Yong Xu Lab

Xu Lab Members

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Yong Xu, Ph.D. - Primary Investigator

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Yong Xu
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Olivia Ginnard, D.O. - Instructor

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Olivia Ginnard
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My long-term professional goal entails continued experience as a physician-scientist in the field of endocrinology to better impact patient lives. Specifically, my research interests involve the development of a comprehensive understanding of how the alterations in vitamin D pathways lead to the pathologic disease states of obesity and diabetes in children.

I was born in Canada but primarily grew up in Texas. I graduated with a bachelor’s of science in psychology with a minor in biology from the University of Texas at Austin. I then went to medical school at the University of North Texas Health Science Center – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. I completed my pediatric residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and became a board-certified pediatrician in 2019. I graduated from the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital – Baylor College of Medicine in 2022. It was at this time that I joined the TOP lab as a postdoctoral research fellow. Under the direction of Dr. Stephanie Sisley, I was able to pursue basic science to truly explore the role of vitamin D in the pathophysiological mechanisms in obesity and diabetes

I am an instructor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital. I joined the Xu Lab to translate my clinical and prior research training in obesity and vitamin D into a mouse model to allow me to address pertinent clinical questions related to the neural role of vitamin D in obesity and diabetes.

When not in the lab or clinic, you can find me running, cooking, spending time with family, or cheering on the Texas Longhorns!

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Yongjie Yang, Ph.D. - Instructor

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Yongjie Yang
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I received my B.S. in 1995 from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, and my Ph.D. in 2006 from Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai, China. Then I moved to Houston, Texas and joined Dr. Qiang Tong’s lab at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center for my postdoctoral training, working on the metabolic role of Sirtuins and aging. From 2012 to now, I have worked in Dr. Yong Xu’s lab to study how the central nervous system regulates the appetite, metabolism and body weight. My research focuses on the neurons and neural circuits, especially the central melanocortin system, and the key intracellular molecules that regulate the energy homeostasis.

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Julia Han, Ph.D. - Lab Manager

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Julia Han
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I joined Dr. Yong Xu’s Lab in 2020 as a lab manager, where I supervise the management of a large mouse colony in addition to the lab management. I also investigate the function of neural networks through stereotaxic brain surgeries and histology studies. Previously, I pursued my postdoctoral training at the Department of Pediatrics at University of Louisville and continued my research in New Orleans as a research supervisor focusing on Type 2 diabetes research. Before I joined Dr. Xu’s lab, I was a research associate in Dr. Li Zhang’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine. I received my Ph.D. in China in Medical Genetics originally.

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Jonathan Bean, Ph.D. – Research Associate

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Jonathan Bean
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I did my graduate training with professor Lin Mei while he was at the Medical College of Georgia. During this time, I mastered the use of mouse genetic models, many behavioral assays, histology, and microscopy. I also gained experience in general molecular biology techniques and made a foray into the use of high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-EC). I used these techniques to study two schizophrenia susceptibility genes, Neuregulin-1 and ErbB4. I used a genetic labeling technique to resolve long-standing controversies in the field about which brain cells express ErbB4 and identified its expression in several previously unpublished cell types.

After graduate school I trained with professor Stanley McKnight at the University of Washington as a postdoctoral fellow. During this time, I was awarded a National Research Service Award grant. I studied a set of neurons integral to the control of fertility, Kisspeptin neurons. I found that a population of Kiss1 neurons in the rostral periventricular region of the third ventricle (RP3V) thought to be diminished in males, were present in nearly equal quantity, had similar gene expression profiles, and were able to elicit a surge of testosterone when stimulated. During my time at UW I set up two collaborations with other labs adding RNA-Seq to their projects.

My research interests include understanding how sex differences, environmental factors, and their interactions contribute to feeding behavior and metabolism. I am particularly interested in using novel sequencing strategies to understand the biology of neurons and their functions in circuits that control feeding behavior and metabolism. I enjoy working with large data sets, visualizing data, designing figures, slide shows, and writing.

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Na Yin – Staff Scientist

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Na Yin
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I started my research training with Dr. Kaixun Huang at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2009, focusing my research interest on the function of selenoproteins and their associated roles in diseases involved with oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. During my Ph.D. study, I received a one-year Student Intern opportunity by joining Dr. Vadim Gladyshev’s lab, who pioneered the research of redox biology, specifically in selenoproteins, at Harvard Medical School.

