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Mengman Wei

@mengmanwei

Postdoctoral bioinformatics researcher using AI and causal modeling to study genetic, environmental, and mental-health trajectories.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a research role where I can apply AI for Science—bioinformatics, causal/graph modeling, and time-varying analysis—to uncover modifiable pathways for mental health and developmental risk, and turn findings into actionable intervention targets.

I’m a Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics at The Scripps Research Institute, focused on AI for Science and quantitative models of human behavior, cognition, and mental health outcomes. I develop graph-based mediation and causal modeling frameworks to understand how parental behaviors, genetic risk, and brain imaging phenotypes shape child ADHD-related and externalizing trajectories.

My work integrates DNA variation, gene-based signals, and polygenic risk scores with environmental exposures like family context, parental monitoring, peer influence, neighborhood conditions, and educational environments. I combine traditional approaches (e.g., Cox survival models and marginal structural models) with modern machine learning (multi-task learning and causal machine learning) to identify time-varying risk factors and potential intervention targets.

Before joining Scripps, I completed a PhD in Computational Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and built systematic and ML-based strategies for alkane and complex molecular conformational searching. I’ve also contributed in applied research—developing PROTACs ligand/warhead/liner design algorithms at Meta AIChemy and using AlphaFold and RosettaFold for protein structure prediction at Xtalpi—so I value methods that are both rigorous and usable.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Part-time PROTAC Developer

Meta AIChemy

Jan 2022 - Dec 2022 (11 months)

Developed algorithms for PROTACs ligand/warhead/linker design and contributed methods to evaluate triplet complex stability and predict ubiquitination sites. Assisted in development of an automated synthesis platform.

Algorithm Development PROTACs Design Ubiquitination Site Prediction Data Processing

Research Engineer Intern

Xtalpi

Jun 2021 - Sep 2021 (3 months)

Led in silico fusion protein linker design and predicted 3D structures of fused proteins using AlphaFold and RosettaFold. Developed and maintained a web-server database to support users.

AlphaFold 3D Modeling Web Servers Data Curation

Clinical Data Analyst Intern

Bayer

Jul 2015 - Aug 2015 (1 month)

Analyzed phase IV clinical trial data collected from cooperative hospitals to support research review and interpretation.

Clinical Trial Data Review Statistical Analysis Reporting Data Visualization

Postdoctoral Researcher

The Scripps Research Institute

Dec 2024 - Present (1 year 6 months)

Conducted postdoctoral research in computational neuroscience and machine learning to build quantitative models of human behavior and mental health outcomes. Developed graph-based mediation and causal modeling frameworks and applied survival and causal machine learning methods to identify intervention targets.

Bioinformatics Machine Learning Graph Based Causal Mediation Causal Inference Polygenic Risk Scores

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Cambridge

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Computational Chemistry

2019 - 2024

Activities and societies: Research on alkane and complex molecular conformational searching, including systematic search algorithms and ML-based conformational searching strategies (Centre for Molecular Informatics).

PhD in Computational Chemistry at the University of Cambridge (2019–2024), focused on systematic molecular conformation searching and machine learning-based strategies.

Peking University

Master of Science, Chemical Biology

2016 - 2018

Activities and societies: Work included stereoselective synthesis of N-glycosides and synthesis/immunological evaluation of Vi oligosaccharide conjugates and antigenic oligosaccharide mimics.

M.S. in Chemical Biology at Peking University (2016–2018), conducting research in stereoselective synthesis and carbohydrate-based vaccine/antigen evaluation projects.

Peking University

Bachelor of Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences

2012 - 2016

Activities and societies: Undergraduate training and research projects in pharmaceutics and medical chemistry, including a phase IV clinical trial data analysis internship (2015).

B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Peking University (2012–2016) with undergraduate research and training projects supported by faculty guidance.