Dear colleagues, students, and friends,
It is with great excitement and a deep sense of privilege that I welcome you to the Department of Molecular Genetics and Genome Sciences, the newest addition to the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
This department was founded on a simple yet powerful idea, that the genome - the complete code of life - holds extraordinary potential to reveal the inner workings of biology, and change the way we understand medicine. As we begin by building up an inaugural cohort of faculty and trainees, we are afforded an unusual opportunity to reimagine the future of genetics and genome sciences.
My own journey in genetics began more than two decades ago, when genome science was just arriving as a new discipline. Today, genomics supplies the reference maps, the "parts list," enabling technologies, and systems of data analytics, essentially becoming the information science that gathers all communities. From single-cell sequencing and high-content spatial analyses, to AI-powered data integration, drug discovery, and predictive medicine, genomics has reached a transformative inflection point. As the department’s founding chair, I invite you to help us craft a fresh vision for the future of the field, one that brings together genetic and non-genetic data to gain a more coherent understanding of biology and medicine, and translates discoveries into better health for all.
The OU College of Medicine is also reaching an inflection point in its 125-year history, with a renewed drive to become a top-tier, research-intensive college of medicine. Our department is among the first to move into newly renovated space at the University Research Park in Oklahoma City, with laboratories purpose-built to catalyze team science in all its forms. Here, researchers and learners of all backgrounds and aspirations will co-create a new intellectual home.
As befits a state known for its pioneering spirit, we will be responsible for every aspect of the department's success: its scientific impact, its collaborative style, its culture and, ultimately, its enduring legacy.
Education and mentorship will be central to that legacy. As we launch our graduate programs, we must commit to cultivating independent thinking, data science fluency, curiosity, and the ability to work across disciplines. If you are passionate about bringing out the creative force in the next generation, and if you have the gift of spreading the joy of science, I warmly invite you to join our ranks.
Sincerely,
Jun Li, Ph.D.
Founding Chair, Department of Molecular Genetics and Genome Sciences
University of Oklahoma College of Medicine