Afterwards, I joined Dr. Zhou Songyang’s group to start my postdoctoral training at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine from 2016 to 2020. My research activities have been utilizing proteomic approaches to study protein-to-protein interaction, specifically, screening novel regulatory proteins modulating telomerase function and thereby providing promising target for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Currently, I continue to pursue my research interests in utilizing cellular, molecular, and proteomic tools to delineate the mechanisms in the specific neural networks that are critical for control of body weight, feeding behavior and glucose balance in Dr. Yong Xu’s group, as a research associate.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends to take outdoor adventures, such as hiking, camping, kayaking, and fishing, skiing, etc. I also love to spend my spare time in my edible garden. Working in nature has such a calming effect on me. All these enrich my life and refresh myself.

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Kristine Marie Conde, MBMS, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Kristine Marie Conde
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I grew up in the Mojave Desert of Southern California and then moved to Pomona, Calif. where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences from Cal Poly, Pomona. I then went on to pursue my master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Western University of Health Sciences. It was at WesternU where I developed my love for neuroscience. I moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey to obtain my Ph.D. in Neuroscience, and finally made my way to Houston, Texas to work with Dr. Yong Xu at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center for my postdoctoral training. My research focuses on understanding neurocircuits related to the development of obesity and identifying novel targets for therapeutic interventions for the treatment of obesity.  As a result of this work, I was awarded an F32 from NIH-NIDDK (1F32DK134121) for my project studying serotonin neurons and meal regulation. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy spending time with my husband, exploring the City of Houston, volunteering with the MS Society, and attending comedy shows, concerts, and professional sporting events. 
 

View recent funding news here.

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Xing Fang, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Xing Fang
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My scientific career started from Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, where I received my Master degree in Neuropharmacology. Then I moved to United States and obtained a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Medical College of Georgia. I have some postdoctoral experience in University of Southern California and Baylor College of Medicine before I joined Dr. Xu’s lab. My research involve a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders and how changes in neural circuits impact these diseases. My research uses electrophysiological, pharmacological, imaging and behavioral approaches to meet these objectives. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with fruit trees and vegetables in my backyard.

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Yongxiang Li, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Yongxiang Li
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I enrolled in graduate studies in Dr. Qingyan Jiang’s lab at South China Agricultural University. I received my Ph.D. degree in 2021. During my Ph.D. study, my research largely focused on the effect of TLR4 in different neurons on feeding behaviors and energy homeostasis in rodent models. I moved to the United States and joined Dr. Yong Xu’s laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine for postdoctoral training at the end of October of 2021. Now, my study is to explore molecules in the brain, like Grb10 and SK3 in the regulation of energy balance under physiological conditions. I also explore neural substrates on the effect of mouse behaviors using multiple behavioral tests. I believe being a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Yong Xu’s lab will provide me with the perfect training environment and skills that will give me the tools necessary to grow as a true scientist.  I received my Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from American Heart Association (AHA, 23POST1030526) for project "Trpc5 and Obesity" (January 2023). Meanwhile, I also was awarded an American Diabetes Association Postdoctoral Fellowship (1-24-PDF-56), recognizing outstanding contributions and commitment to diabetes research (January 2024). The project title is “Treating obesity caused by TRPC5 deficiency”. This prestigious fellowship serves as a testament to my dedication in advancing our understanding of diabetes and its management.

View recent funding news here.

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Hailan Liu, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Hailan Liu
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I started my Ph.D. program at Xiangya Medical College in 2017 and joined Dr. Yong Xu’s lab as a visiting student in 2018. I received my Ph.D. degree in 2021. My Ph.D. work focused on central regulation of energy homeostasis. Presently, I am unwaveringly committed to expanding the frontiers of knowledge in the field of neuroendocrinology and metabolism. Specifically, my focus lies in identifying novel neural circuits and molecules responsible for controlling food intake and maintaining energy balance. I have been selected as a recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship from AHA in 2023.

View recent funding news here.

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Hesong Liu, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Hesong Liu
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I am a neuropharmacologist and a recipient of the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence award from NIA (July,2023). My K99/R00 project aims to investigate the serotonergic circuitry mechanism of memory impairments in Alzheimer’s disease. I plan to seek a tenure-track assistant professor position and establish my own laboratory in the next two years. 

