About

I work where algorithms, cells, and experiments meet.

I am a computational and experimental biologist specializing in machine learning and single-cell genomics. My goal is to build high-dimensional frameworks that expose biological organization and make it experimentally actionable.

Qin Zhu

Background

From pharmacology to scientific machine learning.

My training began in biological science and pharmacology, then expanded through biotechnology, genomics, statistics, and computational biology. That path shaped how I approach model development: biological context and experimental constraints should influence the algorithm from the beginning.

At UCSF, I develop methods for learning coherent cell-state landscapes and apply them to development, cancer, immunology, and perturbation response. I also build open-source software and mentor researchers working across computation and experiment.

Training & appointments

2021–present

Postdoctoral Scholar

University of California, San Francisco · Mentor: Dr. Zev Gartner

2021

PhD · Genomics and Computational Biology

University of Pennsylvania · Advisers: Drs. Kai Tan and Junhyong Kim

2015

Master of Biotechnology

University of Pennsylvania

2013

BS · Biological Science

Nanjing University

Capabilities

Machine learning

Contrastive and representation learning, manifold learning, generative models, deep learning

Computation

Python, R, C/C++, SQL, PyTorch, TensorFlow, MATLAB, AWS, Docker, HPC

Single-cell biology

scRNA-seq analysis, scATAC-seq analysis, spatial multi-omics, data integration, high-dimensional visualization

Experimental biology

Single-cell sequencing, drug perturbation, molecular biology, cell culture, organoid and in vivo models

Complete record

Publications, talks, mentoring, and service.

Download public CV