Associate Professor, Ph.D. (2015) Purdue University Bi Lab Website We are interested in the molecular mechanism of human muscle development and disease. The laboratory focuses on a few major research themes. 1. Genetic Basis of Muscle Cell Fusion The basic cellular unit of skeletal muscle is the muscle fiber, or myofiber—a giant multinucleated cell that can extend many centimeters in length. Building each myofiber requires hundreds to thousands of muscle precursor cells to recognize one another and fuse into a single functional unit with extraordinary precision and efficiency. In this sense, “unity makes strength” is literally embodied by skeletal muscle: cell fusion creates the large, multinucleated fibers capable of coordinated force generation. Our lab seeks to discover new genes and molecular circuits that control muscle cell fusion and to understand how these mechanisms have evolved to build skeletal muscle. 2. Decoding the Genetics of Human Muscle Formation Skeletal muscle accounts for nearly 40% of the human body and is essential for movement, physical independence, metabolism, and recovery from injury. Yet we still have an incomplete understanding of the genes that build human muscle. Historically, much of what we know about muscle development has come from studies in mice, fish, flies, and other model organisms. These studies have been indispensable, but important aspects of human muscle biology cannot be fully captured by animal models. Our lab develops new functional-genomics approaches—including genome-scale CRISPR screening, single-cell genomics, and spatial transcriptomics—to systematically discover the genes and regulatory pathways that control human muscle formation. 3. From Basic Discovery to Rare Muscle Disease Our discoveries of genes and molecular pathways that control human muscle formation provide new entry points for understanding muscle disease. When these fundamental developmental programs are disrupted by genetic mutations, the consequences can include profound defects in muscle formation and function. We investigate newly discovered muscle genes in human cells, animal models, and patient-derived systems to determine how their disruption leads to disease. By moving from basic genetic discovery to disease mechanism, we aim to uncover the molecular causes of rare muscle disorders and ultimately identify new opportunities for diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Honors & Awards 2024 Early Career Scholar Award, University of Georgia 2021 Pew Scholar Nominee, National Competition 2018 Searle Scholar Nominee, National Competition 2017 Distinguished Reviewer Award, Diabetes, American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2017 Travel Award, Postdoctoral Association, UT Southwestern Medical Center 2015 Outstanding Ph.D. Award for Students Abroad, China Scholarship Council 2014 W.R. Featherston Outstanding Ph.D. Award, Purdue University 2012 Early Graduate Career Award, W.R. Featherston, Purdue University Professional Service Editorial ServiceEditorial Board, DiabetesManuscript reviewer for journals, including Science Advances, PNAS, eLife, Diabetes Care, Diabetes, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Development, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, American Journal of Pathology, and Skeletal Muscle Grant Review ServiceMember, NIH Genomics, Computational Biology & Technology Study Section (GCAT)Reviewer, NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (DP1)Reviewer, NIH Nucleic Acid Therapeutic Delivery Study Section (NATD)Reviewer, NIH Skeletal Muscle and Exercise Physiology Study Section (SMEP)Reviewer, NIH/NCATS Conference Grant (R13)Reviewer, Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)Reviewer, Muscular Dystrophy UKReviewer, European Research Council (ERC)Reviewer, Medical Research Council (MRC), UKReviewer, Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), FranceReviewer, Israel Science FoundationReviewer, Swiss National Science Foundation Education Education: B.S. 2010 Ocean University of China Ph.D. 2015 Purdue University Research Research Areas: Molecular Genetics Developmental Biology Genomics and Bioinformatics Grants: Grant Support R01 Molecular Mechanism of Human Myogenesis. National Institutes of Health R21 Discover the Boosters of Myoblast Fusion. National Institutes of Health R35 Spatial Genetics Investigation of Multinucleated Cells. National Institutes of Health Selected Publications Selected Publications: Zhang H, Zhou M, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Shi R, Wang Y, Wei X, Shang R, Li J, He C, Xie J, Diao Y, Bi P. (2026) CHAMP1 is an essential regulator for human myoblast fusion and muscle development. Nature Communications Zhang H, Shang R, Zhang Z, Zhou M, Bigot A, Cai Y, Zhao Y, Wang Y, Deshmukh A, Kudryashova E, Kudryashov DS, He C, Mouly V, Bi P. (2026) Development of a split-toxin CRISPR screening platform to systematically identify regulators of human myoblast fusion. Nature Communications Zhang H, Shang R, Kim K, Zheng W, Johnson CJ, Sun L, Niu X, Liu L, Zhou J, Liu L, Zhang Z, Uyeno TA, Pei J, Fissette SD, Green SA, Samudra SP, Wen J, Zhang J, Eggenschwiler J, Menke D, Bronner ME, Grishin NV, Li W, Ye K, Zhang Y, Stolfi A, Bi P. (2022) Evolution of a chordate-specific mechanism for myoblast fusion. Science Advances Zhang H, Shang R, Bi P. (2021) Feedback regulation of Notch signaling and myogenesis connected by MyoD–Dll1 axis. PLoS Genetics Shang R, Zhang H, Bi P. (2020) Generation of mouse conditional knockout alleles in one step using the i-GONAD method. Genome Research Zhang H, Wen J, Bigot A, Chen J, Shang R, Mouly V, Bi P. (2020) Human myotube formation is determined by MyoD–Myomixer/Myomaker axis. Science Advances Bi P, McAnally JR, Shelton JM, Sánchez-Ortiz E, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. (2018) The fusogenic micropeptide Myomixer is essential for satellite cell fusion and muscle regeneration. PNAS Shi J, Bi P (co-first), Pei J, Li H, Grishin NV, Bassel-Duby R, Chen EH, Olson EN. (2017) Requirement of the fusogenic micropeptide myomixer for muscle formation in zebrafish. PNAS Bi P, Ramirez-Martinez A, Li H, Cannavino J, McAnally JR, Shelton JM, Sánchez-Ortiz E, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. (2017) Control of muscle formation by the fusogenic micropeptide myomixer. Science Bi P, Yue F, Karki A, Castro B, Wirbisky SE, Wang C, Durkes A, Elzey BD, Andrisani OM, Bidwell CA, Freeman JL, Konieczny SF, Kuang S. (2016) Notch activation drives adipocyte dedifferentiation and tumorigenic transformation in mice. Journal of Experimental Medicine Bi P, Yue F, Sato Y, Wirbisky S, Liu W, Shan T, Wen Y, Zhou D, Freeman J, Kuang S. (2016) Stage-specific effects of Notch activation during skeletal myogenesis. eLife Bi P, Shan T, Liu W, Yue F, Yang X, Liang XR, Wang J, Li J, Carlesso N, Liu X, Kuang S. (2014) Inhibition of Notch signaling promotes browning of white adipose tissue and ameliorates obesity. Nature Medicine Bi P, Kuang S. (2015) Notch signaling as a novel regulator of metabolism. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism Liu W, Bi P (co-first), Shan T, Yang X, Yin H, Wang YX, Liu N, Rudnicki MA, Kuang S. (2013) miR-133a regulates adipocyte browning in vivo. PLoS Genetics
