Our Scientific Roots

Judy H. Cho, M.D.
Director, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Dr. Judy Cho is a pioneering physician-scientist whose groundbreaking contributions to human genetics and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have profoundly shaped our understanding of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In August 2026, she became Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health, marking an extraordinary milestone in her distinguished scientific career.

A Legacy of Scientific Discovery

During her tenure at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Cho led groundbreaking research investigating the genetic and immunologic mechanisms underlying IBD.

Her research contributed to landmark discoveries involving NOD2 and IL23R, as well as the identification of numerous genetic susceptibility loci associated with IBD. These discoveries helped establish the genetic foundations of IBD and opened new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms and developing targeted therapies.

The Cho Laboratory also made important contributions to understanding genetic susceptibility in the Ashkenazi Jewish population, identifying rare disease-associated variants and investigating their biological functions.

Building on these discoveries, her research expanded beyond genetic associations to investigate the functional roles of lipid mediators, cytokine signaling, innate immune cells, and intestinal epithelial biology, connecting human genetics with the molecular mechanisms of inflammation.

Leadership and Mentorship

Beyond her scientific achievements, Dr. Cho has been an exceptional leader, collaborator, and mentor. Her commitment to rigorous science, innovative thinking, and collaborative discovery has influenced generations of researchers working in human genetics and inflammatory diseases.

Her leadership has helped bridge genetic discovery, functional genomics, and translational medicine, inspiring new approaches to understanding complex human diseases.

The Foundation of Chuang Lab

The Chuang Lab is deeply rooted in the scientific vision and mentorship of Dr. Judy Cho.

Her pioneering work in IBD genetics and her emphasis on connecting genetic discoveries to biological mechanisms have helped shape our laboratory's research direction. Building on this foundation, we integrate human genetics, single-cell and spatial multi-omics, and computational approaches to investigate cellular interactions, chronic inflammation, and tissue remodeling in IBD.

We are profoundly grateful for Dr. Cho's mentorship, scientific leadership, and lasting contributions to our research community.

Her legacy continues to inspire our pursuit of scientific discovery and our commitment to advancing human health.