We are happy to share our perspective on studying life across length scales and the emergent properties as the scale increases. Recent studies at molecular and genomic scales have enriched our understanding of life’s most fundamental building block: the cell. However, bridging the gap between single-cell phenotypes and the emergent functions of tissues and organs remains a formidable challenge. The conceptual span from cells to tissues and organs is so large as to warrant intermediate stepping stones. Drawing inspiration from “network motifs”—discrete units of cell-level function that emerge from the interactions of a handful of genes or enzymes—we propose that similarly identifiable units of tissue-level function, which we term “mesoscale modules,” emerge from coordinated “interactions” among relatively small numbers of cells and their extracellular milieu. We outline several such modules and propose that a concerted effort to study them will deepen our foundational understanding of tissue and organ functions. By developing these mesoscale insights, we anticipate a more tractable and mechanistic approach to complex human conditions rooted in tissue- and organ-scale dysregulation, including developmental defects, cancer, cardiovascular disease, immune-related disorders, infectious disease, and aging. Please take a look at our new paper.
The paper about mesoscale modules of tissue functions is published in Cell
Apple and Pumpkin Picking 2025
After more than a year staying indoors for group activities, MEOW lab finally ventured out to the wilderness. On a sunny Sunday morning, we switched to the mode of hunting and gathering for food, instead of swiping cards.
We picked apples and pumpkins. We spent our time selecting the best produce.
We applauded Jackson for the efforts to pick high hanging apples!
We were charmed by the good weather and the fall colors.
Breaking apple contest is a MEOW tradition.
Look at the pumpkins. They were quite heavy and could be repurposed as self-defense weapons!
We went home with loaded trunks of apples and pumpkins. It was a day of accomplishment!
Princess Halloween 2025
On last day of October, we greeted the beginning of the holiday season by celebrating Halloween.
This year, we dressed up as princesses. Assorted princesses with fancy hairdos, accessories and imperial attitudes showed up at our Friday group meeting.
We had a blast playing princesses! Happy Halloween everyone!
Alejandro, Daniel, Feiyu, Omkar, Shuhan are selected for Travel Awards for Cell Bio 2025
We are happy to learn that Alejandro, Daniel, Feiyu, Omkar, and Shuhan have been selected to receive Travel Awards to attend Cell Bio 2025, the international conference hosted by the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB).
Cell Bio is a flagship event that brings together scientists from across the globe to explore the frontiers of cell biology, biophysics, and cutting-edge imaging technologies — all central themes of our research at MEOW Lab. This year’s conference promises to be an exciting convergence of interdisciplinary innovation, and we are proud that our lab will be so well represented.
We can’t wait to see them share their work, connect with the broader scientific community, and bring back new ideas and inspiration to fuel our future discoveries.
NIH Quantum Sensing Technology Challenge Winners Announced
We are very happy that our research team behind the collaborative project Quantum-Assisted Volumetric Imaging AppaRatus (QAVIAR) for Fast and Background-Free 3D Imaging of Whole Live Animals,” was announced as a winner of Stage 1 of the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences Quantum Sensing Technology Challenge.
This international collaboration has been a very fulfilling journey. Effective communications in the form of prompt email correspondence, regular Zoom meetings and frequent site visits between Team Hopkins and Team Tokyo helps us make good progresses. Thank you everyone!
Team Hopkins enjoyed lots of snacks from Tokyo (courtesy: Dr. Noboru Ikeya).
Good discussion over dinner with Noboru and Shogo at the end of a hot day in Tokyo (August 2025)- the mastermind Jonny was on vacation and missed the dinner.
Welcome Alejandro
MEOW has a returned member! We welcome Dr. Alejandro Sánchez-Pedreño Jiménez aboard, joining forces to study quantum biology and develop techniques to be applied in tissue engineering, imaging and beyond. Alejandro worked in MEOW lab back in 2023 as a visiting PhD student. Returning with a new title and job responsibility, we look forward to working with you, Alejandro!
Dr. Yen-Ping Hseuh visits MEOW lab
We are every honored to host Dr. Yen-Ping Hsueh, the Director of Max Plank Institute for Biology, for her visit to Johns Hopkins. Ping is an expert in inter-species interaction. Her research on the molecular mechanism behind the killing of worms by fungi is world-renowned. Ping gave a fascinating seminar talk “Fungi That Eat Worms: Nature’s Tiny Predators at Work” during her visit. We learned a lot!
Picture: Ping with MEOW lab members tour the Bloomberg building after a good lunch at the Telescope Institute (NASA) cafeteria.
Thank you for your visit. We hope there will be opportunities to work together!
Daniel passes GBO exam
Daniel passed his GBO exam. We were very happy! We jointly celebrated Junjie’s and Daniel’s successes for the dissertation defense and GBO exam, respectively, by gathering in our favorite water hole and clink glasses!
Congratulations Daniel- may you work like a juggernaut and collect more successes in your journey of scientific research!
Junjie defends his PhD dissertation
We are very happy to celebrate Junjie’s successful defense for his PhD dissertation. Junjie joined MEOW lab in 2019. The journey of his PhD training has been bumpy because of the pandemic. Yet, Junjie persevered. Junjie stayed productive despite the lockdown and published the first computational image processing paper in the lab. Later, he has become the most prolific PhD student in terms of publishing high-impact papers. We are very proud of your accomplishment Junjie. Congratulations!
Prof. Jonathan Woodward visits Hopkins
We welcome Prof. Jonathan Woodward from University of Tokyo for his much anticipated 5-day visit to Johns Hopkins and the lecture in the special seminar “Microspectroscopic Detection of Magnetic Field Sensitive Radical Pair Processes in Biological Systems”.
Jonny is the pioneer in quantum biology and our close collaborator in engineering magnetosensitive proteins to control biochemical reactions and modulate cell behaviors. Over the years, our two groups have made interesting findings together.
We were very excited to have Jonny visit us. Excitedly, we introduced landmarks in the Homewood campus, near the medical school and at the inner harbor.
Of course, we also dined together, exchanging scientific notes and sharing anecdotes.
We had a great time learning from Jonny and brainstorming new experiments. We are very glad to return the great hospitality provided by Jonny and his wonderful group when Yun visited Tokyo earlier this year.
Thank you for the collaboration- we are very fortunate.