Education
Ph.D. Student of Bioinformatics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 2006 to present
Expected Graduation Data: May, 2011
Research Area: Bioinformatics
Advisor: Prof. Jun Zhu
B.S. Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 2002-2006
Thesis: “Gene Conversion and the Evolution of the Clustered Resistance Genes in Rice”
Advisor: Prof. Jun Zhu

Research Interest
Prediction of DNA Methylaiton
  Cytosine DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification of DNA that is usually associated with the stable and heritable repression of transcription. Most methylated sequences found in genomes are transposable elements, indicating the likely ancestral role of DNA methylation in genome defense. DNA methylation is also important in imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, and the epigenetic regulation of genes. While DNA methylation is widespread in plants, fungi and animals, it has been curiously lost in some of the most well studied genetic organisms including S. cerevisiae, S. pombe, C. elegans and Drosophila.

  Clearly, the determination of DNA methylation is functionally relevant. A high throughput method for experimental determination of overall DNA methylation has been successfully accomplished using gene expression data. However, identification of the specific methylated sites in the DNA can only been accomplished through laborious and time consuming experiments. Therefore, computational identification of DNA methylation sites may provide a good alternative. Unfortunately, DNA methylation sites are poorly conserved, until now defying computational identification.

  My interest is predicting DNA methylation patterns based on the genomic sequence alone and developing new algorithm doing prediction. There is a key question to answer: whether there are DNA sequences that are more prone or resistant to methylation. 
　

Publications
1) Pei-Jian Cao, Qin-Fang Yao, et al. (2006) Genetic diversity of Sinojackia dolichocarpa (Styracaceae), a species endangered and endemic to China, detected by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 34: 231-239.[Fulltext]
2) CAO Pei-jian, YU Ming-jian, et al. (2006) Studies on niche characteristics and interspecific association of main populations in submerged communities invaded by Cabomba caroliniana. Journal of Zhejtang University (Agric. & Life Sci.), 32(3): 334-340.[Fulltext]