研究领域

以蛋白质晶体X射线衍射为主要手段，结合多种生物化学和生物物理等方法，研究RNA沉默和表观遗传学领域中蛋白质与核酸、蛋白质与蛋白质之间相互作用的三维结构基础及其分子机制。

论文与著作

1. Ma, J.B., Ye, K. and Patel, D.J., 2004. Structural basis for overhang-specific small interfereing RNA recognition by the PAZ domain. Nature.429:318-322
2. Ma, J.B., Yuan, Y.R., Meister, G., Pei, Y., Tuschl, T. and Patel, D.J., 2005. Structural basis for 5'-end-specific recognition of guide RNA by the A. fulgidus Piwi protein. Nature. 434:666-670
3. Yuan, Y.R., Pei, Y., Ma, J.B., Kuryavyi, V., Zhadina, M., Meister, G., Chen, H.Y., Dauter, Z., Tuschl, T.and Patel, D.J., 2005. Crystal structure of A. aeolicus Argonaute, a site-specific DNA-guided RNA endonuclease, provides insights into RISC-mediated mRNA cleavage. Mol Cell. 19:405-419
4. Huang, Y., Ji, L., Huang, Q., Vassylyev, D.G., Chen, X., Ma, J.B.* 2009. Structural insights into mechanisms of the small RNA methyltransferase HEN1.Nature 461:823-827. 
5. Tian, Y., Simanshu, D.K., Ma, J.B., Patel D.J. 2011. Structural basis for piRNA 2’-O-methylated 3’-end recognition by Piwi PAZ domains, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., 108: 903-910

荣誉与奖励

2008年获美国V学者奖 (The V Scholar Award), 2009年获美国NCI-UAB Junior Faculty Development Grants (JFDG)，2010年获上海市东方学者（特聘教授），2011年“曙光计划”获得者，2012年上海市“浦江计划”获得者。