Dr Xilin Jiang

Xilin Jiang is a statistical geneticist working on understanding the molecular architecture (DNA, RNA, proteomics, metabolomics) of health outcomes (disease, treatment response, comorbidity). 

Academic interests

Xilin Jiang’s academic interests include: 

• Translational research of genomic technology; specifically, developing genetic score platforms for the NHS
• The interaction between genetics and environment
• Integration of multi-omic data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomic)
• Causal inference using genetics as instruments
• Data mining from electronic health records (comorbidities, disease outcomes, treatment response)
• Methodology for efficient inference to address challenges when moving to population scale data (eg 60 million e-records, 5 million genotype data).

Degrees obtained

• BSc, Fudan University.
• DPhil, Oxford University.

Awards and prizes

• Wellcome Early-Career Award (2023-2028).
• British Heart Foundation Career Development Fellowship (2022-2023).
• Rhodes Scholarship (China and University, 2017).
• Wellcome Trust studentship, Genomic Medicine and Statistics (2017-2022).
• National Scholarship, 2014 and 2015 (People’s Republic of China).

Biography

Xilin is particularly interested in how additional data modality could enhance our current understanding of diseases, and is broadly interested in two themes of research:

• Methodology development: developing statistical methods to understand the molecular architecture (DNA, RNA, proteomics, metabolomics) of health outcomes (disease, treatment responses, comorbidity). In statistical terminology, Xilin works on dimension reduction, longitudinal analysis, efficient inference methods, and causal inference.
• Translational research: collaborating with the NHS to develop tools and resources for computing risk scores using polygenic models, protein/metabolite levels, and e-health records. Xilin works closely with clinical teams to investigate potential applications including clinical trials, treatment response prediction, and risk stratification.

Xilin’s research is funded by a Wellcome Early-Career award (PI). Xilin has a primary affiliation at Cambridge University and a secondary affiliation at Harvard School of Public Health. The research program is sponsored by Professor Mike Inouye and Professor John Danesh at Cambridge University, and Professor Alkes Price at Harvard School of Public health.

Previously, Xilin held a one-year transition British Heart Foundation Career Development Fellowship (2022-2023). Xilin got a DPhil in Genomic Medicine and Statistics from Oxford University, funded by a Rhodes Scholarship and a Wellcome Trust studentship, and received a BSc from Fudan University with an overall top GPA. Xilin has experience in other computational biology topics, including infectious diseases (as a consultant to the Gates Foundation and China CDC on COVID response) and computational neuroscience (as an undergraduate researcher with Professor Thomas Yeo and Professor David Heeger).

Other interests

Distance running, triathlons with very slow swimming, and cooking.