Wen-Cheng Xiong

Wen-Cheng Xiong is a Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. His research spans molecular mechanisms in neural development, neurodegeneration, and bone homeostasis, with a focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Key findings link non-cognitive symptoms in AD/PD to bone-degenerative phenotypes.

• Education: PhD in Biomedical & Health Informatics from John Hopkins University (1994)

Research Interests: His work investigates cross-talk between neurodegenerative processes and bone metabolism using biochemical, cell biological, and genetic mutant animal models. Major themes include:

• Netrin-1 signaling in neural axonal pathfinding
• Neogenin-YAP regulation of BMP signaling
• VPS35 dysfunction in AD/PD pathogenesis
• APP/Aβ roles in bone remodeling
• LRP4-mediated bone homeostasis

Scientific Contributions: Published 15+ articles in top journals (Nature Neuroscience, Development, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research), revealing age-dependent effects of APPswe/Aβ on osteoclast activation and bone density. His studies demonstrate RAGE as a critical mediator of Aβ-induced bone defects and therapeutic potential of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) administration.

Grants include NIH R01 awards for AD-neurodegeneration (AG051773), bone biology (AR048120), and VA funding (BX000838). Collaborations span departments of Neurosciences, Population Health, and cross-disciplinary Translational Data Science initiatives.