in direct and quantitative sequencing of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023.
4. C.X. Song, Y. Liu. Bisulfite-Free, Base-Resolution Identification of Cytosine Modifications. United States Patent 11306355B2, 2022.