Haissi Cui, University of Toronto

Research

Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetase Cancer Cell Signaling Cellular Signaling Cryo-Em Genetic Code Metabolism Mrna Translation Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Latest papers

Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis.
Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2026
A mutation in the nuclear speckle and splicing factor SRRM2 is associated with multisystem proteinopathy and causes dysregulation of synapse-associated genes.
RNA (New York, N.Y.) · 2026 · senior author
A call for unified use of human aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) gene nomenclature.
FEBS letters · 2026

All 18 publications

Latest funding

From genotype to phenotype: uncovering the cellular pathology of SRRM2 Gene mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders
CIHR · 2025 · Supervisor
$120,000
High-dimensional, Single Cell Imaging Analysis to Understand the Role of Genetic Code Interpretation in Neurodevelopment and Degeneration
CIHR · 2024 · Supervisor
$210,000
Nonviral Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics for Treating Cystic Fibrosis
CIHR · 2024 · Co-investigator
$1,136,026

All 8 grants and awards

18 publications.

01

Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis.

Chen J, Zhou M, Dong S, Gong F, Tennakoon R, Seto BY, Chen ZR, Zhou ZP, Pan J, Xu Y, Luozhong S, Macarios CM, Tijaro-Bulla S, Gonska T, Hu J, Cui H, Li B

Science (New York, N.Y.)2026

DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb0054 PMID: 42658930

02

A mutation in the nuclear speckle and splicing factor SRRM2 is associated with multisystem proteinopathy and causes dysregulation of synapse-associated genes.

Shi Q, Lauder C, Miller JM, Wang YD, Elsakrmy N, Volkanoska S, Freibaum BD, Wuu J, Benatar M, Peng H, Kim HJ, Taylor JP, Cui H

RNA (New York, N.Y.)2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1261/rna.080836.125 PMID: 42309671

03

A call for unified use of human aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) gene nomenclature.

Antonellis A, Barrientos M, Bensasson E, DeClercq T, Garrigós P, Heilmann R, Horvath R, Magee D, Moresco A, Rowland A, Vallee I, Alexander R, Cui H, Gruić-Sovulj I, Hendrickson TL, Kim S, Ling J, Martinis SA, Musier-Forsyth K, Yang XL, Heinemann IU, Ribas de Pouplana L

FEBS letters2026

DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.70418 PMID: 42482417

04

Human aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases as integrators of translation and cell signalling networks.

Yoon I, Cui H, Kim S

Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41580-026-00980-2 PMID: 42399431

05

Sialoglycan engineering empowered by recombinant sialyltransferases.

Woolcott SN, Da Barp I, Capicciotti CJ, Cui H, Edgar LJ

Biochimica et biophysica acta. General subjects2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2026.130927 PMID: 41849917

06

A disease-causing isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase variant leads to altered protein complex formation and cellular stress response.

Gao H, Tennakoon R, Araújo FP, Miller JM, Nyandwi SP, Shi Q, Padilla-Martínez JP, Peng H, Cui H

The Journal of biological chemistry2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2026.111196 PMID: 41581867

07

Sialoglycans on human T cells attenuate death programs executed through the Fas pathway.

Affe V, Lei Q, Veth TS, Sutherland E, Choksi H, Izzati FN, Shi Q, Cui H, Riley NM, Edgar LJ

The Journal of biological chemistry2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.111047 PMID: 41391766

08

Catalyzing computational biology research at an academic institute through an interest network.

Zak J, Newman I, Montiel Garcia DJ, Parisi D, Joy J, Head SR, Ducom JC, Natarajan P, Cui H, Ul-Hasan S

PLoS computational biology2025

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013453 PMID: 40929173

09

Presentation of immunoregulatory sialoglycans on T cells is divergent between mice and humans.

Izzati FN, Choksi H, Giuliana P, Abd-Rabbo D, Elsaesser H, Blundell A, Affe V, Kannen V, Jame-Chenarboo Z, Schmidt EN, Kuypers M, Avila DB, Chiu ESY, Badmaev D, Cui H, Matthews J, Mallevaey T, Macauley MS, Brooks DG, Edgar LJ

Cell reports2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115933 PMID: 40608513

10

Non-viral mRNA delivery to the lungs.

Healy L, Seto BY, Cui H, Li B

Biomaterials science2025

DOI: 10.1039/d5bm00322a PMID: 40264303

From genotype to phenotype: uncovering the cellular pathology of SRRM2 Gene mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders

SupervisorCIHR2025DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Principal investigators: Elsakrmy, Noha

Keywords: Intellectual Disability; Membraneless Organelles; Missense Mutations; Neurodevelopmental; Nuclear Speckles; Prime Editing; Rna; Spliceosome; Splicing; Tissue Culture

$120,000

High-dimensional, Single Cell Imaging Analysis to Understand the Role of Genetic Code Interpretation in Neurodevelopment and Degeneration

SupervisorCIHR2024CIHR Fellowship

Principal investigators: Bu, Yong Jia

Keywords: Cell Biology; Imaging; Mass Cytometry; Myelination; Neuroscience; Protein Synthesis; Single Cell Analysis; White Matter Disorders

$210,000

Nonviral Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics for Treating Cystic Fibrosis

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Li, Bowen

Keywords: Cystic Fibrosis; Gene Therapy; Lipid Nanoparticles; Nonviral Gene Delivery; Rna Medicine; Trna Biology

$1,136,026

Visualizing and Tracking Aminoacylation Reactions in Mammalian Cells

Principal investigatorNSERC2023Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Cui, Haissi

$12,500

Uncovering the Role of RARS1 in Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophies

SupervisorCIHR2023Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Nyandwi, Samuel P

Keywords: Cell Biology; Enzyme Kinetics; Molecular Biology; Neurosciences; Pathogenesis; Rna; Trna Synthetases

$105,000

Visualizing and Tracking Aminoacylation Reactions in Mammalian Cells

Principal investigatorNSERC2023Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Cui, Haissi

Keywords: cellular localization; enzymes; fluorescent probes; microscopy; nucleic acid; protein engineering; proteins; protein synthesis; RNA engineering; synthetic biology

$64,000

Combinatorial design of tRNA therapeutics for cystic fibrosis using patient-derived models

Co-investigatorSSHRC2023New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: LI, BOWEN

Keywords: Lipid nanoparticles; Cystic Fibrosis; Suppressor tRNA; Genomic medicine; Nonviral gene delivery; Nonsense mutation

$250,000

Exploring the molecular architecture of the human multisynthetase complex

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Cui, Haissi

Keywords: Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetase; Cancer Cell Signaling; Cellular Signaling; Cryo-Em; Genetic Code; Metabolism; Mrna Translation; Neurodevelopmental Disorder; Nucleic Acids; Trnas

$956,250

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Chemistry
Urologic Sciences
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Radiation Oncology/Medical Physics
Research Institute
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Immunology
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Hui Peng

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Bowen Li

Pharmaceutical Sciences

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Jason Matthews

Pharmacology and Toxicology

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Jim Hu

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Brian Raught

Research Institute

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Thierry Mallevaey

Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Yuzhuo Wang

Urologic Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Mark Nitz

Chemistry

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Amina Zoubeidi

Urologic Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Alejandro Berlin

Radiation Oncology/Medical Physics

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Tanja Gonska

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Gang Zheng

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Aminoacyl-Trna Synthetase Dear Professor Cui, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Visualizing and Tracking Aminoacylation Reactions in Mammalian Cells" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]