Programs
Departments & Divisions
Currently seeking M.S. & Ph.D. students.
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
My research has primarily focused on studying the role of innate immune sensing and signaling of self- and nonself-nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) in host defense and inflammation. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of immune sensing and signaling of nucleic acids is of great biomedical importance since defects in and dysregulation of this pathway have been implicated in numerous human diseases including autoimmune or allergic conditions, cancers and infectious diseases.
Related Diseases: Vaccine development, cancer immunology, autoimmune and allergic disorders
Techniques: Mouse models with genetic deficient strains, cell cultures, immunological related techniques like FACS
My research has primarily focused on studying the role of innate immune sensing and signaling of self- and nonself-nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) in host defense and inflammation. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of immune sensing and signaling of nucleic acids is of great biomedical importance since defects in and dysregulation of this pathway have been implicated in numerous human diseases including autoimmune or allergic conditions, cancers and infectious diseases.
Liufu Deng, Hua Liang, Meng Xu, Xuanming Yang, Byron Burnette, Ainhoa Arina, Xiao-Dong Li, Helena Mauceri, Michael Beckett, Thomas Darga, Xiaona Huang, Thomas F. Gajewski, Zhijian J. Chen, Yang-Xin Fu, Ralph R. Weichselbaum, (2014) Sensing Promotes Radiation-Induced Type I Interferon-Dependent Antitumor Immunity in Immunogenic Tumors. Immunity, 41:843-852.
Peihong Dai, Weiyi Wang, Hua Cao, Francesca Avogadri, Lianpan Dai, Ingo Drexler, Johanna Joyce, Xiao-Dong Li, Zhijian Chen, Taha Merghoub, Stewart Shuman, Liang Deng. (2014) Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Triggers Type I IFN Production in Murine Conventional Dendritic Cells via a cGAS/STING-Mediated Cytosolic DNA-Sensing Pathway. PLoS Pathog. 10:e1003989.
Xiao-Dong Li, Jiaxi Wu, Daxing Gao, Hua Wang, Lijun Sun, Zhijian J. Chen. (2013) Pivotal Roles of cGAS-cGAMP Signaling in Antiviral Defense and Immune Adjuvant Effects. Science. 341:1390-1394
Xiao-Dong Li, Zhijian J. Chen. (2012) Sequence Specific Detection of Bacterial 23S ribosomal RNA by TLR13. eLife. 1:e00102.
Xiao-Dong Li, Yu-Hsin Chiu, Anisa S. Ismail, Cassie L. Behrendt, Mary Wight-Carter, Lora V. Hooper, Zhijian J. Chen. (2011) The RIG-I-MAVS Pathway Detects Commensal Bacterial RNA and Induces an Immune Response that Prevents Experimental Colitis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 108:17390-17395.
Nina Gratz, Harald Hartweger, Ulrich Matt, Franz Kratochvill, Marton Janos, Stefanie Sigel, Barbara Drobits, Xiao-Dong Li, Sylvia Knapp, Pavel Kovarik. (2011)Type I Interferon Production Induced by Streptococcus pyogenes-Derived Nucleic Acids Is Required for Host Protection. PLoS Pathogen, 7:e1001345.
Xiao-Dong Li, Lijun Sun, Rashu B. Seth, Gabrel Pineda, Zhijian J. Chen. (2005) Hepatitis C virus protease NS3/4A cleaves mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein off the mitochondria to evade innate immunity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 102:17717-17722.
Xiao-Dong Li, Hilkka Lankinen, Niina Putkuri, Olli Vapalahti, Antti Vaheri. (2005) Tula Hantavirus triggers pro-apoptotic signals of ER stress in Vero E6 cells. Virology, 333, 180-189.
Xiao-Dong Li, Hilkka Lankinen, Niina Putkuri, Olli Vapalahti, Antti Vaheri. (2005) Tula Hantavirus triggers pro-apoptotic signals of ER stress in Vero E6 cells. Virology, 333, 180-189.
Xiao-Dong Li, Sami Kukkonen, Olli Vapalahti, Alexander Plyusnin, Hilkka Lankinen, Antti Vaheri. (2004) Tula hantavirus infection of Vero E6 cells induces apoptosis involving caspase 8 activation. Journal of General Virology, 85: 3261-3268.
Xiao-Dong Li, Tomi P. Mäkelä, Deyin Guo, Rabah Soliymani, Ying Cheng, Vesa Koistinen, Olli Vapalahti, Antti Vaheri, Hilkka Lankinen. (2002) Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Interacts with the Fas-mediated Apoptosis Enhancer Daxx. Journal of General Virology, 83: 759-766.