Xiaoqin Wu
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas Health McGovern Medical School at Houston
Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology
The liver is a central regulator of systemic metabolism and innate immunity, maintaining physiological homeostasis under normal conditions. My laboratory is focused on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive the transition from homeostasis to the dysregulated state characteristic of acute and chronic liver injury, inflammation, and tissue repair. A major focus of our research is to define the coordinated interactions among parenchymal and non-parenchymal cell populations, including innate immune cells, hepatic stellate cells, endothelial cells, and other stromal cells, and to determine how this spatially organized multicellular crosstalk governs disease initiation, progression, and resolution. To address these questions, we integrate human genetic studies, including genome- and exome-wide association analyses, with cutting-edge experimental approaches such as single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, multi-omics profiling, in vivo cell labeling, high-parameter immunophenotyping, and advanced imaging. These complementary strategies enable us to identify disease-associated genetic variants, molecular signaling networks, and functionally distinct cellular subpopulations that correlate with clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses. Our overarching goal is to translate these fundamental mechanistic insights into clinically relevant biomarkers and innovative therapeutic strategies. In parallel, we pursue rational drug repurposing and cell-based therapeutic approaches to accelerate the development of effective treatments for liver diseases and other metabolic disorders.
Education & Training
PhD, Anhui Medical University, 2017