Meet Our Lead Bioinformaticians
At AccuraScience, your project is guided by senior scientists — not junior analysts. Our Lead Bioinformaticians combine real-world experience with deep domain knowledge to help researchers solve complex problems and produce publication-quality results.
What Sets Our Team Apart
- Most have dual educational backgrounds and higher degrees in both life sciences and computer science or statistics — enabling us to “speak both languages” fluently.
- Many have both served as faculty members at major U.S. institutions and worked in biotech or clinical settings — a rare combination that blends academic depth with practical execution.
- We’ve successfully completed projects for over 180 academic institutions and industry partners, and bring over 200 years of combined experience across all major areas of bioinformatics.
Founded in 2013, AccuraScience was the first bioinformatics service company in the U.S. offering broad-spectrum customized bioinformatics solutions to academic and industry researchers.
🧬 Justin T. Li, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Biophysics | M.S. in Computer Science | Ph.D. in Neurobiology
Former Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota. Recipient of $3.4M+ in research funding. Author of 40+ publications and lead developer of 12 widely used bioinformatics tools. Joined AccuraScience in 2013.
Expertise includes:
➤ Multi-omics data integration (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, DNA methylation, proteomics)
➤ Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics (scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, Multiome, Visium, Xenium)
➤ Long-read sequencing (PacBio, Oxford Nanopore): genome assembly, isoform detection, hybrid integration
➤ AlphaFold modeling and structural bioinformatics
➤ AI/ML for disease subtyping, biomarker discovery, and LLM-based applications
➤ Immunoinformatics, noncoding RNA, and microbiome analysis
➤ Troubleshooting for complex NGS and epigenomics pipelines
🧬 Alberto Riva, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Electrical Engineering | M.S. in Computer Science | Ph.D. in Bioengineering
Former faculty at Harvard Medical School and University of Florida. Author of 40+ publications and 3 book chapters. Joined AccuraScience in 2017.
Expertise includes:
➤ RNA-seq and splicing analysis
➤ DNA methylation (WGBS, RRBS, EPIC, scBS-seq)
➤ GWAS, EWAS, TWAS, PWAS, and post-GWAS modeling
➤ High-performance computing for large-scale omics pipelines
➤ Algorithm development and machine learning in translational research
🧬 Tom Xu, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Computer Science | Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology
Former Computational Genomics Specialist, University of Minnesota. 15+ publications on NGS and functional genomics. Joined AccuraScience in 2013.
Expertise includes:
➤ RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, and Multiome profiling
➤ Epigenomic assays: ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, CUT&RUN, CUT&Tag
➤ Variant calling, gene fusion analysis, eQTL, and alternative splicing
➤ Long-read RNA isoform profiling and integration with reference transcriptomes
🧬 Zack J. Tu, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Biochemistry | M.S. in Software Systems | Ph.D. in Pharmacology
Led computational infrastructure at University of Minnesota sequencing core. Extensive experience in both research and clinical genomics. Joined AccuraScience in 2013.
Expertise includes:
➤ Variant detection and hybrid genome assembly
➤ RNA-seq (bulk, scRNA-seq), isoform clustering and fusion analysis
➤ Metagenomics: 16S rRNA, shotgun profiling, and microbial-host associations
➤ Long-read sequencing (ONT, PacBio): structural variation, base modifications
➤ Proteomics and TMT/DIA workflows for differential protein quantification
➤ Data cleanup and QC for sequencing artifacts, over-tagmentation, and platform-specific noise
🧬 William W. Gong, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Biology | M.S. in Zoology | Ph.D. in Genomics and Bioinformatics
Former bioinformatician at University of Minnesota. Joined AccuraScience in 2013.
Expertise includes:
➤ Deep learning, kernel methods, and probabilistic modeling
➤ ATAC-seq, DNA methylation, repetitive elements, miRNA analysis
➤ AlphaFold and structural annotation workflows
➤ Network analysis and functional enrichment of high-dimensional omics
➤ Parallel computing for high-throughput genomic data
🧬 Paul L. Jenkins, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.S. in Economics | M.S. in Experimental Psychology | Ph.D. in Statistics
Director of Statistics, Bassett Healthcare Network since 1989. 200+ peer-reviewed articles and abstracts. Joined AccuraScience in 2016.
Expertise includes:
➤ Biostatistics for clinical trials, epidemiology, and population health
➤ Statistical modeling for omics: survival, clustered, longitudinal designs
➤ Sample size optimization, QC analysis, and regulatory study design
🧬 King Jordan, Ph.D.
Lead Bioinformatician
B.A. in Biology | Ph.D. in Genetics
Former researcher at NCBI; Associate Professor at Georgia Tech. 95+ publications; developer of 7 analysis tools. Joined AccuraScience in 2019.
Expertise includes:
➤ Comparative genomics and transposable element analysis
➤ Functional genomics pipelines for NGS and structural variants
➤ Evolutionary algorithms and cross-species modeling
➤ Integrative analysis for genome-wide regulatory elements
🧬 Thomas Girke, Ph.D.
Ad Hoc Lead Bioinformatician
B.S., M.S., Ph.D. in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry
Professor and Director of Bioinformatics Core at UC Riverside. 50+ research publications. Joined AccuraScience in 2015.
Expertise includes:
➤ RNA-seq (bulk/single-cell), Ribo-seq, smallRNA-seq
➤ Epigenomics: ChIP-seq, CUT&RUN, CUT&Tag, HiCHIP
➤ Long-read genome assembly and hybrid workflows
➤ Chemical genomics and compound screening pipelines
Want to Learn More?
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