Chike Cao

Dr. Chike Cao is an Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center, affiliated with the School of Medicine and Dentistry's Department of Orthopaedics and Department of Pharmacology and Physiology. Her research focuses on understanding the role of CaV1.2 L-type Ca²⁺ channels in non-excitable musculoskeletal tissues like bone and tendon, aiming to translate findings into clinical treatments for osteoporosis, tendinopathies, and heterotopic ossification.

• Bachelor's in Biological Education, Huazhong Normal University
• Master's in Dr. Michael Lehmann's lab at University of Arkansas
• Ph.D. in Dr. Tibor Rohacs's lab at Rutgers University
• Postdoctoral work under Dr. Gianrico Farrugia (Mayo Clinic) and Dr. Geoffrey Pitt/David Hilton (Duke University)

Her research employs genetic mouse models, pharmacological approaches, and next-generation sequencing to define Ca²⁺ signaling mechanisms in musculoskeletal development. Key articles highlight her work on:

• 2024: Bidirectional hypertension-tendinopathy association via β-adrenergic signaling
• 2023: CaV1.2's role in tendon hypertrophy and mechanotransduction
• 2021: Calcium channels in nonexcitable tissues
• 2017: Estrogen deficiency bone loss prevention and TRPV1 nociception
• 2014-2013: Ano1 chloride channels in gastrointestinal motility and TRPM8 structure

Scientific awards include the NIH NIAMS R21 (2020), Alice L. Jee Young Investigator Award (2019), and Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award (2017). Her lab collaborates with orthopedic surgeons and physiologists to investigate Ca²⁺-dependent cellular processes in musculoskeletal tissues, including ongoing studies on heterotopic bone formation and tendon repair mechanisms.