Laboratory Introduction
The Yan Xiao Laboratory (Condensates & Disease Lab, CD Lab) was established in 2026 at the Capital Institute of Medical Science and Innovation (CIMR) and Capital Medical University (CCMU), focusing on research into biomolecular condensates, abnormal protein aggregation and neurodegenerative diseases.
The laboratory is led by Dr. Yan Xiao, who earned his PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany under Professor Franz-Ulrich Hartl, a pioneer in protein folding. He then completed postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Germany, under Professor Anthony Hyman, a founding figure in the field of biomolecular condensates. His work has been published in journals including Cell and Nature.
Major Research Projects
The Yan laboratory studies biomolecular condensates — dynamic, liquid-like assemblies that cells use to organize RNA and proteins — and how their breakdown drives amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), two devastating neurodegenerative diseases. We are building a condensate-centric framework for these diseases around four connected questions:
1. Aggregation mechanism. We view protein aggregation not as an isolated event, but as a network-driven process triggered when condensates fail under stress, transitioning from functional assemblies into pathological aggregates.
2. Structural landscapes. We map the structural routes proteins take as they aggregate inside condensates, tracking how disordered and structured regions change conformation en route to pathological states.
3. Condensate pathology. We dissect how this condensate dysfunction mechanistically drives disease onset.
4. Diagnostics and therapeutics. Building on these mechanistic and structural insights, we apply AI-guided protein design toward early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.
Major Contributions
1. Linked condensate biophysics to ALS/FTD. We discovered intra-condensate demixing as a novel mechanism driving TDP-43 aggregation, revealing a fundamental link between condensate physics and neurodegenerative disease (Cell, 2025).
2. Revealed phase separation as an organelle-building principle. We showed liquid-liquid phase separation drives de novo assembly of β-carboxysomes (Nature, 2019).
3. Defined chaperone mechanisms in protein folding. We uncovered the ring separation mechanism of the GroEL/GroES chaperonin system, a key step in protein folding (Cell, 2018).
Representative Publications
1. Yan X, Kuster D, Mohanty P, et al. Intra-condensate demixing of TDP-43 inside stress granules generates pathological aggregates. Cell, 2025, 188: 1-18.
2. Wang H*, Yan X*, Aigner H, et al. Rubisco condensate formation by CcmM in β-carboxysome biogenesis. Nature, 2019, 566: 131-135.(* Co-first author)
3. Yan X, Shi Q, Bracher A, et al. GroEL ring separation and exchange in the chaperonin reaction. Cell, 2018, 172: 605-617.
Open position
Postdoctoral Fellows (2 Positions)
Main Responsibilities
a. Conduct independent research projects under the supervision and guidance of the Principal Investigator (PI).
b. Assist in mentoring graduate students and contribute to preparing research manuscripts and grant proposals.
Qualifications
a. Applicants should have recently obtained, or be expected to obtain, a Ph.D. degree. Candidates with research experience in the following areas are preferred: biochemistry and structural biology, AI for Biology, neuroscience, organoid and stem cell research, cell biology, single-cell omics, or spatial omics.
b. Applicants should have published, or have a manuscript accepted or in preparation, as first author in a leading peer-reviewed journal in the relevant field.
c. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to conduct research independently, together with strong enthusiasm for scientific research, a rigorous and responsible attitude, effective communication skills, and a collaborative mindset.
d. Good command of written and spoken English is required, including the ability to prepare scientific manuscripts in English.
Welfare Treatment
a. Provide competitive salary based on the applicant’s work experience and ability (salary negotiable).
b. Provide social insurance and housing fund, supplementary medical insurance, physical examination and paid annual leave.
c. Support career development, provide relevant professional guidance.
How to apply
Please combine your curriculum vitae, a brief summary of your research experience, representative publications, contact information for two referees (required for postdoctoral applicants only), and any other materials demonstrating your research capabilities into a single PDF file and send it to yanxiao@cimrbj.ac.cn. Please indicate your name and the specific position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
Contact person: Dr. Yan
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the positions remain open until suitable candidates are recruited.
10 Xitoutiao, Youanmen Wai, Fengtai District, Beijing 100069, China
010-86738999
cimr@cimrbj.ac.cn
中文