I was born and raised in Dalian, a coastal city in northeast China. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Pharmacy in Harbin, China, where I became interested in pharmaceutical research. I moved to the United States to pursue higher education and completed my Master’s degree in Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. There, I confirmed my passion for neuroscience research and decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Neuropharmacology at the University of Houston. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Yong Xu. My research topics include: the correlation between 5-HT decline and cognitive impairments in aging and AD, and the function of 5-HTergic neural circuit in cognitive function; the neural circuit that mediates hunger-induced cognitive enhancement. Besides research, I enjoy fostering and rehabilitating shelter animals, practicing yoga, painting, and exploring beer gardens.”

View recent funding news here.

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Lucas Tu, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Lucas Tu
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I received my Ph.D. degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and then moved to the United States in late 2019. My previous research in Hong Kong primarily focused on nausea and vomiting induced by motion and chemotherapy from the perspective of neuropharmacology. Now I am working on central mechanisms of glucose homeostasis, as well as feeding behavior in the lab. I am very thrilled to learn and master state-of-the-art techniques in neuroscience, and extremely fascinated by emerging neuroscience studies every day. During my spare time, I like hiking, traveling, pets, photography, reading, writing, etc. Don’t be surprised if one day, I write a book about traveling and other life experiences with beautiful photos I captured!

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Mengjie (Emma) Wang, M.D., Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Mengjie (Emma) Wang
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I grew up in China, where I got my M.D. and M.S. in Pediatrics from Guangxi Medical University. My research journey started when I joined Dr. Zengnan Mo’s group to establish and follow up the Fangchenggang Area Male Health Examination Survey (FAMHES) cohort. When I completed my clinical internship in the Department of Pediatrics with Dr. Dan Lan, I found my research interest in the reproductive endocrinology. To further my studies, I went abroad to pursue my Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Hill in the University of Toledo, Ohio. In her lab, I gained knowledge of how the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis controls reproduction, the interaction between energy homeostasis and reproduction, and maternal and child health. The more I learned, the more I realize how much I don’t know.

In June 2021, I joined Dr. Yong Xu’s lab as a postdoc. The great mentorship, lab environment and modern chemogenetics/optogenetics, electrophysiology and neurotracing approaches would help me further study physiological relevance of specific neural networks in the regulation of metabolic and reproductive functions.

In 2023, I received the T32 award (#5T32HD098068-03) and recently I received an F32 award from NIH-NICHD (1F32HD112123-01A) for my project "Nutrition Regulates Sexual Function". These awards will support my research and certainly help advance my career. a postdoctoral fellowship from AHA in 2023.

Being a postdoc is challenging and exciting and sometimes stressful. I am learning to keep a healthy work-life balance. I enjoy spending my spare time with my family and friends, exercising, exploring Texas, cooking, and reading books. The beautiful things in my life always remind me to be happy with what you have, while working hard for what you want.

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Meng Yu, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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Meng Yu
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I received my Ph.D. degree from Fudan University (China) in 2018 and moved to the United States in September 2018. During my Ph.D., I focused on Huntington’s disease, a neurodegeneration disease. I validated and characterized promising genetic targets for therapeutic treatment of Huntington's disease in a broad spectrum of mammalian cellular systems and mouse models, and successfully proved a potential druggable target for Huntington’s disease treatment. After joining Dr. Yong Xu’s lab, my study focuses on the central system regulation of energy homeostasis. One of the ongoing projects is to investigate one small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK3) in the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. One is to determine the central mechanism by which estrogen regulates lactation physiology. Another direction is to determine the role of retinoid X receptor gamma (RXRG), a transcription factor, in the development and functions of the hypothalamus on the regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose balance.

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Qingzhuo Liu, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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I received my Ph.D. degree in Neurobiology from Fudan University. During my Ph.D. career, my research mainly investigated the mechanism of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the central nerve system by using electrophysiology and pharmacology. Then, I moved to the United States in 2023 and joined Dr. Yong Xu’s laboratory for postdoctoral training. I am working on the central mechanisms and neural circuits that regulate feeding behavior and glucose balance by using chemogenetics/optogenetics, fiber photometry, behavioral test, and electrophysiology combined with mouse models. In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends and exploring Texas!

