• Yi-Jyun Luo | Principal Investigator

Yi-Jyun received his undergraduate degree from National Sun Yat-Sen University. His PhD at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology focused on animal genome evolution. Following postdoctoral training in single-cell and evolutionary genomics at Harvard University and the University of Oxford, he joined the Biodiversity Research Center in 2022. He is passionate about studying the evolution and development of body plans, cell types, and genomes. He motivates people and organizes resources to support intellectual freedom and foster independence.

yjluo@gate.sinica.edu.tw | CV

• Meng-Chen Ko | Lab Manager | Sep 2022–Present

Meng-Chen received her master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from the National Taiwan University. She is interested in the intersection between ecology and social science and has studied the ecology of moon jellyfish and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. In the Luo lab, she handles administrative work, helping everyone focus on science.

luolab@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Isabel Jiah-Yih Liao | Research Assistant | Oct 2022–Present

Isabel earned her bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, where she studied mathematics with an emphasis on topology. She joined the Luo Lab in 2022 and primarily focused on analyzing single-cell transcriptomics data. Having considerable experience in both computer science and art, she is passionate about constructing new approaches to visualize complex data through clear and concise code. Outside work, she is also a volunteer field researcher for the Society for Taiwanese Amphibian Conservation.

ijyliao@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Li-Jung Kao | Research Assistant | Feb 2024–Present

Li-Jung received her bachelor's degree in marine biotechnology and resources from the National Sun Yat-Sen University, where she studied the feeding habits of cone snails. She joined the Luo Lab in 2024 with a research interest in the photosynthetic symbiotic relationships between acoels and algae.

ljkao0527@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Thomas Lewin | Postdoctoral Fellow | May 2023–Present

Tom completed his undergraduate degree and PhD at the University of Oxford in the UK. His background is in evolutionary and developmental biology, and his PhD work focused on the role of fast-evolving genes during mammalian embryonic development. He joined the Luo Lab in 2023, where he is applying a multi-omics approach to understand the nature of pluripotency in corals.

tlewin@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Tosuke Sakagami | Postdoctoral Fellow | Apr 2024–Present

tosuke@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Victor Piñon-Gonzalez | Postdoctoral Fellow | Apr 2024–Present

victormpg@gate.sinica.edu.tw

• Yi-Ling Chiu | Research Associate | May 2023–Present

Yi-Ling earned her PhD from the National Taiwan Ocean University, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of sexual reproduction in corals. She then undertook postdoctoral training in genomic analysis at the University of Tokyo. In the Luo lab, she contributes to research on acoel symbiosis and coral reproduction, utilizing transcriptomics and single-cell techniques.

yii2390@gate.sinica.edu.tw

•  Diana Osipova | Rotation Student | Feb 2024–Present

Diana obtained her master’s degree in molecular biology at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Currently, she is studying fossil molluscan fauna of the Indo-West Pacific region in terms of biodiversity hotspot development, focusing on shelled gastropods and bivalves. Besides this, she is interested in the evolution of the bivalve shell and its hinge structure. In the Luo lab, she will analyze a transcriptome of the sea slug Elysia and its symbiotic chloroplasts to identify their species.

osipova0001@gate.sinica.edu.tw