Yan Ju, PhD, is a cell biologist and stem cell researcher whose scientific journey spans plant biology, molecular cell science, and regenerative medicine. She currently serves as an Associate Scientist in the Human iPSC Core within the Department of Hematology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where her work focuses on patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their applications in understanding and treating pediatric diseases.
Ju earned her PhD in Cell Biology from Peking University and completed postdoctoral training at Purdue University. Her foundational research in plant cell biology gave rise to a curiosity about the universal principles of life at the cellular level, ultimately leading her to pursue work with mammalian and human cells. At St. Jude, she specializes in the quality control, characterization, and differentiation of iPSC lines into hematopoietic, erythroid, and myeloid cells—work that enables mechanistic studies of rare blood disorders and supports the development of targeted therapies.
With more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications—including first-author papers in Developmental Cell, Nature Plants, Stem Cell Research, and The Plant Cell—Ju has built a distinguished academic record marked by technical rigor and scientific curiosity. Her research now centers on bridging basic science and clinical application through collaborative studies that explore the translational potential of iPSC-based models.
By joining the Master’s in Clinical Investigations program at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Ju aims to build the clinical research knowledge and trial design expertise needed to bring stem cell discoveries closer to patient care. She is especially driven by the opportunity to contribute to precision diagnostics and therapeutics that benefit children with rare and life-threatening diseases.
Hometown: Shanxi, China
Education:
2017-21 - Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology – Purdue University
2017 - PhD, Cell Biology – Peking University
2011 - BS, Biological Science – Sichuan University
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2020 - Midwest American Society of Plant Biologists Conference Travel Award
2020 - Center for Plant Biology Trainee Travel Award
2018, 2019 - Postdoc Travel Grant Award
2016 - PhD Graduate Award for Excellence
2016 - Merit Student Award
2016 - National Scholarship
2015 - Special Graduate School Scholarship
2015 - Learning Excellence Award
2014 - The “Wusi” Scholarship
2013 - Social Work Award
Publications:
Majd Khiami*, Yan Ju*, Lei Han, Jonathan Klein, Min-Joon Han, Shondra M. Pruett-Miller, and Marcin W. Wlodarski. Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-edited human iPSC lines carrying homozygous and heterozygous SAMD9 p.I983S mutations. Stem Cell Research (2024) *co-first author.
Yan Ju, Jing Yuan, Daniel S. Jones, Weiwei Zhang, Christopher J. Staiger, and Sharon A. Kessler. Polarized NORTIA accumulation in response to pollen tube arrival at synergids promotes fertilization. Developmental Cell (2021) (Featured article; Faculty Opinions Recommendation)
Yan Ju and Sharon A. Kessler. Keeping pollen tubes on track. Nature Plants (2020).
Yan Ju, Liang Guo, Qiang Cai, Fei Ma, Qiao-Yun Zhu, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. Arabidopsis JINGUBANG is a negative regulator of pollen germination that prevents pollination in moist environments. Plant Cell (2016).
Yan Ju, Chunying Liu, Wenwen Lu, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. Arabidopsis mitochondrial protein slow embryo development1 is essential for embryo development. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (2016).
Jilei Huang*, Yan Ju*, Xiangfeng Wang, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. A one-step rectification of sperm cell targeting ensures the success of double fertilization. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology (2015). *co-first author.
Jing Yuan, Sienna T Ogawa, Daniel S Jones, Noel Lucca, Yan Ju, and Sharon A Kessler. Regulation of MILDEW RESISTANCE LOCUS-O trafficking by calmodulin-binding domains. Journal of Experimental Botany (2025).
Senthil Velan Bhoopalan, Thiyagaraj Mayuranathan, Nana Liu, Kalin Mayberry, Yu Yao, Jingjing Zhang, Jean-Yves Metais, Koon-Kiu Yan, Robert Throm, Steven Ellis, Yan Ju, Lei Han, Shruthi Suryaprakash, Lance Palmer, Sheng Zhou, Jiyang Yu, Yong Cheng, Jonathan S Yen, Stephen Gottschalk, and Mitchell J. Weiss. Preclinical development of lentiviral vector gene therapy for Diamond-Blackfan anemia syndrome. Molecular Therapy (2024).
Liguang Zhang, Fei Ma, Guangxing Duan, Yan Ju, Tingqiao Yu, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. MIKC*-type MADS transcription factors control JINGUBANG expression and the degree of pollen dormancy in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology (2024).
Liguang Zhang, Jin Ma, Zhaorui Shen, Bo Wang, Qingling Jiang, Fei Ma, Yan Ju, Guangxing Duan, Quan Zhang, Xiaodong Su, and Sodmergen. Low copy numbers for mitochondrial DNA moderates the strength of nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibility in plants. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology (2023).
Subramanian Sankaranarayanan, Yan Ju, and Sharon A. Kessler. Reactive oxygen species as mediators of gametophyte development and double fertilization in flowering plants. Frontiers in Plant Science (2020).
Fei Ma, Hui Qi, Yu-Fei Hu, Qian-Ru Jiang, Li-Guang Zhang, Peng Xue, Fu-Quan Yang, Rui Wang, Yan Ju, Hidenobu Uchida, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. The mitochondrial endonuclease M20 participates in the down-regulation of mitochondrial DNA in pollen cells. Plant Physiology (2018).
Fei Ma, Yingchun Hu, Yan Ju, Qianru Jiang, Zhijun Cheng, Quan Zhang, and Sodmergen. A novel tetratricopeptide repeat protein, WHITE TO GREEN1, is required for early chloroplast development and affects RNA editing in chloroplasts. Journal of Experimental Botany (2017).