Dr. Cheng Guo serves as the Senior Programmer Analyst and heads the bioinformatics team at the Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University. He obtained his BS from China Pharmaceutical University in 2008, followed by an MS from the same University in 2011, and a Ph.D. from Miami University in 2016. Dr. Guo's research interests primarily revolve around pioneering new approaches for pathogen discovery and diagnostic investigations, with a particular emphasis on exploring the causes of unexplained diseases and potential pathogenic mechanisms. He has published >50 SCI research papers, including first and corresponding authorship (including co-) in Cell Host & Microbe, The lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, NPJ Biofilms and Microbiome, and mBio, with >3000 citations. His research findings have garnered extensive coverage across >100 news media outlets, including Time Magazine, New York Daily News, and Caixin News.

Jian-Yong Wu has been a Research Associate (School of Public Health) at Xinjiang Medical University since February 2023. He was a Research Associate (Institute of Veterinary Medicine) at Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science from 2012 to 2022. He completed his Bachelor of Agriculture (College of Animal Science & Technology) at Shihezi University from 2004 to 2008, Master of Science in Agronomy (College of Animal Science & Technology) at Shihezi University from 2008 to 2011 and a Ph.D. (School of Public Health) at Sun Yat-Sen University from 2015 to 2018. His skills and areas of expertise include zoonoses, emerging infectious diseases, molecular epidemiology, phylogenetic analysis, and One Health.