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As their work continued, Wei and his students realized they were
seeing a different process than the Science article described. They
started looking beyond the DDX3X gene to the downstream genes
controlled by it. Mutations of each of those genes produced symptoms in
both tadpoles and humans that were similar to those produced by DDX3X
deficits.
Our hypothesis is that these genes, including DDX3X all function
along one pathway, Wei said. If one of these genes is mutated, you get
these birth defects.
We want to apply our discoveries to diagnosis and prevention. This
is personalized medicine. If you know the genetic mutations in your
patients, when they have kids you can make a prediction on the risks and
the kinds of medicines the pregnant mother can take or not take. If you
identify the mutation, you may be able to do something to prevent birth
defects.
Wei joined UDs faculty in 2016, responding to recruitment efforts by
Provost Robin Morgan, a longtime member of UDs faculty who chaired the
department then. He has found promising new opportunities in the
department, now chaired by Prof. Velia Fowler, as well as those in
chemistry and other disciplines.
I love the research environment here, he said. We have a great
department and a group of researchers working on similar problems with
all kinds of animal models. What attracted me most was the research
environment of the department and the collaborations with other
departments.
Wei earned his bachelors degree in biology at the University of
Science and Technology of China, his doctorate in biochemistry and
molecular biology at the University of Miami and did postdoctoral
research in cell and developmental biology at the University of
Virginia.
Article by Beth Miller; photos courtesy of Yu Shi of the Wei Lab
Published Sept. 15, 2020