(Press-News.org)
The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bing Ren, PhD, as its new scientific director and chief executive officer. Dr. Ren will also join Columbia University as a professor in the Departments of Genetics and Development, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Systems Biology and as the associate director of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Science within the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Ren is renowned for his pioneering research in genomics and epigenetics, with a focus on the regulatory processes that control gene expression. His work has advanced our understanding of how genetic information is interpreted by researchers and how gene activities are regulated throughout development and disease pathogenesis. His contributions impact a variety of fields, from precision medicine to cancer and neurological disease research.
“We are pleased to welcome Bing to the New York Genome Center and the broader New York scientific community,” said Tom Maniatis, PhD, scientific director emeritus and co-founder of the NYGC. “Bing’s groundbreaking contributions to genomic science have led to major advances in our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms involved in human development and how they are altered in human diseases.”
“Dr. Ren’s deep commitment [to] and exemplary track record in multi-institutional, multidisciplinary genomic research makes him an outstanding fit with the New York Genome Center and Columbia University,” said Katrina Armstrong, MD, interim president of Columbia University and chief executive officer of Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “Bing’s collaborative spirit and innovative approach will be invaluable as we continue to harness the power of genomic research and improve clinical care for patients.”
Dr. Ren’s appointment is coupled with the announcement of new transformative philanthropy from Simons Foundation International and the Carson Family Charitable Trust. Both have made new commitments in support of Dr. Ren’s vision. Together, they are underwriting the core functions of the NYGC through 2029.
David Spergel, PhD, president of the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International, said, “Dr. Ren’s appointment as scientific director and CEO of the New York Genome Center; professor in the Departments of Genetics and Development, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Systems Biology; and associate director of the Vagelos Institute for Basic Biomedical Science within the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons underscores Columbia University’s unwavering commitment to supporting and advancing the NYGC’s mission. Columbia’s deep investment in this partnership has been instrumental in attracting world-class talent like Dr. Ren to New York City. With our founding donors, Columbia and the New York Genome Center are expanding the New York City scientific community’s capacity to conduct groundbreaking genomic research.”
“It is a dream job for me to join the New York Genome Center and Columbia University,” said Dr. Ren. “Decoding the human genome and using this knowledge to improve health has been a lifelong pursuit of mine. Bringing the fruits of genomic research into clinical care will require unprecedented collaboration and innovation. I look forward to achieving this goal by leveraging NYGC’s fantastic genomics infrastructure, exceptionally rich talent pool, and close associations with its institutional founding members in New York.”
Dr. Ren received his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard University and completed his postdoctoral training at the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has published extensively in prestigious peer-reviewed journals and earned numerous accolades for his contributions to the field of genomics, including election as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2013. Most recently, he was a professor of cellular and molecular medicine and founding director of the Center for Epigenomics at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
“We are proud to support Bing Ren’s leadership of the New York Genome Center,” said Russ Carson, chairman of the Carson Family Charitable Trust. “Together with the Genome Center’s institutional founding members and Columbia University, we will advance our common mission of transforming genomic research into actionable insights for improving human health.”
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About the NYGC
The NYGC is an independent, nonprofit academic research institution at the forefront of transforming biomedical research and clinical care. Founded as a collaborative venture by the region’s premier academic, medical, and industry leaders, the NYGC aims to accelerate the translation of genomic research into new diagnostics, therapeutics, and treatments for human disease. NYGC member organizations and partners are united in an unprecedented collaboration of technology, science, and medicine that is designed to harness the power of innovation and discoveries to advance medical genomics and precision medicine and to benefit patients around the world.
Our institutional founding members include Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York University, Northwell Health, The Rockefeller University, Stony Brook University, and Weill Cornell Medicine. Our associate members include the American Museum of Natural History, Hackensack Meridian Health, and the Hospital for Special Surgery. Learn more at nygenome.org.
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