Qing Xu, PhD

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Position:
Research Scientist, KAUST University

Education and Training: 

  • 2001-2005: Postdoctoral fellow, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA

  • 2001: Postdoctoral fellow, University of Connecticut Health Center, Connecticut, USA

  • 1995-2001: Postdoctoral fellow, Peking University, China

  • 1990-1995: Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Moscow State University, Russia

  • 1983-1987: B.S. in Cell Biology, Lanzhou University, China

Current or Past Study:
In the field of neuroscience, I have focused on the molecular mechanisms of cortical interneuron development and then extended my endeavor to mouse models of neurodegeneration, retina development and adult neurogenesis:

1). SHH/retinoic acid signaling controlled mouse interneuron genesis and cell fate specification.

2). Interneuron subtypes mapping by creating bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC-Nkx2.1:Cre) mediated Cre/loxP transgenic mouse.

3). Signaling manipulations in primary neuron cultures, brain slice cultures, in utero DNA/cell delivery, postnatal cell transplantation and creating BAC-Nkx2.1:rtTA transgenic mouse.

4). Cascade expression of transcription factors in cell fate determination by creating embryonic stem cell lines that sequentially express fluorescent proteins GFP and mCherry (BAC-Lhx6:GFP; BAC-Nkx2.1:mCherry).

5). Multiphoton live imaging on mitochondria of dopaminergic neurons by creating BAC-TH:mitoDendra transgenic mouse and crossing to the BAC-LRRK2R1441G  and Pink1 null Parkinson’s disease models, and also the BAC-HT226Q Hungtinton’s disease models.

6). iTRAQ proteomic study with FACS purified mitochondria.

7). The molecular mechanism of OSVZ formation by interrogating the function of transmembrane protein 131-like (TMEM131L or KIAA0922), whose paralog prolyl endopeptidase (PREP) is involved with the maturation and degradation of neuropeptides and peptide hormones.

8). Use organic culture of mouse embryonic retina to understand the quick tempo of neuronal differentiation as compared to those in cerebral cortex.

9). Use the oxygen induced retinopathy method to examine how angiogenesis influences neurogenesis and neuronal maturation.