The NLM Colloquia on Biomedical Data Science and Computational Biology Research is a regularly scheduled series of scientific lectures presented by the NLM Division of Intramural Research (DIR), a premier hub of innovation for computational biology and biomedical data science.
The NLM DIR invites experts from outside NLM to present at the Colloquia, where they can share their insights with research communities across NIH and worldwide in the rapidly evolving fields of biomedical data science and computational biology research, as well as how their work impacts these topic areas.
2026 NLM Colloquia Series
Single-Cell Cartography of Plasticity: Transposing Perturbations onto Unseen Phenotypes
Event Date: Friday, May 29, 2026
Time: 11:00am–12:00pm
Speaker: Yogesh Goyal, PhD
Location: The Lister Hill Center Auditorium (LHC, building 38A), and virtual via MS Teams
Abstract:
Single-cell variability within genetically identical populations can produce divergent cell fates under identical perturbations, a phenomenon broadly referred to as phenotypic plasticity and most clearly seen in cancer, where rare cells evade therapy and seed resistance. In this talk, I will describe our work on single-cell cartography of plasticity, using lineage tracing to map and track plasticity and its clonal manifestations over time, and to define the landscape on which heterogeneous fate decisions arise. I will then show how perturbation datasets can be leveraged to transpose functional signals learned in one context onto unseen phenotypes in another. My group’s work provides a general framework for using disparate datasets and systems to study cell-fate variability in cancer and in other settings such as differentiation and reprogramming.
Speaker Bio:
Yogesh Goyal, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern University. His research integrates single‑cell genomics, live‑cell imaging, and quantitative modeling to reveal how cells make fate decisions and adapt to stress during development, regeneration, and disease. Dr. Goyal earned his PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University, where he investigated how dynamic chemical signals guide animal development. He then completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania. As a Schmidt Science Fellow at Penn, he transitioned into single‑cell biology, focusing on how cells organize, communicate, and respond to pathogenic perturbations. The Goyal Lab combines theory, computation, and single‑cell–resolved experiments to track and control cellular plasticity and fate choices in health and disease, with a particular emphasis on cancer. Dr. Goyal is deeply committed to crossing disciplinary boundaries and collaborating broadly across scientific fields.
How to Join:
Location: The Lister Hill Center Auditorium (LHC, Building 38A)
This talk will also be broadcast live: MS Teams
Interpreting services are available upon request. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this lecture should contact NLMColloquia@nih.gov or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).
Questions during the presentation can be sent to: NLMColloquia@nih.gov.
Sponsored by:
Richard Scheuermann, PhD
Scientific Director, Division of Intramural Research, National Library of Medicine