Team

David Quigley has been studying tumor genetics and epigenetics for 20 years. He received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Carleton College and worked as a software developer in industry for five years before completing a Masters degree in Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University. He worked for nine years as a staff scientist in the lab of Allan Balmain at UCSF and completed his PhD in Genetics with Annelise Børresen-Dale at the University of Oslo in 2014. He was appointed an Assistant Adjunct Professor in Epidemiology & Biostatistics while working with Alan Ashworth and Felix Feng in 2015. He joined the UCSF Department of Urology in 2020 as an Assistant Professor and was appointed the Felix Feng Endowed Professor in 2025.

Thaidy Moreno-Rodriguez received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine from the Universidad de Cantabria in Spain. Her research interests are centered around how tumors develop resistance to targeted therapy in prostate cancer. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, running, playing volleyball and tennis, and exploring California.

Yuxin Yang received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine from the University of Southern California. She is interested in studying the molecular mechanisms driving the development of lethal cancers, utilizing high-throughput sequencing data. Outside the lab, Yuxin enjoys reading, hiking, and drumming.

Taopeng (Tony) Wang completed his PhD at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales, where he focused on evaluating, refining, and applying novel single-cell and spatial transcriptomic technologies for breast cancer research. His research aimed to characterize transcriptomic signatures and dissect upstream gene regulatory networks in cancer cells to better understand their phenotypic plasticity and identify potential therapeutic targets. Outside the lab, he enjoys watching basketball and immersing himself in the world of video games.

While earning his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, William A. Johnson worked with Jean Davidson’s and Gita Kolluru’s labs and became interested in evolution, cancer biology, and deep learning. After graduating, he studied with Le Cong’s Lab at Stanford University to build a multimodal, CRISPR/Cas12a-based single-cell lineage tracing system and applied it to questions in cancer evolution. He is currently a Biological and Medical Informatics Ph.D. student with David Quigley’s lab at UCSF. Outside of the lab, William is grateful to be a part of the vibrant cooperative-living community in San Francisco. He also enjoys running, yoga, meditation, and making custom perfumes for his friends.

Rensheng Wan completed her PhD in Human Genetics at Hannover Medical School, Germany. Currently she focuses on the application of epigenetic modification changes in liquid biopsy in prostate cancer. In her free time, she likes to travel, watch shows, and go hiking!

Xiaolin Zhu completed medical school in Shanghai and subsequently a PhD in human genetics and genomics with David Goldstein at Duke and then Columbia University. Motivated to become a physician-scientist to advance precision medicine, he went back for clinical training and completed an internal medicine residency at UT Southwestern and is now a medical oncology fellow at UCSF. He is interested in translational genomics and human genetics of genitourinary malignancies, particularly prostate cancer. In his free time, he enjoys exploring new places, reading nonfiction, watching movies, and spotting interesting music on Spotify.

Imene Boukhalfa Hanafi received her medical degree from the University of Medicine Tunis El Manar and completed specialized training in Emergency Medicine across Tunisia and the University of Amiens, France. She is an Associate Specialist and Lab Manager who has led daily lab operations since 2024 and is interested in advancing research to improve the lives of oncology patients. When she isn't keeping the lab running smoothly, she cherishes quality time with her family, whether exploring the city or experimenting with new recipes.

Jun Zhu is a research specialist at UCSF. His research focuses on performing in vivo and in vitro studies of mechanisms in medicine and translational medicine. Jun earned his medical bachelor's degree (MD equivalent) from Tianjin Medical University and subsequently pursued his master's degree in pathology.

Early in his career, Jun worked as a pathologist in the neuro-pathology department at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, where he developed a passion for medical innovation and research. In pursuit of this passion, Jun joined UCSF as a postdoctoral fellow, working for five years under the guidance of Dr. Farid Chehab. In 2020, Jun joined the Quigley and Feng labs. Jun is motivated to use his medical knowledge and research expertise to advance life-saving missions. He finds his work at UCSF incredibly fulfilling and is committed to making an impact in medicine.