XU LABORATORY
INSTITUTE FOR CELL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY | JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Forging new tools to understand neurological disease
Image by Dr. S, Eacker
Philosophy
To find new treatments for neurological disease requires new tools and approaches to answer fundamental questions about the nature of the disease. In the Xu lab, we strive to build new isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived neural cells, preclinical mouse models and state-of-the-art techniques to understand the underlying mechanisms with the goal of developing new medical interventions.

The stem cell-derived human cell as a platform to study science of neural diseases
The human brain is a truly remarkable organ, which is responsible for our intelligence, information processing and controlling our behavior that define who we are. Dysregulation of the brain function leads to neurological disorders ranging from Alzheimer's disease to autism and intellectual disability.
Using human iPS derived cells allows us to genetically define brain cells that participate in neural circuits affected by disease or understand how mutations affect translation in defined cell types with nucleotide resolution.
Stay thoughtful, stay curious.
Projects

Brain resilience & Epigenetic control
Following the initiation of pro-resilience activity in human iPSC derived brain cells, PRDM gene family members, play crucial roles in the transitions of cellular states between brain cell resilience and demise.

Interface of Blood-Brain-Barrier
Dynamic and complex interactions between the endothelial cells, neurons, glial cells, and other components are crucial for maintaining the homeostasis of the brain's microenvironment, and its dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of AD.

J.C. Xu
Translation control and neural fate
Dysregulation of mTOR signaling underlies numerous neurological disorders including Alzheimer, autism etc. Our results so far point to an important role for mTOR-mediated translation control in the specification a particular subtype of hNPCs and Alzheimer related genes by targeting unconventional genes with either TOP-like sequences or no discernible TOP sequence.
Home and Funding













Job Opportunity
Available Positions:
– postdoctoral fellow
– visiting scholar
– research technician
– graduate student
We support and welcome individuals of all backgrounds. Those applicants with a track record of excellence in research and scholarship can apply. Expertise is sought in any of the following areas: neuroscience, gene editing, bioengineering, human iPSC and ES cell culture, transgenic animal models, confocal microscopy, fluorescence activated cell sorting, and small animal surgical models. Our lab will serve as a good platform for you to explore research projects of your own design. Please send your CV to jxu31@jhmi.edu.