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  • Chen, Xiao Dong

Xiao-Dong Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

Dental School
Comprehensive Dentistry
210-567-1728
chenx4@uthscsa.edu

Xiao-Dong Chen

The goal of Dr. Xiao-Dong Chen's lab is to reconstitute tissue-specific stem cell niche in vitro to control stem cell fate for tissue regenerative purposes. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are potentially useful for cell-based tissue engineering including the repair of skeletal tissue in non-union fractures or other damaged tissue or organs caused by many age-related diseases, and reconstructive surgery following trauma or removal tumors. 

However, MSCs are rare in bone marrow (approximately 0.01% to 0.001%), and they are difficult to expand in standard culture systems without losing their properties.  This situation has impaired the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying control of MSC behavior and thereby limits their therapeutic potential.  

Our group was the first to establish a culture system, using cell-free native ECM made by bone marrow stromal cells, for quickly growing large numbers of high-quality MSCs from different sources, including bone marrow and umbilical cord blood.  To closely replicate the tissue-specific microenvironment (niche) ex vivo, we have extended our technology by developing a variety of 3D tissue-specific scaffolds for: 1) rejuvenating MSCs from the elderly to establish a high-quality autologous stem cell bank in order to provide a sufficient number of cells for treating age-related diseases, 2) inducing MSCs differentiation into the salivary gland epithelial cell lineage for repairing damaged salivary gland, and 3) improving preservation of pancreatic islet function and reducing immunogenicity for treating type 1 diabetes using allograft transplantation.  Based on the knowledge gleaned from our established native tissue-specific ECMs (TS-ECMs), we have been developing a series of defined TS-ECMs to selectively control the fate of MSCs in order to obtain desired homogenous population of cells (muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, etc) for tissue regenerative purposes. 

Stem Cell Biology, bone biology, aging, regenerative medicine research

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are potentially useful for cell-based tissue engineering including the repair of skeletal tissue in non-union fractures or other damaged tissue or organs caused by many aged-related diseases, and reconstructive surgery following trauma or removal tumors.  However, MSCs are rare in bone marrow (approximately 0.01% to 0.001%), and they are difficult to expand in a standard culture systems without losing their properties.  This situation has impaired the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying control of MSC behavior, and thereby limits their therapeutic potential.  Our group was the first to establish a culture system, using cell-free native ECM made by bone marrow stromal cells, for quickly growing large numbers of high-quality MSCs from different sources, including bone marrow and umbilical cord blood.  To closely replicate the tissue specific microenvironment (niche) ex vivo, we have extended our technology by developing a variety of 3D tissue-specific scaffolds for: 1) rejuvenating MSCs from the elderly to establish a high-quality autologous stem cell bank in order to provide a sufficient number of cells for treating age-related diseases, 2) inducing MSCs differentiation into the salivary gland epithelial cell lineage for repairing damaged salivary gland, and 3) improving preservation of pancreatic islet function and reducing immunogenicity for treating type 1 diabetes using allograft transplantation.  Based on the knowledge gleaned from our established native tissue-specific ECMs (TS-ECMs), we have been developing a series of defined TS-ECMs to selectively control the fate of MSCs in order to obtain desired homogenous population of cells (muscle, bone, cartilage, skin, etc) for tissue regenerative purposes.   

 

  • Education
  • Appointments
  • Expertise
  • Teaching
  • Grants

Education

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Year Degree Discipline Institution
2003 MS Computer Science: Bioinformatics John Hopkins University Engineering
Baltimore , MD
1993 PhD Developing Immunology University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha , NE
1990 MS Hematology University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha , NE
1986 Residency Surgery Medicine Wu Shong Hospital
Shanghai , China
1983 MD Medicine Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine
Shanghai , China
Postdoctoral Fellowship Orthopedics Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven , CT

Appointments

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9/2013 - Present Professor with Tenure University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Comprehensive Dentistry, San Antonio, TX
9/2013 - Present Adjunct Professor and Adjunct Professor The University of Texas Health Science Center, Orthopaedics, San Antonio, TX
4/2012 - Present the Graduate Faculty UTHSCSA
5/2011 - Present A mentoring faculty member in the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology track UTHSCSA, Physiology
9/2010 - Present Founder and Chief Scientific Officer StemBioSys, Inc., San Antonio, TX
6/2008 - Present Visiting Professor Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine

Expertise

Aging, Regenerative Medicine
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Bone and Mineral Research
Stem Cell Biology

Teaching

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Date Description Institution # Students
4/2012 - Present Post-Doctoral Student Supervision UTHSCSA
6/2011 - Present Ph.D. Dissertations Directed UT Health Science Center
3/2011 - Present Masters' Thesis Directed US Air Force Periodontics Residency Program
11/2010 - Present Ph.D. Dissertations Directed UTHSCSA/Shanghai Jiaotong University
9/2009 - Present Dental Biomed Core I The University of Texas Health Science Center
Leader of the Structure and Function of Oral Tissues Section
10/2008 - Present Graduate school
9/2008 - Present Biochemistry

Grants

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Federal

Funding Agency the VA Merit Review
Title Does a Young Extracellular Matrix Rejuvenate Old Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
Status Active
Period 7/2013 - 6/2017
Role Principal Investigator
Grant Detail

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