I am an Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica. I am broadly interested in understanding how genetic conflicts shape genome evolution and reproductive biology. My research focuses on the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms that govern spermatogenesis, sex chromosome differentiation, and the rapid evolution of essential genes. In particular, I study how selfish genetic elements, such as meiotic drivers, interact with host genomes to influence fertility, sex ratio distortion, and speciation.

During my doctoral and postdoctoral training, I developed an interdisciplinary research program combining evolutionary genomics, molecular genetics, and functional assays in Drosophila. My work has uncovered how rapidly evolving protamines, which replace histones to compact sperm DNA, play critical roles in suppressing meiotic drive and maintaining balanced transmission of sex chromosomes. I further revealed that sex chromosomes, especially the Y chromosome, exhibit pervasive structural variation and lineage-specific mutation patterns driven by genetic conflict. These findings connect chromosomal evolution, reproductive gene innovation, and genome instability as convergent outcomes of ongoing intragenomic conflicts.

After returning to Taiwan as an independent principal investigator, I have established a research program that builds on my previous training while leveraging the strong genetics, genomics, and evolutionary biology community at Academia Sinica. My lab has initiated several new lines of research focusing on: (1) the evolution and function of protamines and other essential genes, (2) genetic conflicts between sex chromosomes during spermatogenesis, and (3) the impact of selfish genetic elements on evolution.

Our research aims to elucidate how conflicts within the genome drive the rapid evolution of important genomic structures and genes. By integrating molecular, genetic, and evolutionary perspectives, we seek to understand how these processes influence normal reproductive function as well as broader patterns of genome evolution and speciation.

To address these questions, we employ a multidisciplinary approach that combines comparative genomics, Drosophila genetics, genome engineering, and computational analyses. Through this work, we aim to provide a mechanistic and evolutionary framework for understanding how genetic conflict shapes genomes across species.

A central paradox in evolutionary biology is the unexpected dynamics of genomic elements that are typically considered unchangeable. Chromosomal mutations, including fusions and translocations, are often harmful, yet chromosome architecture varies dramatically across species and frequently contributes to the evolution of complex traits and speciation. Similarly, genes essential for survival and reproduction are expected to be highly conserved. However, many of these core genes, especially those involved in reproduction, show signatures of rapid evolution or even lineage-specific turnover.

My research program is based on the hypothesis that this rampant evolution is driven by internal genetic conflicts—a continuous "arms race" between selfish genetic elements, such as meiotic drivers and transposons, and their host genomes.

“The fiercest battles are often fought within.”

In nature, conflicts are easier to spot when they occur between species. These external genetic conflicts have been found to promote the rapid evolution of behaviors and immunity. Yet some of the most profound battles occur silently within the genome. Selfish genetic elements break the rules of inheritance, disrupt development, and reshape genomes inside out. Unlike external conflicts, these internal genetic conflicts are harder to detect but have lasting impacts on gene function and chromosome structures.

In our lab, we explore these hidden genetic conflicts, not only to reveal how host genomes evolve defenses against selfish genetic elements but to understand how these conflicts drive the rapid evolution of essential genes, rewire regulatory networks, and reshape chromosomes. From the silence within, we aim to uncover the selection forces that fuel diversity and innovation in life. 

We will integrate genetic, genomic, and cellular methods to reveal how internal genetic conflicts shape some of the most fundamental biological processes and reveal their effects on diseases.