Dear Colleagues, Students, and Friends,
It is with great excitement and a deep sense of possibility that I welcome you to the Department of Molecular Genetics and Genome Sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
Our department was created around a simple yet powerful idea: that the genome—the complete code of life—holds extraordinary potential to illuminate the inner workings of biology and transform the way we understand and treat disease. As inaugural members of the newest basic science department at OU Health Sciences, we are fortunate to have a rare opportunity: to articulate a fresh vision for the future of genome-scale research - one that integrates diverse data streams to advance a deeper understanding of biology and medicine and translates new insights into improved clinical care.
As the department’s founding chair, I invite you to help bring this vision to life by joining our growing community of scientists, students, and collaborators. My own journey in genetics began more than two decades ago, at a time when the field of genomics was just emerging. Today, we are equipped with technologies and computational tools that would have once seemed unimaginable—from single-cell sequencing and high-content spatial analyses to AI-powered data integration, drug discovery, and predictive medicine. The field of genomics is at a transformative inflection point, and I am honored to be part of a university committed to leading that transformation.
We are also among the first departments to move into newly renovated space at the University Research Park in Oklahoma City. These state-of-the-art laboratories are purpose-built to catalyze team science in all its forms - where researchers and learners of all backgrounds and aspirations can co-create our new intellectual home. As befitting a state known for its pioneering spirit, we will be responsible for our own success: our scientific impact, our collaborative style, our norms of collegiality and, in the long run, the department's legacy.
Education and mentorship will be central to that legacy. As we launch new graduate programs, we are committed to cultivate independent thinking, data science fluency, and the ability to work fruitfully across disciplines. If you have always wanted to share the joy of science, and bring out the brilliance in the next generation, I invite you to join us.
Thank you for your help shaping the future of genome science at the University of Oklahoma.
Sincerely,
Jun Li, Ph.D.
Founding Chair, Department of Molecular Genetics and Genome Sciences
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine