About

Ruohan Gao is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he leads the UMD Multisensory Machine Intelligence Lab. Before joining UMD, he spent a year at Meta as a Research Scientist after completing his Postdoctoral research at the Stanford Vision and Learning Lab. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin. His research primarily focuses on computer vision and machine learning, with a particular emphasis on multisensory machine intelligence involving sight, sound, and touch. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Sony Faculty Innovation Award, AAAI New Faculty Highlights, the Michael H. Granof Award for UT Austin’s Top 1 Doctoral Dissertation, the Google PhD Fellowship, and the Adobe Research Fellowship. His research contributions have also been acknowledged through best paper awards and recognitions at various conferences.

Research topics

• Biology
• Genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Agronomy
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Botany

Selected publications

• Establishing one-step hairy root transformation system in safflower using RUBY reporter

  Journal of Plant Physiology · 2026-01-29

  article1st author
  PublisherDOI

• Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Multidrug-Resistant Organism Infections in Infected Pancreatic Necrosis: A Post-Hoc Cohort Analysis

  Infection and Drug Resistance · 2025-09-01

  articleOpen access

  Background: This study aimed to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infection in patients with infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN). Methods: This post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort included patients with IPN stratified into three phases: pre-pandemic (2016-2019), pandemic period (2020-2022), and post-pandemic period (2023-2024). Logistic regression and interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) were employed to identify risk factors and longitudinal trends. Results: =0.040). The similar trend variations were observed in the proportion of prophylactic antimicrobial usage. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a notable reduction in MDRO infection among IPN patients, likely attributable to stringent infection prevention and control measures which led to reduced prophylactic antimicrobial usage and ICU stays during this period.

  PublisherDOI

• Wine- and stir-frying processing of Cuscutae Semen enhance its ability to alleviate oxidative stress and apoptosis via the Keap 1-Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/AKT pathways in H2O2-challenged KGN human granulosa cell line

  BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies · 2024-05-15 · 14 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background Cuscutae Semen (CS) has been prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for millennia as an aging inhibitor, an anti-inflammatory agent, a pain reliever, and an aphrodisiac. Its three main forms include crude Cuscutae Semen (CCS), wine-processed CS (WCS), and stir-frying-processed CS (SFCS). Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a globally occurring medical condition. The present work sought a highly efficacious multi-target therapeutic approach against POI with minimal side effects. Finally, it analyzed the relative differences among CCS, WCS and SFCS in terms of their therapeutic efficacy and modes of action against H 2 O 2 -challenged KGN human granulosa cell line. Methods In this study, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-Q-ExactiveTM Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS), oxidative stress indices, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), real-time PCR, Western blotting, and molecular docking were used to investigate the protective effect of CCS, WCS and SFCS on KGN cells oxidative stress and apoptosis mechanisms. Results The results confirmed that pretreatment with CCS, WCS and SFCS reduced H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative damage, accompanied by declining ROS levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in the KGN cells. CCS, WCS and SFCS upregulated the expression of antioxidative levels (GSH, GSH/GSSG ratio, SOD, T-AOC),mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the relative mRNA(Nrf2, Keap1, NQO-1, HO-1, SOD-1, CAT). They inhibited apoptosis by upregulating Bcl-2, downregulating Bax, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved caspase-3, and lowering the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. They also exerted antioxidant efficacy by partially activating the PI3K/Akt and Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. Conclusions The results of the present work demonstrated the inhibitory efficacy of CCS, WCS and SFCS against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in KGN cells and showed that the associated mechanisms included Keap1-Nrf2/HO-1 activation, P-PI3K upregulation, and P-Akt-mediated PI3K-Akt pathway induction.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The chromosome-scale genome assembly for the West Nile vector Culex quinquefasciatus uncovers patterns of genome evolution in mosquitoes

  BMC Biology · 2024 · 29 citations

  • Biology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary biology

  BACKGROUND: Understanding genome organization and evolution is important for species involved in transmission of human diseases, such as mosquitoes. Anophelinae and Culicinae subfamilies of mosquitoes show striking differences in genome sizes, sex chromosome arrangements, behavior, and ability to transmit pathogens. However, the genomic basis of these differences is not fully understood. METHODS: In this study, we used a combination of advanced genome technologies such as Oxford Nanopore Technology sequencing, Hi-C scaffolding, Bionano, and cytogenetic mapping to develop an improved chromosome-scale genome assembly for the West Nile vector Culex quinquefasciatus. RESULTS: We then used this assembly to annotate odorant receptors, odorant binding proteins, and transposable elements. A genomic region containing male-specific sequences on chromosome 1 and a polymorphic inversion on chromosome 3 were identified in the Cx. quinquefasciatus genome. In addition, the genome of Cx. quinquefasciatus was compared with the genomes of other mosquitoes such as malaria vectors An. coluzzi and An. albimanus, and the vector of arboviruses Ae. aegypti. Our work confirms significant expansion of the two chemosensory gene families in Cx. quinquefasciatus, as well as a significant increase and relocation of the transposable elements in both Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti relative to the Anophelines. Phylogenetic analysis clarifies the divergence time between the mosquito species. Our study provides new insights into chromosomal evolution in mosquitoes and finds that the X chromosome of Anophelinae and the sex-determining chromosome 1 of Culicinae have a significantly higher rate of evolution than autosomes. CONCLUSION: The improved Cx. quinquefasciatus genome assembly uncovered new details of mosquito genome evolution and has the potential to speed up the development of novel vector control strategies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Novel <i>IARS1</i> variants cause syndromic developmental disorder with epilepsy in a Chinese patient and the literature review

  Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine · 2023-11-28 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Isoleucinyl-tRNA synthetase (IARS) is encoded by the IARS1 gene and catalyzes the binding of isoleucine to specific tRNA. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the pathogenicity of novel IARS1 variants and the genotype-phenotype association, in order to expand the spectrum of pathogenic variants and phenotypes of IARS1-related disease and provide new evidence for the phenotypic spectrum of IARS1 variants. METHODS: Clinical data of the proband were collected, and trio whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the proband and the parents. Candidate variants were validated using Sanger sequencing. Bioinformatics software was utilized to analyze the functional consequences of identified variants and predict their potential deleteriousness. RESULTS: A 17-month-old female patient presented with microcephaly, left external ear malformation, decreased muscle strength and tone in all limbs, epileptic seizures, global developmental delay, and developmental regression. Trio WES identified compound heterozygous variants in the IARS1 gene, c.120-1G>A and c.2164C>A, which were novel pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants, respectively. The phenotype of developmental regression has not been reported before. Only one patient with IARS1 compound heterozygous variants has been reported in the world to have an epileptic phenotype, and this is the second patient with an epileptic phenotype. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the splicing variant disrupted the canonical splice donor site, while the missense variant altered the local electrostatics of the IARS1 protein surface, potentially leading to functional abnormalities. CONCLUSION: This study identified novel IARS1 variants and the phenotype of developmental regression, expanding the spectrum of pathogenic variants and phenotypes of IARS1-related diseases and providing new evidence for the rare phenotype of epileptic seizures caused by IARS1 variants.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Validation of reference-assisted assembly using existing and novel Heliothine genomes

  Genomics · 2022-08-02 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access1st author

  Chloridea subflexa and Chloridea virescens are a pair of closely related noctuid species exhibiting pheromone-based sexual isolation and divergent host plant preferences. We produced a novel Illumina short read C. subflexa genome assembly and an improved C. virescens genome assembly, which offer opportunities to study the genomic basis for evolutionarily important traits in this lepidopteran family with few genomic resources. We then examined the feasibility of reference-assisted assembly, an approach that leverages existing high quality genomic resources for genome improvement in closely related taxa and applied it to our Heliothine genomes. Our work demonstrates that reference-assisted assembly has the potential to enhance contiguity and completeness of existing insect genomic resources with minimal additional laboratory costs. We conclude by discussing both the potential and pitfalls of reference-assisted assembly according to the intended downstream assembly application.

  PublisherDOI

• The influence of international crude oil price on the crude oil spot price in China

  Procedia Computer Science · 2022-01-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access1st author

  With the proposal of the new development pattern of "dual circulation", the connection between China and the international market is even closer. As crude oil is one of the commodities which has been financialized deeply, the active international market involves millions of investors from the world. What kind of impact will the international crude oil price have on the crude oil price in China? Based on the spot price of Daqing oil field and Shengli oil field from January 2005 to March 2021, this paper uses quantile regression to empirically analyze the impact of international oil price on the oil spot price in China. Through the quantile regression, this paper finds different degrees of influence of international crude oil on China’s crude oil price.

  PublisherDOI

• Engineered pro‐peptide enhances the catalytic activity of keratinase to improve the conversion ability of feather waste

  Biotechnology and Bioengineering · 2021 · 28 citations

  • Biochemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Biology

  Keratinase is an attractive industrial enzyme that can specifically catalyze keratin waste to obtain value-added products. A challenge to the application of keratinase is improving catalytic capacity to achieve efficient hydrolysis. In this study, we effectively expressed the keratinase gene from Bacillus licheniformis BBE11-1 in Bacillus subtilis WB600 based on pro-peptide engineering. Partial deletion of the pro-peptide sequence and the substitution of amino acid at the pro-peptide cleavage site (P1) suggested that the "chaperone effect" and "cleavage efficiency" of the pro-peptide determine the activity of the mature enzyme. Subsequently, seven target sites that can increase the activity of the mature enzyme by 16%-66% were obtained through the multiple sequence alignment of pro-peptides and site-directed mutation. We further performed combinatorial mutations at six sites based on the design principle of three-codon saturation mutations and obtained mutant 2-D12 (236.8 KU/mg) with a mature enzyme activity of 186% of the original (127.6 KU/mg). Finally, continuous fermentation was carried out in a 5-L bioreactor for 22 h, and the activity of the 2-D12 mature enzyme was increased to 391.6 KU/mg. Most importantly, 2-D12 could degrade more than 90% of feather waste into amino acids and peptides within 12 h with the aid of sulfite.

  PublisherDOI

• Preparation of Magnetic Resonance Nano Contrast Agent and Its Adoption in Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

  Science of Advanced Materials · 2021-09-01

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This study aimed to explore the value of preoperative mammography in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant tumors of nipple discharge. A biocompatible T 1 contrast agent KMnF 3 nanoparticle was first developed in the research, and then RGD-coupled KMnF 3 nanoparticles were further synthesized as a highly sensitive tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. While the nanoparticle was characterized physically, cytotoxicity test and MRI test in breast cancer mice were performed, and the excised tumors were subjected to immunostaining and tumor electron microscope section processing. At the same time, 60 patients with nipple discharge were screened to participate in the research, and the prepared MRI nano contrast agent was used for the differential diagnosis of breast benign/malignant tumors of nipple discharge. In the experiment, the synthetic nanoparticles were tested by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), which proved that the designed RGDtu/KMnF 3 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. The quantitative analysis of the synthesized nanoparticles showed that the relaxation efficiency reached 23.12 mM −1 s −1 , and there was no obvious toxicity. After staining, the microscope showed that the tumor was proliferating. After intravenous injection of low-dose RGDtu/KMnF 3 contrast agent, nanoparticles were found in the tumor tissue. It was found that the synthesized nanoparticles enhanced the contrast of tumors with a volume of less than 50 mm 3 by observing tumor slices. The imaging of the patient’s breast showed that the X-ray classification of galactography based on this contrast agent was statistically significant in distinguishing benign/malignant lesions of nipple discharge ( X 2 = 58.700, P &lt; 0.01).

  PublisherDOI

• Mutations in a Novel Cadherin Gene Associated with Bt Resistance in <i>Helicoverpa zea</i>

  G3 Genes Genomes Genetics · 2020 · 22 citations

  • Biology
  • Genetics
  • Botany

  larvae that ingest Cry1Ac.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Mark Cookson

  Institute on Aging

  4 shared

• Jiyoung Kim

  Kangwon National University

  4 shared

• Michel Bernier

  National Institute on Aging

  4 shared

• Elisa Majounie

  Illumina (United States)

  4 shared

• Kotb Abdelmohsen

  National Institutes of Health

  4 shared

• Megan L. Fritz

  North Carolina State University

  4 shared

• Myriam Gorospe

  Institute on Aging

  4 shared

• Rafael de Cabo

  National Institute on Aging

  4 shared

Labs

• CLIP LabPI

Awards & honors

• Sony Faculty Innovation Award
• AAAI New Faculty Highlights
• Michael H. Granof Award for UT Austin’s Top 1 Doctoral Disse…
• Google PhD Fellowship
• Adobe Research Fellowship