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Yue (Alvin) Deng, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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I was born in Chengdu, China and received my B.S. degree in Pharmacy from Sichuan University. I then went to the Pharmacology M.S. program at the University of Kansas, where I studied the degradation pathways of α-synuclein in Dr. Jackob Moskovitz lab. Later I was admitted to the Biomedical Science Ph.D. program at University of Iowa and joined Dr. Huxing Cui lab. My Ph.D. dissertation mainly focuses on how certain brain nuclei (such as the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus) regulate metabolic homeostasis and stress-related behaviors in mice. This experience prompted me to join Dr. Yong Xu lab in 2023 as I could further research how metabolic homeostasis is regulated by the central nervous system using all the neuroscience and physiology techniques that I equipped from my Ph.D. training. In my leisure time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends cooking, traveling, and doing some casual sports.
 

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Yuxue Yang -Visiting Scholar

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I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Clinical Medicine from Chongqing Medical University in China. After completing my bachelor's degree, I pursued a master's degree in research at Chongqing Cardiovascular Research Institute and earned my degree from Southwest Jiaotong University. During this time, I developed a strong interest in research and began focusing on cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Internal Medicine at Yangzhou University, where I continue to specialize in cardiovascular and kidney diseases. In September of 2023, I joined Dr. Yong Xu's lab at Baylor College of Medicine to broaden my knowledge in the field of neurology. I believe that working here will further deepen my understanding of research and expand my perspective in this exciting field.
 

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Xu Xu-Fellow Physician PGY4

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I was born in Chengdu, Sichuan, and completed my medical school education at Peking Union Medical College. Following a year of residency, I relocated to Tennessee for a family reunion. After being a stay-at-home mom for several years, I rekindled my career as a pediatric resident at Richmond University Medical Center. Subsequently, I made the move to Houston to pursue fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at Texas Children's Hospital. Outside of the medical field, I enjoy reading, writing, cooking, baking, walking in the nature and spending time with my family and friends. 
 

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HueyZhong Wong -Research Technician

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I received my B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University in December, 2022 and am currently pursuing a Masters in Medical Sciences with Baylor. Previously, I worked with Drosophila melanogaster and investigated the downregulation of Transmembrane O-Mannosyl Transferase targeting Cadherins at Dr. Vladislav Panin's glycobiology lab at Texas A&M University. I joined the Xu lab as a research technician in July, 2023 where I now work on genotyping and PCR while developing my passion for medical research. I have a strong interest in understanding the physiological processes behind human disease. On the weekends, I enjoy working in patient care at CHI St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan, Texas and spending time with my family and dog.
 

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Megan Burt-Research Technician

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I graduated from University of Houston in Spring 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and biology. I began my journey at Dr. Leasure’s lab at the University of Houston as an undergraduate researcher. We studied prefrontal and hippocampal damage resulting from excessive alcohol binge and how voluntary exercise may restore the brain’s health, which we discovered is sex-dependent. After graduation, I spent time at Enthalpy Analytical as a laboratory technician. I focused on reporting and measuring particulate matter output from refineries throughout the nation to comply with EPA regulations. In my free time I enjoy Pilates, drawing, and video games.
 

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Yuhan Shi, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate

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I was born in China and got my PhD from Institution of neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Science in 2019, my mentors were Dr. Leping Cheng and Dr. Chengyu Li. During my PhD, I participated in several subjects including direct reprogramming from astrocyte to neuron, molecular mechanisms of pain sensation, circuit mechanisms of working memory, and exploring the method to make transgenic monkey. I started my postdoc career in Dr. Zilong Qiu lab in the Institution of neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Science to study the molecular and circuitry mechanisms of autism. At the beginning of 2023, I moved to US to continue my postdoc study in Dr. MingShan Xue lab in Baylor college of medicine to study the circuitry mechanisms of developmental disorders. At the end of 2023, I joined Dr. Xu’s lab. My study mainly focuses on the cellular and circuitry mechanisms of the neuronal regulation of some certain type of neurons in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion on the metabolism, I believe we can find some evidence to prove it. At the same time, I am also interested in the correlation between the nicotine consumption and the metabolism. As we know, smoking can low human and animal body weight, and quit smoking can induce body weight gain. What is the neuronal mechanism? It’s remained to answer. Besides, I always try to keep a good balance between the work and life, I usually spent a lot of time with my family. I have two children; we learn and grow up together. 
 

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