معرفی
Tian Xu is a Professor Adjunct in the Department of Genetics at Yale School of Medicine, with affiliations to the Diabetes Research Center, Yale Cancer Center, and Yale Stem Cell Center. His research spans genetics, genomics, and cancer biology, with a focus on tumor metastasis and developmental genetics.
- PhD, Yale University (1990)
- BS, Fudan University, Biology (1982)
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Helen H. Whitney Foundation, UC Berkeley (1993)
His research interests center on the genetic basis of cancer metastasis and tumor progression. Using Drosophila models, he identified over 50 genes involved in metastasis, revealing that mutations in apicobasal polarity genes cooperate with oncogenic Ras to drive invasive tumors. His work demonstrates that tumor cells co-opt developmental invasion mechanisms, such as JNK-induced MMP expression, and that basement membrane modulation is critical for invasion. He also studies tumor suppressor genes like TSC, PTEN, and LATS in the PI3K/Akt pathway, contributing to clinical trials for TSC and LAM. A major long-term goal is developing mammalian forward genetics using piggyBac transposon mutagenesis for genome-wide functional screening.
His recent publications show a broadening into AI-driven platforms for natural medicine (ShennongAlpha, 2025) and neurovascular biology (synaptic-like transmission in cerebral vessels, 2024), indicating interdisciplinary expansion.
Notable honors include:
- AAAS Fellow (2011)
- CC Tan Life Science Innovation Award (2012)
- Magnolia Silver Award (2008)
- Shanghai Science and Technology Award (2007)
- National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award Advisor (2009)
Tian Xu leads the Tian Xu Lab, which is actively engaged in cutting-edge research in cancer genetics and mammalian functional genomics. His lab has pioneered tools for insertional mutagenesis and continues to explore fundamental mechanisms of tumor progression and metastasis. He has contributed significantly to grant-funded research and scientific training, mentoring postdoctoral fellows and shaping the field of cancer genetics through extensive publications and professional service on journal editorial boards.
